Landfill risks 'greatly reduced'
The risks involved in building on or around landfills have been greatly reduced by improvements in containment techniques, it has been advised.
The Centre for Innovative and Collaborative Engineering [CICE] has said that improvements in construction have also helped ameliorate the situation, with more landfill areas now accessible to the construction industry.
More research is ongoing, CICE has advised, and is likely to result in further improvements moving forward.
"The design and construction processes associated with landfill containment systems have improved greatly, with improvements in materials and construction techniques reducing the risks associated with landfill sites," commented CICE research engineer Gary Fowmes.
An EC directive ensuring that hazardous and non-hazardous waste are not disposed together has also helped improve matters, Mr Fowmes added.
"There are several active research groups in the UK , including the 'landfill engineering research group' at Loughborough University, developing innovative materials, analysis techniques, monitoring equipment and construction techniques to improve landfill design and construction," he added.
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