Alternative Landfill Cover Demonstration
Rocky Mountain Arsenal has successfully completed a demonstration of an innovative landfill cover design that will perform equivalent to a standard RCRA Subtitle C landfill cap. This alternative cover design is also referred to as a "RCRA-equivalent" cover. The demonstration included both computer modeling and a field test. During the computer modeling portion of the demonstration, on-site soils were tested and results modeled to demonstrate that the proposed cover design would theoretically meet performance requirements. A four-year field test was then conducted to verify performance under field conditions. The field test involved the construction of four test covers in which two types of soil, three different cover thicknesses, and native vegetation were tested. All four of the candidate designs were successful in passing the field test performance requirements. The proposed alternative cover design takes advantage of the semi-arid conditions in the Denver area, and is composed of a vegetated soil cover that stores moisture like a sponge and removes it naturally by means of evapotranspiration (ET). This alternative cover design will be used for five cleanup projects on RMA. Not only do the alternative covers perform equivalent to a standard RCRA cap, but they also will save taxpayers millions of dollars and provide a more naturally sustainable cover system.
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