Landfill Assesment

Statement of originality Certified that this is the bonafide project work and report CCB524 of Mr Nophus Khumo Moatswi ID No, 200204809 Summarized Title: Assessment and evaluation of the operations and maintenance activities of Gaborone Landfill report required for the successful completion of bachelors of degree in Civil Engineering. Date of completion…………………………………. Signature…………………………………………… Disclaimer Although a great care was taken in preparation of this research project to provide reliable information, but the author (researcher) shall not liable for any information taken from this report as quotation and it should worth noting that this should not be used as a text book or any source of information.

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Acknowledgement Great thanks are given to Mr P M Oagile for he had assisted me on the preparation of my research project and as my project supervisor. I therefore wish to thank the Gaborone landfill personnel for the reliable information the provided to me based on landfill management. I would also like thank the department of Waste management and pollution control and National Environmental Lab for the information they provided to me based on the strategic ways they use to deal with wastes. Lastly I thank my family for they have continued to support during difficult times academically and socially. Ke leboga

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Contents 1 Introduction...............................................................................................................5 1.1 Background..........................................................................................................5 1.2 Statement of the problem.....................................................................................6 1.3 Aim.......................................................................................................................6 1.4 Objectives.............................................................................................................6 1.5 Purpose of the study.............................................................................................7 1.6 Beneficiaries.........................................................................................................7 2 Literature review......................................................................................................9 2.1 Guidelines for the development of a site specific plan........................................9 2.2 Operations of the landfill....................................................................................11 2.2.1 Control of Working Face.............................................................................11 2.2.2 Equipment Movement.................................................................................11 2.3 Spreading Waste on a Slope...............................................................................11 2.3.1 Waste Compaction.......................................................................................12 2.3.2 Cell Completion..........................................................................................12 2.4 Cover Soil...........................................................................................................12 2.4.1 Placement of Cover.....................................................................................12 2.4.2 Daily Cover.................................................................................................13 2.4.3 Intermediate Cover......................................................................................13 2.4.4 Final Cover..................................................................................................13 2.4.5 Difficult Waste.............................................................................................13 2.4.6 Bulky Waste.................................................................................................13 2.4.7 Tyres............................................................................................................14 2.4.8 Large Metal Wastes.....................................................................................14 2.4.9 Low Density Wastes....................................................................................14 2.4.10 Powdery Wastes.........................................................................................15 2.4.11 Medical Solid Wastes................................................................................15 2.5 Cleanup of Completed Area...............................................................................15 2.5.1 Prior to Final Cover.....................................................................................15 2.5.2 Final Cover Placement................................................................................15 2.5.3 Planting and Landscaping...........................................................................15 2.6 Maintenance of Completed Areas......................................................................16 2.6.1 Landscaping................................................................................................16 2.6.2 Inspection of Completed Areas...................................................................16 2.6.3 Cracks and Depressions..............................................................................16 2.7 Traffic Control and Unloading of Waste............................................................16 2.7.1 Responsibility for Traffic Direction............................................................16 2.7.2 Proper Traffic Control.................................................................................16 2.8 On-Site Roads....................................................................................................19 2.8.1 Road Construction.......................................................................................19 2.8.2 Road Maintenance.......................................................................................19 2.9 Inclement Weather.............................................................................................20 2.9.1 Preparation for Bad Weather......................................................................20 3 Methodology............................................................................................................22 3

3.1 Review of literature............................................................................................22 3.2 Internet research ................................................................................................22 3.3 Visits to different authorities..............................................................................23 3.4 Observation and Interviews ...............................................................................23 4 Results and Analysis................................................................................................24 4.1 News and Articles...............................................................................................24 4.2 Department of waste management.....................................................................26 4.3 Gaborone Landfill operations.............................................................................26 4.3.1 Setup............................................................................................................26 4.3.2 Classification...............................................................................................27 4.3.3 Types of waste.............................................................................................29 4.4 Facilities and Resources for landfill operations.................................................31 4.4.1 Staff.............................................................................................................31 4.4.2 Plant and Equipment...................................................................................32 4.5 Observations ......................................................................................................34 4.5.1 All weather site roads..................................................................................34 4.5.2 Waste acceptance procedure........................................................................34 4.5.3 Control of vehicle access.............................................................................34 4.5.4 Site security.................................................................................................35 4.5.5 Operating plan.............................................................................................35 4.5.6 Landfill compactor and Compaction of waste............................................35 4.5.7 Daily cover .................................................................................................35 4.5.8 Immediate covering of putrescibles ...........................................................36 4.5.9 Three days stockpile of cover......................................................................36 4.5.10 Nuisance control .......................................................................................36 4.5.11 Wind sock .................................................................................................36 4.5.12 Draining water away from waste..............................................................36 4.5.13 Containment of contaminated runoff .......................................................36 4.5.14 Leachate containment ...............................................................................37 4.5.15 Storm water diversion measures ..............................................................37 4.5.16 Landfill gas control ..................................................................................37 4.5.17 Analysis of observation.............................................................................37 5 Problems encountered.............................................................................................38 6 Conclusion................................................................................................................39 7 Recommendations...................................................................................................40 8 References................................................................................................................41

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1 Introduction The long term waste management aim for Botswana is to achieve a state of sustainable waste management within the next few years by following the following objectives; protection of human health, protection of the environment and protection of the natural resources. This can only be achieved by practising the internationally accepted Waste Management Hierarchy shown in the figure below

1. Waste reduction Can quantity of waste production be minimised?

2. Reuse/recycling Can waste be reused or recycled?

3. Treatment Does hazardous nature of waste need to be reduced

4. Safe landfill Disposal

Landfilling is the least preferred option for the management of unwanted material. Every opportunity must be taken to avoid waste production and remove recyclable material from the waste stream before it arrives at the landfill. This is particularly so for wastes generated in significant volumes at a single site, such as construction and demolition waste from large projects. Material presented at a landfill should be sorted either by the waste generator or at some intermediate facility such as a transfer station to remove and recover recyclable material prior to deposition in the landfill. Economies of scale may develop where a particular material can be stockpiled at a landfill over a period of time in sufficient quantities to make material recovery feasible. Segregated inert wastes may be monofilled for recovery in future when require, for example tyres. This report will focus on the part 4 of the hierarchy which is what actually happens at the landfill, in his case Gaborone landfill. What are the operations done at the landfill? Are they are being done according to the guidelines for the safe landfill disposal.

1.1 Background Gaborone landfill was constructed in 1993; it has been operating for more than ten years now. It had a design life of ten years but it is still under operation. Its location

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has also been a subject of some controversy over the years. Some residents complained about the fire outbreaks, which were mostly caused by scavengers. Gaborone City Council (GCC) was on the other hand has been criticised for failure to recycle waste and shoddy landfill management. Residents of Village have complained about the stench that emanates from the area. Business people too in the area have also complained in the past about flies that come from the landfill. Environmentalists have complained in the past that it was built too close to the dam. It was even worrying that the boreholes that were dug around the landfill to detect leachate have since collapsed. According to the guidelines, the operation of the landfill should involve compaction and covering of waste on a daily basis. The guidelines also state that landfills should be located at least 500 meters from habitation and should not be located on the windward side of the town. Landfills should not be situated within 500 meters of surface water used for domestic or human consumption.

1.2 Statement of the problem They say the best-designed sanitary landfill is of little value unless it is constructed and operated properly. Without proper design based activities of the landfills problems are likely to arise which might have bad impact on the landfill environment. Gaborone landfill has over the years been marred by controversy depicted by the media and the nearby communities. It is important to liaise with the community in the assessment process, as this enables early identification of the issues that are important to the local community and environment, and as a result, has a significant influence on operation of the landfill.

1.3 Aim The project is meant to assess and to evaluate the operation and maintenance of Gaborone landfill through data collection on all activities carried at the landfill and checking if they are in accordance with the initial design, operation and maintenance specification.

1.4 Objectives The following objectives have been identified in order to help to achieve the aim of the project 6

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To do literature review landfill operations

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To collect data on all operations at the landfill

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To asses and evaluate the operations of the landfill by comparing the Gaborone operations to the standard operation.

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To examine any relationship between age of the landfill and its maintenance needs.

1.5 Purpose of the study The operations and maintenance activities forms the major day to day activities of land filling and determine how safely the waste is handled and disposed. This project is to establish how the operations could be a source of the problems arising from the landfill. Although the Gaborone landfill is way past its design life its operations should be in away that they don’t pose any danger to the environment. Same sustainability waste management approach should be kept since it is the basic aim of of the country long term waste management. This study reviews operation and maintenance of Gaborone landfill through data collection on all activities carried at the landfill and checking if they are in accordance with the initial design, operation and maintenance specification.

1.6 Beneficiaries The following people are going to benefit from the research •

Researchers The results will benefit the students and researchers who might find the results useful for their respective uses.

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Designers Landfill designers can use the information for future designs.

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Landfill management (City Council) The management will be able to identify their mistakes and make improvements or continue their good work if everything is according to specification.

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The researcher (I) will also benefit from the research as he will gain knowledge on the various operations of the landfill and environmental engineering aspects.

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Literature review

A simple well organised-operating plan is the key to the successful operation of the landfill. An organised operating plan merely satisfying regulatory compliance is of little use. a good operating plan should provide guidance for day-day and year to year operations so that landfill volume is efficiently used, a safe working environment is created, and environmental nuisances are not created. No two landfills are alike and the following are just guidelines to a site plan.

2.1 Guidelines for the development of a site specific plan. 1. The highest compaction is obtained from base and up of the landfill. 2. End dumping from the side of the landfill should be avoided. 3. All-weather access roads should be built inside and outside of the landfill 4. The active area should be as small as possible. 5. A maximum of three horizontal to one vertical waste slopes should be maintained on all internal waste faces. 6. The surface water should be diverted away from the landfill. Temporary surfaces water drainage swales should be constructed whenever possible. 7. waste contact liquid must be allowed to run off from the landfill 8. Access to the landfill should be controlled by a fence and locking gate. 9. Proper care should be exercised during the burning waste (if allowed by the regulatory agency). 10. Clear and visible on-site directional signs should be posted for proper traffic routing. In municipal landfills burnable wood, white goods (refrigerators, etc), recyclable material (paper and grass etc) should be deposited separately so that the can be salvaged 11. Landfill operators should know about the fire control measures and emergency measures to be taken in case of accident leading to physical injury. 12. The operators should take necessary safety precautions when operating the landfill.

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13. The operators and other landfill personal should be conscientious about bacterial and chemical contamination while storing and eating food within the landfill office. 14. The operators should know about monitoring and maintenance requirements for the landfill. 15. The operators should have a basic knowledge about the design and construction related issues of the landfill.

Figure 1: typical landfill operation and terminology

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2.2 Operations of the landfill The waste cell is the basic building block of the sanitary landfill. It is composed of several layers of waste compacted on a slope by heavy equipment and enclosed on all sides by soil. Basic instructions for constructing waste cells with the materials accepted are outlined below:

2.2.1 Control of Working Face The working face is the portion of the uncompleted cell on which additional waste is spread and compacted. For effective operation, the working face should be kept as narrow as possible. By keeping the face narrow, equipment movement and cover material requirements are minimized. The optimal working face width varies depending on the number of vehicles bringing wastes to the site and the equipment available for spreading and compacting. It should be wide enough to prevent a backlog of trucks; however, the width should not be so wide as to be impractical to operate or to expose an undue amount of refuse to the wind. The face width should be reduced by compacting and covering portions of the face as traffic drops off at the end of the day. For safety reasons, the width of the face should not be reduced to less than 12m.

2.2.2 Equipment Movement Solid waste should be dumped at the toe of the working face by the collection trucks and pushed up the slope. For reasons of safety a minimum of 2.5 to 3m separation between the trucks and the crawler tractor should be kept. The unloading area should always be kept level and clear of waste materials.

2.3 Spreading Waste on a Slope Waste is pushed into layers, compacted, and adequately covered. During succeeding days, the incoming waste is dumped at the toe of the preceding day’s waste and pushed up the face, compacted, and covered at the end of each working day. A machine, such as a track-type tractor or landfill compactor, spreads and compacts the material. Soil for daily cover must be hauled in from borrow sites using a wheel tractor-scraper or articulated truck 11

2.3.1 Waste Compaction A high degree of compaction extends the fill life, reduces cover material and longterm land requirements, reduces litter problems, and results in other beneficial effects. Good compaction is achieved by operating the tractor up and down the working face between 3 and 5 times on layers of waste not exceeding 500mm until no further compaction occurs. The top deck of the cell must also be compacted by running the landfill compactor across the flat top.

Figure 2 heavy equipment compacting at the landfill.

2.3.2 Cell Completion To finish the cell, soil should be placed to cover over exposed waste at the close of each day’s operation. This is the DWMPC requirement until the department permits a relaxation. The amount of soil required for daily cover may vary because of soil type. The material to be used for cover may be soil, builder’s rubble, ash or other approved cover. However, the thickness of compacted soil should not be less than 150mm on and 300mm on the top deck after compaction. When the cell is completed, no waste should be visible. When constructing a cell in an open area, the side slopes require soil cover also. These side slopes should be maintained at a 3:1 slope to reduce cover requirements.

2.4 Cover Soil 2.4.1 Placement of Cover Soil for daily, intermediate, and final cover should be placed in the following manner. When using a crawler tractor, soil loads should be pushed up the slope and feathered out as evenly as possible. Tracks of the equipment should not be permitted to spin as 12

the vehicle goes up the compacted slope. The action will tear up the waste and it may be necessary to compact again.

2.4.2 Daily Cover All waste must be covered with at least 150mm of soil on the slopes and 300mm on the top deck by the end of each day. In some cases, more than 150mm of soil may be required so that after compaction, the layer will be 150mm. For example, loose soils such as sand and silt may drop into open spaces in the waste. For this reason, proper compaction is essential to minimize the amount of soil required for cover.

2.4.3 Intermediate Cover The top and side surfaces of a completed cell that is not to be covered within 180 days by another cell may be exposed to weather and truck traffic. These surfaces should be covered with a layer of at least 300mm of compacted soil. This intermediate cover should be thick enough to prevent erosion of the cover by wind, water, and traffic. If wastes become exposed, water can enter, and odors and gases may escape from the cells.

2.4.4 Final Cover When filling has reached the final planned grade, a final cover of at least 300mm of compacted soil should be placed. The engineering staff will advise the depth of final cover to use for all completed sections of fill. This cover is necessary to allow light traffic and minor settlement to occur without exposing any waste. The final cover will also help keep the rain from seeping into the waste.

2.4.5 Difficult Waste Certain wastes acceptable at a landfill on the basis of their overall properties have some characteristics which require special handling which is not part of the site operating procedure. The following are basic methods to be used:

2.4.6 Bulky Waste Crushable Items – such as furniture and appliances Such items should be dumped at the toe of the working face if traffic permits. Use the crawler tractor to crush the item on solid ground, and then push it into the toe of the fill. Fill in any holes with regular waste. 13

Demolition Debris Spread out bulkier pieces of concrete, lumber, and other debris evenly at the toe of the working face. Place regular wastes on top of the demolition wastes. Trucks delivering asphalt grindings and broken concrete suitable for road surfacing should be directed to a separate dumping area where this material can be stored for later use. The Field Operations Program Manager should designate locations for storage of these waste materials. Long Items Long, awkward items, such as trees, stumps, logs, and rolls of paper and plastic should be dumped at the toe of the face, placed parallel to the working face, and covered with regular waste. The crawler tractor should be driven over logs and stumps carefully to prevent overturning.

2.4.7 Tyres Shredded or bageled rubber tyres should be placed at the toe of the fill, spread out and covered them with other wastes. Tires are less likely to work their way to the surface if placed at the bottom of the cell. Do not try to compact unreduced rubber tires.

2.4.8 Large Metal Wastes Metal wastes, such as pipes, rolls of cable, and wires should be placed directly at its position of disposal and covered by household or demolition wastes (bridged). This will prevent unnecessary machine damage and shutdown.

2.4.9 Low Density Wastes Waste types such as brush, leaves, and yard trimmings, synthetic fibers, loose plastic film or foam, and rubber and plastic scraps or shavings, require special handling. These materials present problems because they rebound after being run over by the crawler tractor. Spread the lightweight material into 1 to 2 foot deep layers, and then cover it with regular waste, compacting as usual at base of cell. These wastes should be compacted until the operator can no longer detect that the surface of the waste 14

layer is being depressed more than it is rebounding. The weight of the regular waste tends to keep the low-density material down.

2.4.10Powdery Wastes Wastes such as sawdust and other dusts also require special handling. These wastes are problems because they are stirred up by the equipment and blown by wind. Once in the air, they may be harmful to personnel if they are inhaled or contact the skin. Personnel working in powdery areas should wear protective clothing and respirators. Some powdery wastes may be wetted down with water from a water truck and then covered immediately with soil or regular refuse. This procedure will help reduce blowing and dusting of the powdery waste. If water is not available, cover the powdery wastes with soil or refuse to reduce blowing and dusting of the waste.

2.4.11Medical Solid Wastes Medical solid wastes should be deposited at the toe of the working face and bridged across with other solid waste to ensure the sharps in the medical waste stay buried.

2.5 Cleanup of Completed Area 2.5.1 Prior to Final Cover Prior to placement of final cover material, the completed area should be cleared of all debris. Any objects protruding through the daily or intermediate cover should be pulled out and the hole filled. Large cracks or holes in the surface should be filled with cover material.

2.5.2 Final Cover Placement Place final cover material on completed areas at the thickness specified by filling plans.

2.5.3 Planting and Landscaping Interim ground cover should consist of mulch to control soil erosion. Completed areas should be landscaped according to landscaping plans provided by Biology staff.

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2.6 Maintenance of Completed Areas 2.6.1 Landscaping All grass, shrub, and tree areas should be cultivated and watered as specified. Regular schedules for cultivation and watering should be determined and maintained.

2.6.2 Inspection of Completed Areas The Engineering staff should inspect completed areas of the landfill once each month for signs of cracks and depressions due to settlement.

2.6.3 Cracks and Depressions Cracks and depressions should be filled with compacted soil as soon as they are discovered.

2.7 Traffic Control and Unloading of Waste 2.7.1 Responsibility for Traffic Direction Laborer The Spotter has the responsibility to inform all customers where they should deliver their waste materials. This should be specific as to the customer’s type of waste. If locations for handling various materials vary from time to time, the Spotter should know where each type of material is to be disposed of in advance. Equipment Operator When there is not a Laborer at the site, the equipment operator should show customers where they should discharge their load of waste.

2.7.2 Proper Traffic Control Traffic Flow The traffic must be kept moving. Packer trucks and other trucks that dump mechanically should be routed to the working face without delay, since waiting costs both time and money. The driver should back to the toe of the slope before he/she 16

starts to dump and pull straight away slowly from the slope while he/she is dumping. This is done to provide a rough level so that it can be leveled easily.

Figure 3 showing a dumper truck

Traffic Control Directional signs and barricades are provided to help control traffic. Be sure the proper signs and barricades are at the required locations at the beginning of each day. If signs or barricades require changing, this should be done at the end of each day so that they will be ready for the next day’s operation. Separation of Vehicles Vehicles being unloaded by hand should dump in the public area only. A separate area should also be provided for Semi End Dump Trailers away from both the Public Area and the working face due to the danger of overturning. Load-on-Fire Procedures Loads-on-fire are wastes that are either on fire or that are smoldering or smoking. All site personnel should be familiar with procedures for handling such loads. This type of waste should not be permitted into the landfill. Emergency Procedures should be available for handling such case. Handling of Inoperative Vehicles Broken-down trucks should not be allowed to delay other traffic. If a truck’s unloading device is inoperative, it should be routed to an area where it can be unloaded by hand, without delaying other vehicles. The driver must report for any damage before the operator can use the dozer to pull or otherwise assist a brokendown truck. Location for Dumping Waste 17

Customers should be directed to the proper location for disposing of specific types of waste and to unload the waste at the base of the cell and drive their vehicle straight out when disposal is complete. Cooperation with Equipment Operators The spotter directing traffic should work closely with the equipment operators to minimize the potential for accidents and/or injuries while customers are emptying their vehicles. Prevention of Scavenging Illegal scavenging by customers or employees is should not permitted. Customers caught scavenging for the first time should be reminded of the regulations and told to leave the site. The names of repeat offenders should be given to the Disposal Site Supervisor. Watch for Unauthorized Materials The spotter should observe the wastes being dumped to spot unauthorized materials such as flammable, explosive, or other hazardous materials. If such material is dumped, the traffic director should notify the equipment operator and the Waste Inspector so it can be safely removed. Site User Rules The labourer should know all site user rules and watch for violations. If site users disobey a rule, they should be reminded of the rule. If site users refuse to cooperate with the spotter, he/she should report them to a Disposal Site Supervisor. Emergency Procedures Site personnel should be familiar with proper fire and accident procedures and are expected to know their role in all possible emergency situations. Emergency Procedures should be learnt and provided.

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2.8 On-Site Roads 2.8.1 Road Construction All-Weather Roads Major on-site roads should be constructed such that they can be used under all weather conditions. When possible, use imported material such as asphalt grindings or other appropriate construction debris for the road base. Use the road base material purchased by the City when this type of material is not available. Roads should be located and constructed according to plans and specifications provided by the engineering staff. Dry-Weather Roads Roads that are to be used during dry weather can be constructed from compacted soil if other materials are unavailable. These roads should be located and constructed according to plans and specifications provided by the Engineering staff.

2.8.2 Road Maintenance Filling of Potholes Potholes should be filled with suitable materials. The patching material should be compatible with the road construction material. Fill potholes on a routine basis so that they are not allowed to remain open for extended periods. Before placing patches in holes, all loose material should be removed from the hole. New material should then be placed in the hole and compacted so that it will have the same density as the road. Filling of Areas Where Settlement Occurs When all-weather roads are built on fill areas, settlement of the filled area may cause cracks to appear in a road or cause the slope of a road to change. Cracks should be filled with material that is compatible with the roadbed. Area of a sloped road, where the slope has changed drastically, should be built-up with material compatible with the roadway. The build-up should be made by placing and compacting a layer of roadway material, then adding another layer. This process should be repeated until the roadway is built to the desired elevation.

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Maintenance of Dirt Roadways Roadways that are made in native or filled soil require different maintenance than paved ones. Ruts usually appear in dirt roads that are heavily traveled. These roads should be graded and re-compacted as required to re-establish proper road grades. Roads should also be sprayed with water during dry weather to control dust. Removal of Materials from Roadways Dirt, brush, and other debris should not be allowed to remain on any roadbeds. Dirt left on asphalt roadbeds may cause dust problems during dry weather or mud problems during wet weather. This material should be cleaned off roadbeds with the use of a street sweeper.

Maintenance of Drainage Ditches All drainage ditches should be kept free of obstructions and debris. During the wet weather season inspections of all drainage ditches and structures should be made at least once each week after rain events, or more frequently as required. Any debris should be removed from ditches.

2.9 Inclement Weather 2.9.1 Preparation for Bad Weather Rain Wet Weather Conditions Wet weather areas should be prepared in advance of the earliest anticipated seasonal rains, normally by august (Botswana rainy season). Available material such as asphalt grindings and small pieces of demolition rubble may be used for constructing the area. The wet weather area should be constructed adjacent to an all-weather road. Work on the wet weather area can be performed at various times when personnel and equipment are not required for other assignments. The size and location of the wet weather area will be delineated by the Engineering staff. All-Weather Roads 20

All-weather roads should be repaired prior to the rainy season. Drainage Facilities Drainage structures and ditches should be in good repair and free of debris prior to the rainy season. Silt Fencing Silt fencing or other temporary drainage control devices should be stockpiled for use in an emergency situation. Mulch Exposed dirt areas shall be covered with mulch prior to the rainy season as directed by the Engineering Staff. Sedimentation Basins Sedimentation basins should be in good repair and free of sediment and debris prior to the rainy season. Tackifier Tackifier should be sprayed on any slopes that are too steep to be mulched or any bare dirt surfaces that are not being used prior to the rainy season. Wind Litter Fences Litter fences should be installed prior to windy weather and relocated as required. Dust Use the water truck to spray roads to keep dust down.

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3 Methodology The method to be used to meet up the objectives is divided into phases some has already been practiced. Due to nature of the project, some activities were carried out concurrently although they are in different phases. In actual fact the phases are not in chronological order so this means that some activities may have to be carried out before others.

3.1 Review of literature Various books have been explored of which the above information has been derived. Due to the to get the original design operation and maintenance specifications not being found(misplaced) by the GCC Environmental Health Department, different sources has been used to get the basic up to date guidelines on the operations of the landfill. Care was taken to correlate the guidelines with the DWMPC ’s guidelines for the disposal of waste by landfill, but full completion was not achievable because of the unsuccessful trips to the GCC which could have provided at least the design operations specifications. The trips were restricted by budget and time constraints.

3.2 Internet research Research by internet provided the basis of the research so far. Various landfill operations and monitoring operations were investigated and a full insight on the subject gained. Communications to various sources of information started through emails and appointment were scheduled. Mr Jimmy Opelo who is an environmental engineer at the national environmental laboratory was very helpful with information regarding the landfill and further directed me to GCC. His contact was made through sending an email to his department. The internet also provided information on issues at the landfill which are clearly related to the landfill operations e.g. the recent fire outbreak. This was through checking the news on the landfill through various search engines like Google, yahoo, e.t.c. 22

3.3 Visits to different authorities A visit to the DSWM now DWMPC provided the Guidelines for the Disposal of waste by landfill 1st edition 1997. A brief explanation about Gaborone landfill was made about its conception and its continued existence after its design period has transpired. That was just an informal discussion with one environmental engineer at the laboratories. Other visits were made to GCC which owns and operates the landfill. The chief environmental engineer and the landfill manager where caught up in various tasks so they could not be confronted. the landfill manager was met briefly where he aviled the quantities The second part of the project will include an interview with the landfill manager which will hopefully avail the design and operations manual or schedule.

3.4 Observation and Interviews Observations tell a lot about the operations of the landfill, one can easily asses the operations of the landfill by just observing its activities. Visits to the landfill have been scheduled for the next phase of this project. The first visit was unsuccessful since it was required proper safety wear should be worn on site and the senior technical officer and his assistant were busy with consultation for the new landfill. this project relied mainly on direct field observations. The discussions on and answers to closed and interview schedules by stakeholders, affected- and- interested – persons, provided. Observation was a preferred method as the researcher felt that the interviewed may feel intimidated when asked questions about their capability to do their jobs.

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4 Results and Analysis 4.1 News and Articles An internet research was done based on news by media and previous projects about the Gaborone landfill. That is what operations have raised eyebrows and what has been done. A couple of were found which in one way or the showed the problems which have been brought out by bad operations at the landfill. The following are some of the articles found and extracts from them. Today the landfill is more that brimful and the fact that it does not provide a contoured access makes it difficult for vehicles to approach, unload their content or to compact it. (Characteristics, threats and opportunities of landfill scavenging: The caseof Gaborone-Botswana-Batsumi Rankokwane & Thando D. Gwebu*2006) GABORONE - River walk shopping centre and Fairgrounds office park will be spared the stinking smell from the nearby old Gaborone Landfill which is closing this December. (Daily News 11 September, 2008) Constructed in 1993, the landfill had been expected to close prematurely because of the magnitude of waste disposed from metropolitan Gaborone. Its location has also been a subject of some controversy over the years. Some residents complained about the fire outbreaks, which were mostly caused by scavengers. Gaborone City Council (GCC) was on the other hand has been criticized for failure to recycle waste and shoddy landfill management. (Daily News 20 January, 2008) Lepang (GCC Principal Health Officer) has confessed that the council has lost control of maintaining order at the landfill. "It is difficult for us to control illegal scavengers at the landfill. But what I can assure you is that dumped foods from council are destroyed before dumping them," he said. (Mmegi Online 27, November 2007) The Gaborone landfill, which was constructed in 1993, had a 10-year life span. Its location has in the past been marred with controversy and residents of Village have complained about the stench that emanates from the area. Business people too in the 24

area have also complained in the past about flies that come from the landfill. (Mmegi Online 3, November 2006) From the news found in the internet one would find that indeed there is a problem with Gaborone landfill, not only with the landfill being over its 10- year life span but with the operations which have taken place over the years. Flies and stench which geminates from the landfill are often a result of failing to daily cover waste or the cover being thin enough to allow flies access to the waste. The fires which are allegedly started by illegal scavengers should have not happened on the first place if the was control on access to the landfill at the entrance and by the site having a well erected and maintained fence.

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4.2 Department of waste management Department of waste management was visited to gather information basically on the operations and maintenance procedure of a landfill. The information obtained on the policies showed that the Government of Botswana (GOB) have any policies generally governing the handling of the waste as shown on Guidelines for the Disposal of waste by landfill 1st edition 1997. The personnel on the behalf of the department further stated that the Government has waste management hierarchy for dealing with all types of wastes. The management hierarchy is shown at the beginning of this report. For licensing of the landfill the following guidelines are supposed to be followed for a large landfill such as Gaborone. Observations on the guidelines where made in order to asses and evaluate the operations and maintenance activities of Gaborone landfill. Guidelines C All weather site roads C Waste acceptance procedure C Control of vehicle access C Site security C Operating plan C Landfill compactor C Full-time supervision C Compaction of waste C Daily cover C Wet weather cell C Immediate covering of putrescibles C Prohibition of end tipping C Final cover C Nuisance control C Prohibition of burning C Wind sock C Draining water away from waste C Leachate containment D C: compulsory D: discretionary – opinion to be given by DSWM. N: not compulsory Table 1 Showing guidelines required for a large landfill

4.3 Gaborone Landfill operations 4.3.1 Setup The landfill is partitioned into five zones. At the main entrance are the administration offices. This is where all the records and files on the operations of the landfill and

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related activities are kept. The other zones are for: the disposal of waste food: trees, wooden materials and construction rubble; tyres; and metal products, respectively. However, because of the magnitude of waste received at the landfill, poor management and shortage of space, these zones are no longer clearly defined. As a result, it is possible to find an admixture of different items in one zone of the landfill. The fence that had been erected around the landfill has since disintegrated. This makes it difficult for its proper management resulting in animals such as goats, cows and donkeys from some satellite communities gaining easy entrance into the landfill. Also, any scavenging person can gain entry through ungazetted points.

Figure 4: Gaborone landfill setup 2003

ALL WASTE LANDFILL

OFFICES

Tyres Figure 5: latest setup of Gaborone landfill 2007

4.3.2 Classification

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Gaborone landfill is classified as a large landfill according to the landfill classification matrix (source: Guidelines for the disposal of waste by landfill 1997) The Gaborone population now greater than 186 000 (CSO, 2001) which from the table below qualifies it to categorized as a large landfill

Landfill size class Very small Small Medium Large

Landfills classification matrix tonnes p.a. <500 500-6500 6500-65000 >65000

Table 2: Landfill classifications

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Indicative Population Size 2000 26500 150000 >150000

4.3.3 Types of waste Gaborone landfill receives different types of waste which are supposed to be unloaded on different places in the landfill according to type. The Quantities of waste as in April 2007 are follows;

5768500

Total mass brought in the landfill 6000000

5000000

2858820

4000000

3000000

50760

19900

32900

1000000

179380

851800

2000000

tyres

scrap metal

builders rubble

mediacal wast

general refuse

greden refuse

cover materials

0

Graph 1: showing total mass (kg) recycled at the landfill

The graph above shows the amount recorded end of April 2007. Besides general refuse, cover top soil (cover material) and builder’s rubble covers most of the space. If these could be recycled, more space will be reserved for other uses, either by accommodating non-recyclable waste. The figures in table x and y, the materials in the landfill (builders rubble and cover materials) outnumbers the material recycled.

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Total mass recycled in kg

120740

140000

120000

100000

44360

80000

60000

11400

18500

19220

40000

340

380

20000

Graph 2 : showing total mass (kg) recycled at the landfill

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tyres

scrap metal

builders rubble

mediacal wast

general refuse

greden refuse

cover materials

0

4.4 Facilities and Resources for landfill operations. 4.4.1 Staff In to order to asses the operations of the landfill it is necessary to know the employees involved in these operations. The first data obtain at the site visit was on the resources available that labour and mechanical (plant). It is also to be used to see if the resources where adequate to undertake the operations required by the landfill design guidelines. The table below shows the employee shows the different people posts and their primary duties at the landfill. The operation of the landfill requires qualified personnel to ensure that everything goes well according to conditions of the licence. The names were in this case where not necessary since the employees may feel intimidated by a stranger taking their name in an assessment project and hence refuse to access to information Position Principal Technical Officer

Duties • Manages the landfill

(PTO)

•

Prepares the operation plan

•

Responsible for safety aspects of the landfill

Senior Technical officer

•

procedures Assist in the management of the landfill

(STO)

• •

Ensures the operation plan is followed Oversee the operations of the landfill whether they

Technical Officer TO

are being done to standards Administration Assistant

• •

Links the managerial team to the operational team Responsible for book keeping

4 Operators

• •

Office upkeep operates the available plant

Cleaner Refuse Collector

• • •

supervises the refuse collectors Keeps the offices clean They are responsible for litter picking and upkeep of the landfill area 31

Traffic Controllers Fee Booth operator

Incinerator Operator Gate keepers

• • •

They also help to direct the traffic to working face. see as the above Operates the weighing bridge

•

Complies daily weights records

• •

Check the contents of waste trucks for classification Operates incinerators for incinerating medical

•

wastes Security officers

•

Identifies the types of wastes brought to landfill

•

Controls traffic entering and leaving the landfill

Table 3: Showing the employees and their roles

As an essential component of operation it was necessary to identify the different roles played by each worker so as to see how well the operations can be done. According the above summarised roles the landfill staff appears to be qualified to operate and maintain the landfill.

4.4.2 Plant and Equipment The other task was to gather information on the plant and equipment available for use at the landfill and their different functions. The type of equipment must be suitable to handle the type of waste and quantity that is in terms of its make and construction. The availability of plant and equipment is an essential aspect of good landfill management and its operations. The information is presented table below. Type of Plant Front end loader 2 tipper trucks

Function • Loads cover soil into the tipper trucks • Used for carrying cover soil from stockpile

1 dozer Refuse compactor Grader

• • •

to place for compaction Stockpiles cover material. Compacts and spreads waste Spreads the covers soil and repairs internal roads

Table 4 showing plant available at the lanfill and majo function

Often, a lack of financial and human resources, coupled with absent enabling policies, limit the extent to which landfills can be built, operated and maintained at minimum 32

standards of sanitary practice (Phatshwe undated). This may reflect the absence of appropriate equipment or supportive regulative instruments to carry out these practices (Kgathi and Bolaane, 2001; Ntana, 2001). The equipment available for use at the Gaborone landfill seems to be adequate to maintain a minimum standard of landfill operation.

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4.5 Observations The table below shows observation of the guidelines as observed from the Gaborone landfill. As already stated in the methodology this project relied mainly on direct field observations. The discussions on and answers to closed and open interview schedules by stakeholders, affected-and- interested – persons, provided the information on the operations and maintenance activities. These are the observations and analysis based on the Guidelines for the Disposal of waste by landfill 1st edition 1997 for a large landfill as classified above.

4.5.1 All weather site roads The tarred road to the landfill from the main road was found to be dirty and full of debris from trucks delivering waste to the landfill. But from the recent observation it has improved due to an act which now requires the trucks to be covered. A gravel road leads the traffic from the main gate to weigh bridge and to the working face. The internal roads are regularly maintained and compacted to make them weather proof. Although well compacted, dust was found to be created by the traffic during windy conditions. These roads were constructed according to specifications provided by the management after decisions to change location for new cells.

4.5.2 Waste acceptance procedure Waste acceptance procedure was found to be not sufficient, since vehicles were allowed to pass through the main gate and about 40m to the weighing bridge where the operator could find it difficult to deny entry due to que which could have already formed behind the vehicle. The spotter was found to be at the weighing bridge rather than at the gate. The spotter was found to be at the weighing bridge rather than at the gate.

4.5.3 Control of vehicle access Vehicles are allowed through the main gate which is manned by security guards. The gate was found to be open most of the times, with scavengers climbing into the waste carrying vehicles as they slow down at the entrance. the vehicles then follow track to 34

the where the working face is. Due to the size of the landfill there was no need for road signs showing direction to the unloading area because it is visible from the entrance.

4.5.4 Site security Security of the landfill was found to be very insufficient. In one of the visits cables connecting offices’ computer to the weigh bridge was stolen. The area is infested with scavengers (unregulated) who pose danger to themselves and the public by carrying waste out to their communities some which include disposed food materials. The fence that had been erected around the landfill has since disintegrated. This makes it difficult for its proper management resulting in animals such as goats, cows and donkeys from some satellite communities gaining easy entrance into the landfill.

4.5.5 Operating plan The landfill is operated according to an operation plan laid down by the management of the landfill and it incorporates standard practice of handling waste. The document was not provided when requested.

4.5.6 Landfill compactor and Compaction of waste The landfill compactor was available for compaction of the waste. According to the guidelines and theory, waste should be compacted daily and covered with cover soil. During the two weeks of observation, the plant was most of the time under breakdown, leaving the waste to go days without compaction.

4.5.7 Daily cover Soil cover was stockpiled on site for daily cover. Most of it was received from construction projects in the city. It was enough to cover the waste daily but the operators were always behind schedule when coming to cover the soil because of the excessive amount of waste arriving on site and scavengers delaying the compactor which had to negotiate through them and the plant having breakdown.

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4.5.8 Immediate covering of putrescibles There was no special regulation for covering putrescibles. They were unloaded and treated as the same way as general waste. This was found to be major contribution of odour and source of flies from the landfill.

4.5.9 Three days stockpile of cover Covers soil stockpile was in bulk. The landfill manager said when it was short they would collect from a nearby burrow pit, but most of the cover soil was from the contractors.

4.5.10Nuisance control Nuisance control was done by compacting providing cover soil whenever possible to prevent flies and rodents from breeding in the waste dumped.

4.5.11Wind sock A wind sock is will basically determine the direction of cells to reduce blowing of litter and other light waste by wind around the landfill. The wind sock can also determine where windbreakers of cover soil should be stockpiled before daily cover. No wind sock was observed at Gaborone Landfill

4.5.12Draining water away from waste There was no any draining measure for draining water away from the waste. This resulted in cracks forming and exposing waste when the storm water flows down the slopes of landfill. These where found on the north side of the landfill where Landfilling started and final cover has been done.

4.5.13Containment of contaminated runoff There is a containment of runoff. The runoff flowed from the landfill through a concrete drain leading to a contamination lagoon located at the eastern corner of the landfill.

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4.5.14Leachate containment Generally the containment of Leachate is not sufficient; there are no subsurface Leachate collection pipes which are supposed to channel the Leachate to the contamination lagoon pond.

4.5.15Storm water diversion measures There is a concrete surface drain running on the northern side of the landfill which is suppose to cater for surface runoff of both storm water and surface Leachate. This drain leads to a contamination lagoon located at the eastern corner of the landfill.

4.5.16Landfill gas control Gaborone landfill at the moment does not house any landfill gas control apparatus and there no plans for such operation in near future the landfill manager verified.

4.5.17Analysis of observation. All the above operations are compulsory under the guidelines for licensing and operations of a large landfill. Most of these operations where found to be below standard when compared to the standard operations and maintenance activities discussed on the literature review. The problem of illegal scavengers was at rife in the landfill and posed a security risk to workers, property, visitors and legal scavengers.

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5 Problems encountered. They have been some delays which has clearly hindered the progress and content of this project. The two unsuccessful visits to GCC which could have kick started this project by providing basic reference materials. Further visits where done to collect the initial design, operation and maintenance of the landfill, but there were no documentation and the Chief Environmental Health officer was not aware of them. Hence the researcher resorted to using the Guidelines for the Disposal of waste by landfill 1st edition 1997 incorporated with other international standards for evaluation of the activities. Gaborone landfill was on its closing face, where the landfill manager was unavailable due to meetings on the future of the landfill. Out of frustration with numerous failed appointments researcher had to generally base his results on observation and online research.

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6 Conclusion The main aim of the project has been met which was to asses and to evaluate the operation and maintenance of Gaborone landfill through data collection on all activities carried at the landfill. In Botswana the Waste Management Act and Strategy and Landfill Guidelines underline the importance of Landfilling. Although these are statutory requirements for the construction, operation and maintenance of landfills, they are generally not enforced. In this case, the Gaborone landfills is owned and operated by the same public agency that is charged with enforcing the minimum standards of its operations and maintenance. The rapid spatial expansion of the Gaborone built-up area and voluminous discharge of domestic waste due to increasing disposable incomes covering material, and rubble from the booming construction industry, the landfill has rapidly reached its maximum potential capacity and most of its operations have collapsed in anticipation of closure. The landfill which was partitioned into five zones is now a single zone landfill because of the magnitude of waste received at the landfill, poor operational management and shortage of space. As these zones are no longer clearly defined it is possible to find an admixture of different waste items in one zone of the landfill. As discussed in the findings most of the crucial operations which are a requirement for proper landfill operation maintenance activities are not being done according to standards set on Guidelines for the Disposal of waste by landfill 1st edition 1997. Operating practice generally does not include compaction or the application of daily cover. This in the long run will reduce the ability of the landfill to provide containment of the wastes for as long as the waste in the landfill is a threat.

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7 Recommendations Regarding the Gaborone landfill being at its closure period, it more important to concentrate on the maintenance aspects of the landfill, that is monitoring and repairing of cover to prevent the exposure of compacted waste and other nuisances like pests and flies. The problems surrounding the operational management of Gaborone landfill will have to be addressed.

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8 References Johannessen L.M. and Boyer G., 1999: Observations of Solid Waste Landfills in Developing Countries: Africa, Asia, and Latin America. World Bank, Washington D.C. Kgathi D.L. and Bolaane B., 2001: Instruments for sustainable solid waste management in Botswana Waste Management & Research 19:342–353. Republic of Botswana., 1997: Guidelines for the Disposal of Waste byLandfill. Government Printer, Gaborone. Botswana Daily News, 2003: Gaborone Landfill to Close Sooner Due to High Amount of Refuse. Number 11, January 20 p. 2. Ssegawa J (2003) Research Project Manual Guidelines, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Botswana

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