The diagram illustrates the three main stages involved in the design and operation of a modern landfill used for disposing of household waste: construction, use, and closure.
Overall, the process commences with excavating and preparing a lined pit equipped with drainage infrastructure, progresses through the active dumping of waste, and concludes with sealing of the site using a clay cover and gas ventilation system.
In construction phase, a large hole is first excavated in natural rock. This cavity is the fitted with a synthetic lining to prevent contamination of surrounding ground. Drainage pipes are installed along base of the pit, leading to an external drainage tank, and the structure is reinforced with clay around edges to further contain any waste liquid that may accumulate.
During the use phase, trucks deliver household waste and deposit it directly into the lined pit. As waste builds up, liquid generated from the refuse collects at the bottom of the landfill and is channeled through the drainage pipes into the drainage tank for removal.
Once the landfill reaches capacity, the closure phase begins. The entire site is sealed with a thick clay cover to contain the waste below. A pipe is installed through the clay layer to allow gases, which are naturally produced as the waste decomposes, to escape safely into the atmosphere. At this point, the waste remains permanently buried beneath the sealed surface.