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El Sobrante Landfill is a Class 3 regional disposal facility permitted to accept up to 10,000 tons per day, seven days per week. It employs approximately 40 full-time employees. Landfill operations are overseen by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, and the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health.
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El Sobrante Landfill’s job is to protect the environment from the waste placed in the landfill. Managing the liquids produced from the natural breakdown of the waste, known as leachate, and by preventing rainwater from gathering on the surface is a way we assure that the landfill is being operated in a safe and sanitary manner.
Several environmental control systems are implemented during the construction of the landfill to prevent liquids and other constituents from infiltrating into the ground. El Sobrante utilizes a redundant multilayer liner system that exceeds federal and state standards to create a protective barrier between the trash and the groundwater below the site. The leachate is removed from the landfill using perforated pipes that run throughout the base of the landfill and is then pumped into storage tanks. The leachate is then re-circulated for dust control on top of the lined landfill where trash is being placed. Approximately 850,000 gallons of clean water are conserved every year by recycling the leachate. Clean water for dust control is used only on the roads that lead to the landfill.
To insure that the environmental control systems mentioned above are properly protecting the environment, groundwater-monitoring wells are positioned in key locations through out the landfill property. The locations of the wells are primarily selected to intercept groundwater that flows beneath the landfill. The depths of the monitoring wells have been selected to test the uppermost groundwater for any contaminants. Water samples and inspections are conducted in accordance with a site-specific sampling plan designed by WM professionals and the regulatory community to meet state and federal guidelines. The results are submitted to the Regional Water Quality Control Board for regulatory oversight.
El Sobrante is also well designed to properly handle surface water, especially after a storm, to prevent erosion, minimize infiltration and provide proper drainage. Surface water control is necessary to divert the rainwater away from the landfill. The landfill is graded and well compacted to allow for the surface water to drain. Diversion berms/ditches are constructed around the perimeter of the landfill area to collect the water and divert it to permanent stormwater/sedimentation ponds located strategically around the landfill to remove sediment before the storm water is discharged from the site. All of the storm water discharge structures are designed and maintained to handle a 100 year storm event. They are inspected monthly during the rainy season, quarterly during the summer, and are upgraded when necessary.
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