Saint Louis University

School of Engineering and Architecture

Department of Civil Engineering

A Research Proposal on Irisan Dumpsite’s Geological Improvement:

Geosynthetics as a Solution to Leachate Toxic Cataclysm, Methane Gas Emission and
Slope failure in a Landfill

Corpuz, Vincent
Fabia, Kyle Russel
Gongora, Jemimah Faith R.
Sim, Audrey Janel Elyn

December 2019
 I. Introduction
The summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio city is a highly urbanized city in the
Cordillera Administrative Region. Although administratively independent due to its distinction
as highly urbanized city, Baguio is commonly grouped with the landlocked province of Benguet.
The city also serves as the regional center of the Cordillera Administrative Region.
The city has a land area of 57.51 square kilometers or 22.20 square miles. Its center is
situated at approximately 16° 25' North, 120° 36' East, in the island of Luzon. Elevation at these
coordinates is estimated at 1,445.3 meters or 4,740.7 feet above mean sea level.

However, because of the growing economy and population of Baguio, it is being plagued
with mountains of garbage that have taken a huge toll on the city’s financial resources. Despite
of the sincere efforts of the administration in tapping the public in addressing the solid waste
problems, Baguio still generates an average of 50,000 tons of solid waste annually. Most of these
solid wastes are all being dumped in Irisan dumpsite until June 29, 2019 when the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered its closure for its rehabilitation and
conversion into an ecological park.

II. Objectives of the Research

The objective of the research is to identify the main problems of the Irisan dumpsite and to
recommend probable methods and solutions in facing these problems and probable structural
design in converting the dumpsite into ecological park.

III. Study Area

A landfill is disposing waste
materials by burying it and covering it
with soil, especially as a method of
filling in or extending usable land.
During this process, precautions are
taken to prevent the Waste from
reaching and potentially contaminating
any groundwater. Landfills have
remained almost unchanged since their earliest known existence.

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 Irisan Dumpsite is a landfill located at Barangay Irisan of Baguio City. It is were all
biodegradable and non-biodegradable trash of the whole city is disposed. Some of the
biodegradable garbage are cooked and sold as an organic fertilizer in farms all over the country.
However, due to the uncontrollable waste production in the growing city, most of the wastes are
held in the landfill for several days that causes the people near the Dumpsite to accumulate
diseases due to the filthy surroundings.

Problems encountered of a landfill in the municipality

One of the major problems is the collection, management and disposal of Municipal Solid
Waste in urban areas. Lack of MSW management and disposal is leading to significant
environmental problems. This includes soil, air water, and aesthetic pollution. Such
environmental problems are associated with human health disorder, due to the increase in
greenhouse gas emissions.

1. Landfill Leachate

(photo courtesy to shuttestock.com)

Landfill leachate is formed when rainwater infiltrates and percolates through the
degrading waste, while landfill gas is a microbial degradation byproduct under anaerobic
conditions. Leachate generation is a major problem for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills
and causes significant threat to surface water and groundwater. Leachate can be defined as a
liquid that passes through landfill and has extracted dissolved and suspended matter from it.
Leachate results from precipitation entering the landfill from moisture that exists in the waste
when it is composed.
Leachate generated in municipal landfill contains large amounts of organic and inorganic
contaminants. Leachate may also have a high concentration of metals and contain some

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hazardous organic chemicals. The removal of organic material based on COD, BOD and
ammonium from leachate is the usual prerequisite before discharging the leachates into natural
waters. The leachate composition from the transfer station can vary depending on several factors,
including the degree of compaction, waste composition, climate and moisture content in waste.
The leachate composition from the transfer station can vary depending on several factors,
including the degree of compaction, waste composition, climate and moisture content in waste.
Many different methods are currently in use to treat the landfill leachate. Most of these
methods are adapted for wastewater treatment processing and can be divided into two main
categories: biological treatments and physical/chemical treatments. There are many methods of
leachate treatment such as:
•Aerobic Biological Treatment such as aerated lagoons and activated sludge.
•Anaerobic Biological Treatment such as anaerobic lagoons, reactors.
•Physiochemical treatment such as air stripping, pH adjustment, chemical precipitation,
oxidation, and reduction.
•Coagulation using lime, alum, ferric chloride, and land treatment.
•Advanced techniques such as carbon adsorption, ion exchange.
The leachate composition from the transfer station can vary depending on several factors,
including the degree of compaction, waste composition, climate and moisture content in waste.
As a general rule, leachate is characterized by high values of COD, pH, ammonia nitrogen and
heavy metals, as well as strong color and bad odor. At the same time, the characteristics of the
leachate also vary with regard to its composition and volume, and biodegradable matter present
in the leachate against time.

2. Greenhouse gas emission of landfill

At the landfill, the food and yard waste that trash contains is decomposing and releasing
methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfill gas also
contributes to smog, worsening health problems like asthma.
Globally, trash released nearly 800 million metric tons (882 million tons) of CO2
equivalent in 2010 — about 11 percent of all methane generated by humans. The United States
had the highest total quantity of methane emissions from landfills in 2010: almost 130 million
metric tons (143 million tons) of CO2 equivalent. China was a distant second, with 47 million

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(52 million), then Mexico, Russia, Turkey, Indonesia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil and
India, according to the Global Methane Initiative, an international partnership of government and
private groups working to reduce methane emissions.

Because methane typically has a much shorter life in the atmosphere than CO2 (12 years
compared with 100 to 300 years for carbon dioxide), reducing methane release from landfills can
help rapidly reduce climate change risk. The graph shows that landfill produces 93 percent of the
greenhouse gas. Larger than Incineration without energy recovery, 4 percent, and other waste
treatment operation which is 3%.

3. Slope Failure
Disastrous landslide in solid waste industry
have occurred around the world, including
the Irisan Dumpsite. There are a lot of
causes in landfill slope failure these are,
overbuilding of waste slopes, freeze / thaw
conditions, weakened foundations, poorly
installed Geosynthetics and more. Last
August 2011, typhoon Nanmadol caused
the landslide of the garbage dump in the
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Irisan Dumpsite. It was reported that at least 20 houses were buried in the waste. The landslide
was due to the collapsing of a retaining wall of the Dumpsite. (Photo courtesy of Keystone
USA).

4. Effects to human health

Based on the researchers in Italy, they evaluated the potential health effects of living near
nine different landfills in the Lazio region, and therefore being exposed to air pollutants emitted
by the waste treatment plants. 242,409 people were enrolled in the cohort from 1996 to 2008.
The results showed a strong association between Hydrogen Sulfide (used as a surrogate for all
pollutants co-emitted from the landfills) and deaths caused by lung cancer, as well as deaths and
hospitalizations for respiratory diseases. The results were especially prominent in children. The
annual average exposure levels of Hydrogen Sulfide were 6.3 ng/m3, compared to people living
close to larger landfills in Rome whose levels averaged 45.ng/m3. At the end of the follow-up
period there were 18,609 deaths.

The same goes with the people living near the Irisan dumpsite. They are being exposed to
pollutants present in the Irisan Dumpsite that will surely cost them their health. The image above
shows the residents living near the Dumpsite and is highly affected by its smell and unhygienic
surrounding. According to a research in Italy, Respiratory symptoms were detected among
residents living close to waste sites. These were linked to inhalation exposure to endotoxin,
microorganisms, and aerosols from waste collection and land filling.

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 IV. Description of the Problem
Since Irisan Dumpsite is open, the harmful smell of the garbage specially the ones which
are under decomposition process is exposed to the people around it. Leachate are also
penetrating the ground thus making the underground water not safe for drinking.

V. Geosynthetics in The Landfill

Geosynthetics is a broad term that describes plastic derived products that are used to
interface with rock and soil surfaces. It has become a widely used technology in geotechnical,
geo-environmental and other civil engineering related projects. They are manufactured in various
shapes, sizes, colors and thicknesses. However, they are generally subdivided into eight distinct
categories. Geotextiles, Geogrids, Geonets, Geomembranes, Geosynthetic clay liners, Geopipe,
Geofoam and Geocomposites. Geotextiles are for water filtration, erosion protection or soil
reinforcement. It is built to dissipate the energy and to prevent buildup in waters which is
detrimental to downstream ecology. Geogrids are similar function with geotextile but with added
benefit of aggregate interlock for coarse grain materials.
In this study area the researchers decided to use a High-Density Polyethylene, a
Geosynthetic under the Geomembrane kind that are used in landfill liners and covers for the low
permeability to prevent leakage of contaminated water or leachate. They are typically ½ to 3
millimeters thick and may be textured to provide increased friction resistance. To cover large
areas of Geomembrane, individual sheets are unrolled and welded together at overlapping seams
forming large impermeable liner systems. Also, Geotextiles are used to protect the
Geomembrane from gravel membrane in order to prevent the occurrence of holes on the
Geomembrane. Moreover, the Geomembrane cover can trap methane gas produced in the landfill
and will later be collected for generating power. With this, the Irisan Dumpsite can be covered
and planted with trees and transformed into an ecological park.
Making landfills steep will enable more space for trash collection but with the risk of
slope failure, the best solution is to reinforce the side slopes of the landfill by using Geogrid. It
will add support to the reinforced wall of the landfill and the soil will act stronger and won’t slip.

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Installation Process of Proposed Landfill to Ecological Park with The Use of Geosynthetics
1. Site Preparation

Ground leveling compaction Structure Survey

2. Construction of Reinforced Retaining Wall

Application of Geogrid Wrap around geogrid and anchor

Backfill soil Compaction to meet design requirement

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Construct layer by layer

3. Set up Block/ Barrier System

Geosynthetic Clay Liner application Layering Clay at 30 cm thick and

compaction

Geomembrane on the bottom and the wall Installation of pipes

inside landfill

Sand layer at 30 cm thickness

4. Installation Result

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 After construction

At present
(Photo courtesy to ACE Geosynthetics)

VI. Conclusion and Recommendation

The researchers recommend that the government especially the department which is in
charge of the Irisan Dumpsite should adapt to the Geosynthetic Reinforcement in order to
prevent leachate from penetrating the soil that could cause harmful toxins to mix with the water
under the ground. This will also prevent the harmful smell of garbage from exposing to the
surrounding neighbours of the Dumpsite which could cause harmful diseases due to air
contamination. With the help of Geomembrane, the accumulation of methane gas can be used as
a power source for the whole community. Most importantly, Geosynthetics is a big help in
making a safe and sustainabale Ecological Park.

VII. References
https://www.philatlas.com/luzon/car/baguio.html
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/08/01/garbage-problem-plagues-baguio-city-coa/
https://www.buschsystems.com/resource-center/knowledgeBase/glossary/what-is a-landfill
https://www.southernwasteandrecycling.com/blog/2017/07/spotlight-on-types-of landfills/

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110062118301375
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S168740481300031X
https://ensia.com/features/methane-landfills/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160524211817.htm

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