Question

A sanitary landfill has available space of 16.2 ha at an average depth of 10 m. Seven hundred sixty-five (765) cubic meters of solid waste are dumped at the site five days per week. This waste is compacted to twice its delivered density. Estimate the expected life of the landfill in years. (5 points)

Answer 1

Answer:

16.3 years

Step-by-step explanation:

1 ha = 10,000 m^2

The total capacity of the landfill is:

$C = 16.2*10,000*10 = 1,620,000\ m^3$

If waste is compacted to twice its delivered density, its volume is half of the delivered volume. Assuming that a year has 52 weeks, the volume of compacted solid waste dumped per year is:

$V=52*(5*0.5*765)\\V=99,450\ m^3$

The expected life of the landfill is given by its capacity divided by the yearly volume:

$L=\frac{C}{V}=\frac{1,620,000}{99,450} \\L=16,3\ years$

The landfill has an expected life of 16.3 years.