Today, landfills are highly technical constructions as opposed to the natural or manmade ground depressions into which waste used to be disposed in, compacted and ultimately buried. Modern landfills are built to ensure safe disposal, with special regard for the leaching of any fluids and the collection of gas that is present in putrescible waste. In essence, the waste material is fully contained in a fully secured capsule and buried under a capping system that is part of the final remediation of the site following its use as a landfill.

DRE is highly experienced in the construction of these community assets, having worked on some of the most important of these facilities in Victoria. Extensive earthmoving and stabilisation works are carried out and a system of impervious engineered lining systems put in place, along with gas and leachate collection networks throughout the site.

Once filled, the landfill is then capped with special purpose-designed geo-synthetic lining materials and capped with earth and vegetation. In time, the contained compacted waste material decomposes and becomes completely inert, dry and gas free. These systems and their inherent technology, are the leading way that domestic and commercial waste material is disposed of in Australia and indeed, around the world.

It is vital that any landfill be contained in this way, so that there is no potential for any contamination to surface water collection, slope stability or ground erosion in the future.

DRE is experienced in constructing landfill cells, from the main earthmoving works, to the placement and installation of the geo-synthetic lining materials, the leachate and gas collection systems and the final capping works:

These works may include-

• Site identification and planning
• Temporary capping systems
• Leachate ponds
• Gas extraction systems
• Site stabilisation works
• Capping and revegetation
• Landfill management and monitoring