In
1987 the Board of Commissioners put in place in solid waste plan,
which has served the County extremely well. In January 1998, the
first landfill cell was constructed with plastic liners and a leachate
collection system. State and Federal laws mandated the use of lined
landfill cells after January 1, 1988.
What
are a sanitary landfill and a lined cell? A sanitary landfill
is a method of safely disposing of solid waste in a controlled manner
on a prepared site, using soil to surround and contain the waste materials.
Waste
is spread in layers and compacted by heavy compactors (see picture,
right) to reduce the volume. At least once every 24 hours a layer
of soil, minimum of 6 inches (15 cm) in thickness is placed on top
of the compacted waste and is itself compacted before more waste is
added.
A
lined cell is engineered into a sanitary landfill. The lined cell
consist of 2 ft. of 10/7 compacted soil or clay liner, 50 mil HDPE
plastic liner, ¼ inch felt fabric, the leachate collection system,
2 ft. drainage layer (78m wash stone rock). It has a synthetic cap
and base liner that retains and collects leachate for treating prior
to entering the groundwater. The cell fits the ground similar to the
liner in a residential swimming pool with the ends reaching the top
in a bowl shaped configuration. The cap and base liner are made of
extremely durable synthetic "geo-textile", which has an appearance
similar to the rubberized tread of automobile tires.
What
is leachate? By definition, leachate is liquid that comes in contact
with garbage and takes on the pollutant characteristics of the garbage.
Leachate is generated by rainwater that falls on garbage when exposed
during daily operations, or by wastewater that is entrained in the garbage
when delivered to the landfill. Leachate is unhealthy for the environment
and all landfills generate leachate, even closed landfills.
The Blackburn Landfill leachate system drains to sumps where the leachate is pumped through forced mains into holding tanks. The leachate is mixed and aerated in one 218,000-gallon tank. Once the treatment tank reaches a certain level, the leachate flows into a second 218,000-gallon holding tank. When the holding tank reaches a specific level, the leachate is transferred into a sewer force main to the City of Newton.
Directions
Highway 321, exit 37 to Highway 10 West, 1-1/2 mile turn left
on Hickory-Lincolnton Highway, ¾ mile turn left on Rocky Ford
Road, ½ mile on right.
In
1987 the Board of Commissioners put in place in solid waste plan,
which has served the County extremely well. In January 1998, the
first landfill cell was constructed with plastic liners and a leachate
collection system. State and Federal laws mandated the use of lined
landfill cells after January 1, 1988. 
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