Landfills are necessary in modern day societies. Landfills allow a community to centralize the collection and disposal of its waste to help reduce public health and safety risks. Although landfills are considered a necessity in today’s society they may present long term threats to ground water and surface water in the way of “leaching”.
Leachate is the liquid that drains or “leaches” out of landfill site as a result of precipitation and disposable liquid waste. The result is the extraction of water soluble compounds and particulate matter of the waste which forms the base of leachate.
The composition of leachate varies and depends on the amount of precipitation, the age of the landfill and the type of waste it contains. Often referred to as “garbage soup”, leachate is pretty nasty stuff since it smells horrible and is visually unpleasant.
However, the real danger is the long term effects it has on groundwater contamination. Leachate often contains organic and inorganic waste, heavy metals and pathogens which are unsafe for humans. Since groundwater often feeds into downstream sources such as rivers, lakes and wells (which are often used by residents) leachate can potential pose unsafe health risks to community members.
As long as there are landfills, leachate creation and generation and its safe disposal (without causing pollution) is a problem most communities will have to deal with.
At Cambium Aboriginal, we understand the long term health and safety risks presented by leachate for your community. Over the past two decades we have been working closely with First Nations communities, providing comprehensive leachate testing and management solutions.
Cambium Aboriginal has the experience and expertise necessary to successfully develop landfill management solutions appropriate for the site-specific constraints and challenges faced by First Nations communities. Contact us to speak with one of our qualified staff members to discuss your landfill circumstances and learn how we can eliminate uncertainties and provide you with practical solutions that are tailored to your specific needs.
Let Cambium Aboriginal help.
Contact us today for a FREE consultation at:
705.657.1126 (Telephone)
Note**Cambium Aboriginal is now Cambium Indigenous Professional Services! We offer all of the same services plus other new and exciting service categories. You can visit our new website at: https://www.indigenousaware.com/
If you need to contact CIPS please call: (705) 657-1126 or email: spirit@indigenousaware.com
Thank you
Cambium Indigenous Professional Services
1109 Mississauga Street, Curve Lake First Nation, Ontario K0L 1R0