Alternative daily covers are used in lieu of dirt in covering landfills each day. Law requires that landfill operators use six inches of earthen material, such as soil, as daily cover unless other materials are allowed as alternatives. Depending on the regulations in your area, alternative daily covers can be used to cover landfills each day instead of dirt. There are a variety of types of covers generally allowed, but reinforced polyethylene (RPE), reinforced polypropylene (RPP) or vinyl geosynthetic covers make for a convenient choice.
Why Do Landfills Require Daily Covers?
Municipal solid waste landfills must cover all disposed waste at the end of each day for a number of reasons. Primarily to control odors, potential fires, litter, scavenging and waste from blowing out of the landfill. By law, landfills must use six inches of earthen material as a daily cover, but this has it’s drawbacks, which is why alternative daily covers are allowed in most areas.Disadvantages of Earthen Material as Daily Cover
- Earthen materials must be excavated from a borrowed area at the landfill site or imported from elsewhere - which adds up in cost
- Dirt and soil takes up valuable airspace at landfills
- Earthen materials must be loaded and hauled on-site
Advantages of Geosynthetic Alternative Daily Covers
In addition to waste-derived alternative daily covers, such as ash, shredded tires and sludge, many areas allow non-waste derived covers, including geosynthetic tarps and covers. These tarps and covers are fabricated from materials such as RPE, RPP and vinyl. Geosynthetic alternative daily covers can be deployed by machine or by hand. These covers can be produced with large D-rings that attach to a piece of machinery and are pulled over the landfill each evening.- Geosynthetic covers don’t take up valuable airspace in a landfill
- Speed of deployment is a major advantage
- Tarps and covers used as alternative daily covers are reusable, unlike waste-derived materials and soil
- RPE and RPP materials are puncture resistant
