What are the environmental effects of landfills in Wales? What solutions are there?
In 2012, 41% of the overall waste in Wales went to landfills [1]. That is about 640,904 tonnes. Landfills are incredibly detrimental to the environment, triggering issues like air pollution, leachates, as well as affecting biodiversity in Wales. Even old, no longer used landfills still pose a risk to the environment as well as to people [2]. However, all is not lost. The Welsh Government have developed some new and exciting strategies to help combat the environmental effects of our waste.
Environmental Impacts
Air Pollution
Landfills contain biodegradable waste which over time breaks down and emits gases, including methane. The environmental effects of methane are well known. To help reduce the level of methane entering the atmosphere, a process called landfill gas flaring (also sometimes called landfill gas combustion) is used. This essentially means burning methane to produce carbon dioxide (CO2). The combustion process is used in the UK to generate energy. Whilst carbon dioxide is a large contributor to climate change, it has a significantly lower impact than methane [3].
However, during the combustion process, harmful gases such as nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulphur dioxide (SO2) are produced as by-products. These gases are especially damaging to the environment. The gases interact with the atmosphere to create acid rain which can disrupt ecosystems like lakes by upsetting and lowering the pH balance, making them more acidic. Some aquatic animals and plants can’t handle a more acidic environment and they die. Acid rain can also affect forests and woodlands by seeping into the soil and stripping essential nutrients and minerals, like aluminium, from the soil. This prevents growth and kills life.
Odours
Anyone that has lived near a landfill can attest to the unpleasant odours that waft throughout the local neighbourhood. This distasteful smell is credited to the degradation of biodegradable waste and landfill gas. Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a gas many will recognise by its distinct smell of rotten eggs. This is produced by biodegradable waste mixing with waste high in sulphur; when they decompose they emit H2S and give off the smell of rotten eggs.
Leachate Production and Pollution
The Environment Agency defines leachate as “polluted water emerging from a landfill, originating from water ingress or biological degradation.” [6]. This water is toxic and can pollute nearby water systems like lakes and rivers, as well as land. Leachate occurs when biodegradable waste decomposes, and rain penetrates the ground where waste is buried. The chemical compounds in leachates can leach to groundwater and nearby bodies of water, polluting it. The polluted water affects ecosystems, as essential nutrients are lost. This new, contaminated ecosystem kills wildlife. Polluted groundwater makes it undrinkable, and if drunk can cause serious health problems [7].
Solutions
So now we know just how damaging landfills are to the environment- what can we do to change? The main goal is stopping the use of landfills altogether. The first step is by reducing our waste.
Well-being and Future Generations Act (2015):
One of the biggest developments includes Wales’ Well-being and Future Generations Act. The Act focuses on seven aspects of Wales that the government wants to improve, including an aspect, ‘A Resilient Wales’. The Act discusses reducing our single-use plastic habits and eventually phasing them out completely by implementing a single-use plastic policy. What that means is businesses can assess how much single-use plastics they use within their company, and can then set goals to reduce that number, and eventually get it to zero [8]. By eliminating single-use plastics there will be less plastic waste left to decompose for decades in landfills, meaning fewer toxic chemicals can leach.
Zero Waste Wales
By 2050 Wales plans to produce zero waste. All waste that is produced will be reused or recycled. [9] The Welsh Government are already pushing re-using and recycling methods by encouraging fix-up shops where you can go to get an item fixed [10]. This increases a product's lifespan and usability and means less waste is produced. Second-hand selling apps are encouraged so items you no longer want can be of use to someone else.
There are also plans to treat materials that are not currently recycled like mattresses. The more materials we can recycle the better it will be for the environment. Most importantly, Wales plan to end landfill and incinerator use by 2050 following the zero-waste policy [10].
A 2019 report on waste management makes a great point stating that if we can prevent the production of waste, or even prepare waste that can be reused, then it will be more environmentally friendly than just recycling alone [11]. In 2019-20, Ceredigion recycled, re-used, or composted 71.6% of their waste [12]. We can get to 100% soon by following these strategies.
A Future
There are some exciting and forward-thinking strategies being implemented to help reduce waste. The habits of the individual all the way up to large corporations need to do their part in reducing waste and making landfills a thing of the past.
[1] StatsWales (2020). Annual Management of Waste by Management Method (Tonnes). Available at: https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Environment-and-Countryside/Waste-Management/Local-Authority-Municipal-Waste/annualwastemanagement-by-management-year (Accessed: 23 February 2021).
[2] Salvidge, R. (2021). ‘ Toxic Waste Lies Beneath Schools in England and Wales, Map Shows’, The Guardian, 15 January. Available at: https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/15/toxic-waste-lies-beneath-schools-and-homes-uk-landfill-map-shows (Accessed: 25 February 2021).
[3] UNECE. N.d. The Challenge. Available at: https://unece.org/challenge#:~:text=Methane%20is%20a%20powerful%20greenhouses,a%20greenhouse%20gas%20than%20CO2. (Accessed: 23 February 2021).
[4] Macklin, Y., Kibble, A., Pollitt, F. (2011). Impacts on Health of Emissions from Landfill Sites. [Online] London, Health Protection Agency. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/334356/RCE-18_for_website_with_security.pdf (Accessed: 23 February 2021).
[5] Rinkesh (2021). Causes and Effects of Particulate Matter (Particle Pollution). Available at: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-particulate-matter.php (Accessed: 24 February 2021).
[6] Environment Agency (2002). Guidance on Landfill Gas Flaring. [Online] Bristol, Environment Agency. Available at: https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/28988/guidance-on-landfill-gas-flaring.pdf (Accessed: 23 February 2021).
[7] Rinkesh (2021). Causes, Effects, and Solutions of Groundwater Pollution. Available at: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-groundwater-pollution.php (Accessed: 23 February 2021).
[8] Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2021). Adopt a single-use plastic policy, to remove single-use plastics from your estate. Available at: https://www.futuregenerations.wales/aop/adopt-a-single-use-plastic-policy-to-remove-single-use-plastics-from-your-estate/ (Accessed: 23 February 2021).
[9] Welsh Assembly Government (2010). Towards Zero Waste, One Wales: One Planet. Available at: https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-05/towards-zero-waste-our-waste-strategy.pdf (Accessed: 23 February 2021).
[10] Messenger, S. (2019). ‘Waste: How Will Wales End Landfill and Incinerator Use By 2050?’. BBC News. 20 December. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-wales-50853509 (Accessed: 23 February 2021).
[11] Davies, S., Morgan, J., Phillips, A., Mortlock, M. (2019). Waste Management in Wales- Preventing Waste. [Online] Cardiff, Wales Audit Office. Available at: https://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/Documents/Our%20Council/Achieving%20our%20vision/Regulatory%20reports/waste-management-in-wales-preventing-waste-english.pdf (Accessed: 08 March 2021).
[12] StatWales (2020). Annual Reuse/Recycling/Composting Rates by Local Authority. Available at: https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Environment-and-Countryside/Waste-Management/Local-Authority-Municipal-Waste/annualreuserecyclingcompostingrates-by-localauthority-year (Accessed: 08 March 2021).
Comments