Hazard assessment of waste disposal sites. Part 1: literature review

A review of the literature and computer models from the perspective of hazard assessment approaches, particularly relating to the risk analysis of waste disposal sites, has been carried out. It was found that a comprehensive hazard assessment procedure covering all modules and sub-modules for landfill leachate does not exist. The same deduction also applies to landfill gas and degraded landfill waste, although neither of these items is the focus of this paper. A range of knowledge deficiencies is revealed in the literature studied to date. This paper, with reference to the relevant literature and models reviewed, discusses these knowledge gaps that, if bridged, can render the hazard assessment to be more holistic in itself, as well as more effective in underpinning landfill risk assessments. This paper also briefly outlines the place of hazard assessment in a risk analysis process.