Is
your landfill secure...or not? Bill, the manager of a medium-size rural
landfill, thought his landfill was secure. Sure, there were areas where
the fence was in poor shape. In fact, he’d seen kids riding their motorcycles
in the south hills. But as long as they didn’t tear up the final cover,
what could they hurt?
A few weeks
later, Bill found out. He was awakened at 3:00 a.m. by a telephone call
from the fire department. Apparently some kids had ridden their motorcycles
onto the landfill and set fire the new D9R dozer. Not only would the
landfill be without a dozer for several weeks, the repair bill was expected
to top $150,000.
What Is
Site Security?
Site security
is a measure of, well, how secure your landfill is. No, we don’t label
a landfill as insecure if it suffers from rejection. Nor do we look
back at the events that occurred during its early developmental stages
to see how they affected its psyche. Rather, a secure landfill has the
ability to close its gate, turn out the lights, and keep people out.
In some cases, it might be just that simple. In other cases, however,
site security might require a lot more effort.
Fortunately,
in most locales, the question of what makes a site secure is answered
on a site-by-site basis.
Why Must
Landfills Be Secure?
The mother
of all landfills regulations - EPA’s Subtitle D - requires "control
of public access to new and existing MSWLF units to prevent illegal
dumping of wastes, public exposure to hazards at MSWLFs, and unauthorized
vehicular traffic." EPA believes that simply requiring owners or
operators to control public access allows the owner or operator to implement
a system tailored to site-specific characteristics.
If we forget
the regulations - in reality, how many people are going to break into
a landfill to dump hazardous waste? - there are lots of other reasons
why you’d want your landfill to be secure. Other important considerations
include theft, vandalism, and liability.
Theft.
At many landfills, theft is a serious problem. This can include theft
of fuel, tools, equipment, and even recyclable materials. Go figure.
If it fits in a pickup and it has value, somebody will steal it if he
can. In extreme cases, some landfills have even had to deal with armed
robbery of the gatehouse attendant.
Vandalism.
Broken glass, cut fences, and graffiti are probably the most common
forms of vandalism. However, vandalism can range from bullet-riddled
signs to machines being set on fire.
Liability.
Liability is like a bear in the woods: You know it’s out there. You
know there’s a potential threat. And chances are you could camp out
for years and never have a problem. But if you are attacked, it will
likely be serious.
Also, because
of their remote location and all those big tractors, landfills will
often be looked upon as an attractive nuisance. This increases the chance
that kids will get into the landfill - if they can.
If you want
to minimize your risk, make your landfill as secure as possible.
How Much
Is Enough?
Is a padlocked
gate adequate? Do you need an 8-ft. chainlink fence and barbed wire
around the perimeter? Are surveillance cameras or full-time security
staff really necessary? The right answer is as varied as the landfills
that ask those questions.
According
to Subtitle D, steps needed to comply with the standards may be determined
by individual states on a site-specific basis. For some facilities,
it might not be necessary to construct any artificial barrier (such
as fences) in order to comply with this criterion. Such facilities include,
for example, those located in remote areas away from the general public
or in areas with mountainous terrain or cliffs that would make access
difficult for the general public. Posting signs and gates across access
roads might be sufficient in remote areas to prevent public access that
could lead to injuries; however, facilities located near residential
areas or other public areas might be required to construct fences to
control access.
Landfills
located in high-crime areas or those with "high-demand" items,
such as computers, pickups, hand tools, or recyclable materials, or
sites with expensive equipment might wish to go with a 24-hour security-guard
service. The key is to be aware of where your landfill is vulnerable
and how best to guard it against potential problems.
Summary
Your landfill
has to be secure for two reasons: (1) it’s the law, (2) it’s common
sense. How you secure your site is for the most part up to you and subject
to your state and/or local regulators. In any event, if your landfill
is not secure, neither are you.
Neal
Bolton is principal of Blue Ridge Services in Atascadero, CA.
MSW
September/October,
2000
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