Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment Guidance:

Landfill Covers for Use at Air Force Installations A primary objective of this document is to provide the Air Force with state-of-the-art information and references from the current literature on the governing regulations, selection, design, and construction of landfill covers. This material will help identify more cost-effective approaches and reduce remediation costs. The principal sections of the document concern the regulatory framework surrounding landfill covers and the technical basis for landfill cover design and construction. It discusses conventional cover designs currently in use and innovative design concepts that have become available during the past decade. Some of these innovative cover designs have the potential to be effective at many Air Force landfills and result in a significant reduction in remediation costs.

Survey of Air Force Landfills, Their Characteristics, and Remediation Strategies This document is a survey of Air Force landfills and a discussion of the characteristics that set them apart from currently operating commercial landfills and how this affects remediation strategies. An Access database (407 KB) containing the survey results can also be downloaded.

Decision Tool for Landfill Remediation This document traces the overall remedial decision process for landfills through flowcharts, textual descriptions of the process, and explanatory notes that accompany the flowcharts. In addition, it identifies both the process requirements and the opportunities for selecting cost-effective alternative solutions based on site-specific factors, regulatory requirements, and current guidance.

Landfill Remediation Project Manager's Handbook This document provides Air Force Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) with guidance through the steps leading to remediation of a landfill site with particular emphasis on the design of Air Force landfill covers. Each step is discussed in the context of the information RPMs will need to manage the project. The decisions required to determine whether the EPA presumptive remedy of containment is appropriate and which containment components are needed are described in detail using the Decision Tool for Landfill Remediation (see preceding description) in conjunction with this document.

Golf Courses on Air Force Landfills This document discusses the probable negative impact of locating a golf course over a landfill. It also discusses possible consequences and provides guidance for design if the Air Force decides to build or operate a golf course on top of a landfill.

Phytoremediation. AFCEE offers a variety of references on phytoremediation. Visit the AFCEE Phytoremediation web page for more information.

Vegetated Landfill Covers and Phytostabilization This document assists the Air Force manager in determining whether the ET landfill cover may work at a particular site.

Protocol for Controlling Contaminated Groundwater by Phytostabilization This document guides Air Force Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) through the steps leading to design and implementation of phytostabilization to control groundwater movement at a site. Each step is discussed in the context of the information that RPMs will need to manage the project. The decisions required to determine whether phytostabilization is feasible are presented as a screening tool to aid in the decision-making process. The principal sections of this document address the following an overview of phytoremediation in it various forms; a description of phytostabilization; the technologies and science behind phytostabilization; site selection and screening; design and implementation; operation, maintenance, and monitoring; and technical appendixes to aid the RPM.

Evaluating Evapotranspiration (ET) Landfill Cover Performance Using Hydrologic Models The ET landfill cover design problem includes complex relationships between climate, soil, and vegetation and is best solved with the aid of a computer model. ET landfill covers have different design requirements than do conventional covers; therefore, model requirements for design and evaluation differ from conventional practice. Published in January 2004, this AFCEE document discusses cover requirements, design issues, currently available hydrologic models, and provides an assessment of the accuracy and usefulness of engineering models that may be used to evaluate or design ET landfill covers.

EPA Guidance:

The following guidance is available for online viewing and printing at the EPA National Environmental Publication Internet Site (NEPIS). The documents can be found be searching on the leading document number in the title.

540P91001 Conducting Remedial Investigations/Feasibility Studies for CERCLA

Municipal Landfill Sites (EPA/540/P-91-001, OSWER Directive 9355.3-11, February 1991)

625491025 Seminar Publication: Design and Construction of RCRA/CERCLA Final Covers (EPA/625/4-91/025, EPA Office of Research and Development, May 1991)

625R94008 Seminar Publication: Design, Operation, and Closure of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (EPA/625/R-94/008, EPA Center for Environmental Research Information, September 1994)

625489022 Seminar Publication: Requirements for Hazardous Waste Landfill Design, Construction, and Closure (EPA/625/4-89/022, EPA Center for Environmental Research Information, August 1989)

600R95051 RCRA Subtitle D (258): Seismic Design Guidance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Facilities (EPA/600/R-95/051, EPA Office of Research and Development, April 1995)

530SW91084 Environmental Fact Sheet: Final Cover Requirements for Municipal

Solid Waste Landfills (EPA/530-SW-91-084, EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, March 1992)

530F97002 Geosynthetic Clay Liners Used in Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (EPA530-F-97-002, EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, July 1997)

530F92030 Environmental Fact Sheet: EPA Issues Final Rule Regarding Liquids in Hazardous Waste Landfills (EPA/530-F-92-030, EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, November 1992)

Other Guidance:

Impact of Landfill Closure Designs on Long-Term Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons (ESTCP, 2002)
The purpose of this landfill-closure evaluation project is to assist the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) and their US DOD technology-transition partners in developing alternative landfill closure designs and management strategies that can enhance the long-term natural attenuation of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) (i.e., chlorinated solvents) in landfills and landfill-leachate-contaminated groundwater.

Presumptive Remedies: CERCLA Landfill Caps RI/FS Data Collection Guide (EPA/540/F-95/009, Aug 1995)

This EPA Quick Reference Fact Sheet provides guidance on what data is normally required for the design of a landfill cover. Six categories of data are discussed: (1) waste area delineation; (2) slope stability and settlement; (3) gas generation/migration; (4) existing cover assessment; (5) surface water run-on/run-off management; and (6) clay sources.

Safer Disposal for Solid Waste: The Federal Regulations for - Landfills (EPA/530 SW-91 092, Mar 1993)

This EPA publication summarizes the federal regulations covering many aspects of landfill operation and remediation including closure and post-closure care, groundwater monitoring and corrective action and financial assurance. It also provides additional sources of information.

EPA Office of Solid Waste: Laws, Regulations and Policies

This EPA site is a reference to all RCRA regulations especially as they pertain to solid waste.

Technical and Regulatory Guidance for Design, Installation, and Monitoring of Alternative Final Landfill Covers (ALT-2)

This document was prepared by the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council Alternative Landfill Technologies Team. It is primarily written for decision makers associated with the plan development, review, and implementation of alternative final covers (AFCs). The document focuses on the decisions and facilitating the decision processes related to design, evaluation, construction, and post-closure care associated with AFCs. To facilitate the use of this document and understanding of the decision process, an electronically interactive decision tree is provided. The document provides input related to key decision steps in the permitting, design, construction, and maintenance of AFCs (December 2003, 211 pages)

Presentations and Materials at the AFCEE Technology Transfer Workshops

Various presentations and materials are available on this subject through the AFCEE Technology Transfer Workshop and its web page.