Environmental Impact Assessment Of
A Sanitary Landfill
In A High Water Table Area
WALDRON M. McLELLON, Professor
College of Engineering
DAVID H. VICKERS, Associate Professor
JULIUS F. CHARBA, Assistant Professor
College of Natural Sciences
Florida Technological University
Orlando, Florida
GARY I. BERGSTROM, Biologist
VTN, Inc.
Orlando, Florida
INTRODUCTION
In 1969 Orange County, Florida implemented a countywide solid wastes management
system utilizing a centralized landfill operation and several transfer stations, replacing
scattered undesirable landfills and dumps. To do this, the County acquired a 1,500 acre site
southeast of Orlando, a major population center. In 1970, a grant application was made to
the Environmental Protection Agency to demonstrate the economic and environmental
feasibility of a sanitary landfill design and operation in a sandy, high water table area. An
environmental assessment program was an integral part of the proposal, and continued in
the three-year period of initial planning, engineering, construction, and operation.
Additional data have been accumulated, also beyond the end of the project. The
environmental impact assessment program was a joint effort of the Orange County
Pollution Control Department and Florida Technological University, acting in concert
with VTN, Inc. Surface and ground waters were of particular interest since Florida values
the recreational and aesthetic qualities of surface waters and depends on underground
aquifers for its water supplies. Gases and digestion processes in the fill were not to be
studied, thus were not monitored. Leachate and its effects downstream were of prime
concern. Input into the engineering of the landfill, based on environmental impact
parameter studies, also was desired. Thus the engineering, development, operation and
impact assessment were closely integrated.
Grant approval in the summer of 1970 led to active work on the planning, engineering,
and environmental impact assessment. The initial environmental considerations included a
soils and geologic evaluation and a thorough literature survey.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Two areas of concern were important in the literature review, i.e., publications dealing
with sanitary landfills and those concerned with the effects of pollutants in water. Since a
landfill operation consists of buried materials, effects should occur first in ground waters,
then pass to surface waters by seepage to surface drains. Physical, chemical, and biological
effects were of prime interest. Review of engineering and operational features of sanitary
landfills also was needed.
The search concentrated on solid wastes as well as discipline literature, such as that in
sanitary engineering, biochemistry, and microbiology. In this fashion, it was possible to
obtain specific coverage and a wide range of pertinent information. Useful references were
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