Use of Soli-Soil as Landfill Cover
Material
Soli-Bond, Inc. is a nationally recognized leader in treatment
and reuse of non-hazardous drilling muds, cuttings and production wastes derived
from oil and gas exploration activities. Soli-Bond, Inc. has developed a patented
process for the treatment of these waste types, in a manner allowing the end
product to be utilized as daily and intermediate landfill cover. The product,
trademarked as Soli-Soil, meets the functional and procedural conditions of
daily/intermediate cover as defined by the Integrated Waste Management Board
Regulations (Title 14, California Code of Regulations) and guidelines (IWMB
Procedural Guidance for the use of Alternative Daily Cover 4/16/90). The Soli-Soil
materials provide very good product performance while conserving on-site soil
supplies and reducing operating costs.
Soli-Soil Product Description
Soli-Soil is a manufactured soil-like material with physical
properties similar to a fine-grained clay. Hauling, stockpiling and compaction
are identical to any fine-grained soil. The product is alkaline in nature due
to required treatment additives. Consequently, Soli-Soil has excellent buffering
capacities for acid condition found associated with some landfill sites. Optimum
moisture content for product handling and compaction is 30% by weight. All materials
delivered to the operational area would have a maximum moisture content below
50% by weight.
Functional Criteria of a Soli-Soil Cover
System
The Integrated Waste Management Board has identified the functional
criteria for daily and intermediate landfill cover, requiring site operations
to meet these minimum performance standards. All alternative cover products
are required to be evaluated to assure minimum performance standards are met.
Soli-Soil meets and exceeds all standards.
1. Barrier to the Emergence or Attraction
of Vectors
Soli-Soil is Soil-like in quality, and compacts well with wheel/track compaction
of landfill equipment. The fine-grained nature of the product does not allow
for burrow construction (rodents) or insect emergence. The alkaline nature inhibits
insect metamorphosis.
2. Progress of Fires within the Landfill
Soli-Soil is a mineralized product incapable of supporting combustion. The fine-grained
clay-like nature and very good compaction capability inhibits oxygen and air
movement between landfill cells. The product provides an excellent fire barrier
when used as other daily cover at the working face or intermediate cover.
2. Escape of Odors
The movement of odors as with air-oxygen is controlled extremely well with Soli-Soil
cover material. Soli-Soil has no significant odors.
4. Excess Infiltration
The inherent permeability of Soli-Soil precludes excess infiltration even with
periodic ponding caused by differential settlement. Permeabilities of 1.0 x
10- - 1.0 x 10- cm/sec. are typical of product performance.
Procedural Criteria
Procedural criteria for cover materials include control of
erosion, protection of unsightliness, and ability to be compacted to a minimum
thickness of six inches.
1. Erosion Control
Soli-Soil when compacted has a surface uniformity allowing surface sheet flow
and minimizing channeling, which is a cause of erosion at many sites.
2. Prevention of Unsightliness
Soli-Soil provides a uniform product in terms of color, appearance and ability
to control blowing litter and debris. Its soil-like qualities allow for ease
in handling during daily closure operations (working face). Its ability to cover
compacted refuse is superior to sand and course soils.
3. Compaction to Six Inch Minimum Thickness
Soli-Soil compacts well under wheel/track pressures of standard landfill equipment.
Compactor characteristics are similar to soils allowing for placement of a six
inch compacted cover layer with only minimal additional soil volumes.
Product Limitations
Soli-Soil is superior in many ways to soils typically available
on-site for use as daily and intermediate cover. However, product limitations
do exist. Soli-Soil is similar to fine grained clay-like soils. It is therefore
not recommended to use Soli-Soil in high traffic areas where load-bearing compacities
are critical. When used in such situations dust can be generated.
As with clays, Soli-Soil will become slick and somewhat adhesive
when saturated with water. It is considered prudent operationally to have other
courser soils available during wet weather operations.
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