Airspace	The area contained within a landfill cell available for the disposal of waste
Acceptable Risk Level	The concentration of a substance that will have a minimal effect on the environment
Accumulation Potential	The octanol/water partition coefficient is used as an index of the bio-accumulation potential for a chemical in a food chain. This coefficient correlates approximately with a compound's molecular weight and water solubility
Ambient Background	Ambient background water quality refers to surface water sampled upstream or ground water sampled upgradient of a landfill site. In both cases, these samples reflect water that has not been contaminated by leachate from the landfill.
Analysis	An investigation to ascertain the constituents of a waste
Aquifer	Water-bearing strata of fractured or permeable rock, sand or gravel. When capable of sustaining community water or other needs, such strata may be considered to represent strategic water resources, requiring protection from pollution
Attenuation	In this context, attenuation is the process of reducing leachate concentration by means of natural physical, chemical and biochemical processes such as dilution, oxidation and cell synthesis. Natural systems have an attenuation capacity which may render small volumes of contaminants (leachate) insignificant. However, when this capacity is exceeded, pollution results
Audit Team	Those who attend the audit or site inspection and assist in compiling the audit report
Audit	A site inspection at which the condition of the site on that day is appraised in terms of a number of predetermined criteria
Basel Convention	South Africa became a signatory to the Basel Convention in 1994. The Convention controls transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal
BATNEEC	Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Cost. The term ‘Best Available' implies technology that is proven, accepted and accessible. ‘Technology' refers to the process itself and how the process is implemented (including management). ‘Excessive cost' is cost effective in the context of the specific operation.
Bill of Quantities	This is a list of the tasks involved and an estimation of the quantities of the materials needed for the construction of elements of the landfill design.
Bio-Accumulation	The combined intake of pollutants from food and water by organisms.
BPEO	"Best Practicable Environmental Option." The outcome of a systematic consultative procedure that emphasises the protection of the environment. It establishes, for a given set of objectives, the option that provides the most benefit or least damage to the environment as a whole at acceptable cost
Buffer Zones	Buffer zones are separations between the boundaries of registered landfill sites and residential developments. They may vary between 500m and 1000m in width, depending on the classification of the landfill. No residential development may take place within a proclaimed buffer zone. At the discretion of the local authority and the state department, however, developments such as industrial developments may be permitted.
CAIA	Chemical and Allied Industries Association
Carcinogens	A substance or agent producing or inciting cancer. These substances can be grouped as: Group A - Clinically and epidemiologically proven in humans, Group B - Proven without doubt in laboratory animals, Group C - limited evidence in animals, Group D - Inadequate and doubtful data.
Cell	This is the basic landfill unit within the landfill site into which waste is disposed.
Channelling	The rapid flow of water through a waste body via preferential conduits or paths of least resistance. Channelling results in the early formation of low concentrate leachate prior to the waste body reaching its field capacity.
Chronic Toxicity	The effects of prolonged exposure of organisms or of man to a chemical substance
Climatic Water Balance	A simplified calculation, involving only figures for precipitation and pan evaporation, obtained from published data. It is used only to indicate the climatic conditions under which leachate management is needed, on account of the generation of significant leachate
Closure	The act of terminating the operation of a landfill. Closure is preceded by rehabilitation and followed by post closure monitoring
Closure Requirements	Those measures that must be taken to address problem areas and to render a landfill environmentally acceptable once it is closed
Co-Disposal (General with Hazardous waste)	The mixing and joint disposal of Hazardous and General waste in the same landfill. The co-disposal of general waste with hazardous waste as a means of facilitating disposal on a hazardous waste landfill is acceptable., where as the co-disposal of any significant quantity of hazardous waste with general waste on a general waste landfill is unacceptable
Co-Disposal (Liquid with Dry waste)	The mixing of high moisture content or liquid waste with dry waste. This affects the water balance and is an acceptable practice on a hazardous waste landfill site. This is only acceptable on a general waste landfill site when the liquid is not hazardous and the site is equipped with leachate management measures.
Co-Disposal Ratio	This indicates the volumetric ratio of compacted solid waste to liquid waste. The co-disposal ratio is linked to the Water Balance and is site specific
Community	The people living in the vicinity of a proposed, planned or developed activity
Compaction	The process whereby the volume of waste is reduced, using a purpose built compactor or other suitable machine
Composite Liner	An assembled structure of geosynthetic materials and low permeability earth materials (clay or benotinite), placed beneath a landfill to form a barrier against the migration of leachate into the underlying soils and ground water
Concept Permit	Any landfill permit issued before the promulgation of the Environmental Conservation Act, 1989 (Act 73 of 1989).
Conceptual Design	A design that addresses the principles of the intended design, but does not include detailed specifications.
Containment	The separation of the waste body and any associated leachate from the underlying soil, rock and water regime, by means of a liner and a leachate collection systems
Contaminate	The addition of foreign matter to a natural system. This does not necessarily result in pollution, unless the attenuation capacity of the natural systems is exceeded
Corrosive	Solids or liquids that can, in their original state, severely damage living tissue. Corrosivity can be measured by determining the degree to which a standard coupon of steel dissolves
Cover	The material used to cover waste. Cover Material is usually soil, but may comprise builders' rubble, ash or other suitable materials
Cradle - to - grave	A policy of controlling a Hazardous Waste from its inception to its ultimate disposal
Critical Factor	A factor which potentially represents a severe constraint on the development or ongoing operation of a landfill. Such factors require further investigation. If a critical factor cannot be satisfactorily addressed, it may become a Fatal Flaw
Danger Group	For transport purposes, hazardous substances that are listed in SABS Code 0228 are placed in a Danger Group
Delisting	The reclassification of a hazardous waste for disposal on a lower class of landfill. This would only be allowed by the Department, based on proof of low mobility or concentration, or proof of successful treatment to render it less hazardous
Detection Monitoring	This is routine water monitoring carried out bi-annually, using a limited number of indicators parameters, with a view to indicating pollution from the landfill
Destruction	To neutralise or get rid of a waste by incineration or other physical or chemical means
Dispersion	The movement of a substance from a landfill into the surrounding environmental
Development Plan	A plan indicating the phasing of the development of a landfill from the landfill preparation, through the operation (which is usually divided into areal phase), to the final closure, rehabilitation and end-use. The phasing, and hence the Development Plan, forms part of the design.
Domestic waste	Primarily household waste and garden refuse
Dose	The amount of a substance in g/ha that is to be landfilled
Duty of care	This requires that anyone who generates, transports, treats or disposes of waste must ensure that there is no unauthorised transfer or escape of waste from their control, and must retain documentation describing both the waste and any related transactions. The person retains responsibility for the waste generated or handled
Ecotoxicity	The potential to harm animals, plants, ecosystems or environmental processes
Effluent	A stream flowing from a larger stream, lake, sewerage tank, industrial process
Encapsulation	The procedure for disposing of high hazardous wastes, not suitable for direct landfilling, by isolating the wastes in sealed, reinforced concrete cells located in a demarcated and independently lined area of a Class H hazardous landfill site
End - use Plan	The purpose for which the area of the rehabilitated and closed landfill is used. This may be as a park, playing fields, or other suitable land-use
End-use Requirements	These are the measures required to upgrade or rehabilitate a landfill site to render it suitable for the proposed end-use
Engineered Cell	A cell is designed and engineered to contain hazardous waste. It is underlain by a liner to prevent the waste or the leachate from the waste coming into contact with the environment
Environment	The natural environment, consisting of air, water, land and all forms of life. The social, political, cultural, economic and working context and other factors that determine people's place in and influence on the environment and the natural and constructed spatial surroundings.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)	An investigation to determine the potential detrimental or beneficial impact on the surrounding communities, fauna flora, water, soil, and air, arising from the development or presence of a landfill
Environmental Impact Control Report (EICR)	A report which details how any detrimental impact, identified in the Environmental Impact Assessment, can be prevented or ameliorated by means of landfill site and operation.
Estimated Environmental Concentration (EEC)	The Estimated Environmental Concentration represents the concentration of a substance in the aquatic environment when introduced under worst case scenario conditions. It is used to indicate possible risk, by comparison with the minimum concentration estimated to adversely affect aquatic organisms or to produce unacceptable concentration in biota, water or sediment
Exposure	The amount of hazardous substances available to man or living matter.
Fatal Law	A factor or situation which prevents the development of an environmentally acceptable waste disposal facility, except at prohibitive cost
Feasible	Acceptable, capable of being used or implemented successfully, without unacceptably damaging the environment
Finger drain	A simple open drain within zones of selected free draining waste, initially placed in the invert of the landfill cell, for the purpose of leachate detection and collection
Flag	A symbol which draws attention to an aspect of investigation, design or operation that requires special attention by a recognized expert
Flammable Liquids	Liquids which give off a flammable vapour at or below 61 degree Celsius using the closed cup test
Flammable Solids	Substances, other than those classed as explosives, which are readily combustible or may cause or contribute to fires.
Flocculation	The intentional grouping of very small particles or colloids in a suspension in water or other liquids, the purpose being to increase the settlement rate of the solids.
General Waste	Waste that does not pose an immediate threat to man or the environment, i.e. house waste, builders' rubble, garden waste, and certain dry industrial and commercial waste
G Landfill	A landfill designed to accept only general waste
Generator	The Generator is an industry or other party whose activities result in the production of waste. The responsibility for a Hazardous Waste remains from cradle-to-grave with the Generator of that waste and the Generator is held liable for any damage that the waste may cause to humans or to the environment.
Geomembranes	Very low permeability synthetic membrane liners and barriers used with any geotechnical engineering-related material so as to control fluid migration in man-made projects, structure or system
Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL)	A manufactured composite barrier system comprising f layers of clay material and geosynthetic materials to form a single sheet for use as a liner.
Geotextile	A permeable, polymeric, woven, non-woven or knitted material used in geotechnical and civil engineering applications. A cloth or felt made of natural or synthetic fibres and designed to act as a drainage or filtration element
Ground Water	Water occupying pores in the soil and cavities and spaces in rocks in the saturated zone of the profile. This water may rise from a deep, magmatic sources or be due to the infiltration of rainfall (recharge).
Guideline	While not requirements, guidelines are recommended actions which represent good practice. They are not enforceable, but may form the basis for site specific permit conditions in which case they become mandatory
Hazard Rating	A system for classifying and ranking wastes according to how great a hazard they present
Hazardous waste	Waste, other than radioactive waste, which is legally defined as hazardous in the state in which it is transported or disposed of, determined by the chemical reactivity, toxic, explosive, corrosive or other characteristics which cause, or are likely to cause, danger to health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported or disposed of.
Hazardous Waste Landfill	A containment landfill, designed specifically for the disposal or co-disposal of hazardous waste
Healthcare risk waste	Infectious waste emanating primarily from hospitals, clinics, surgeries, chemists and sanitary services
HELP	The Hydrological Evaluation of Landfill Performance - computer model.
IMDG-RSA Code=SABS Code 0228	A code in which over 4000 hazardous substances are listed and assigned a danger group for transport purposes. The Code forms the basis of the present system for classifying Hazardous Waste and is being upgraded for waste disposal purposes. In future hazardous substances will be assigned a hazardous rating for waste disposal in the SABS Code 0228
Immobilisation	Immobilisation (or chemical stabilization) is a process in which the waste is converted to a more chemically stable or more insoluble or more immobile form
Industrial Groups	Industrial or activities, which are likely to produce a Hazardous Waste
Industrial waste	Hazardous and non-hazardous waste in either a dry or liquid form from industrial and commercial generators
Infectious Substances	Micro-organisms including those which have been genetically modified, pathogens, cells, cell cultures and human endoparasites which have the potential to provoke infection, allergy or toxic effects.
Infectious Waste	Any waste which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of humans or animals; in the research pertaining to this; in the manufacturing or testing of biological agents - including blood, blood products and contaminated blood products, cultures, pathological wastes, sharps, human and animal anatomical wastes and isolation wastes that contain or may contain infectious substances.
Initial Rate of Deposition (IRD)	The initial waste stream or deposition rate for a landfill site
Integrated Environmental Management (IEM)	A management approach designed to ensure that the environment consequences of development proposals are understood and adequately considered in the planning process
Interested and Affected Parties (IAPs)	The people who will be affected in some way by the development of the proposed landfill. They may be represented by adjacent residents or farmers, a residential community, the public at large or local, provincial and national government forum
Investigative Monitoring	Monitoring which uses an extended range of parameters in order to investigate any leachate pollution identified by Detection Monitoring
ISO 9001	Specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organisation needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customer and applicable regulatory requirements, and aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable regulatory requirements
ISO 14001	Specifies requirements for an environmental management system, to enable an organization to formulate a policy and objectives taking into account legislative requirements and information about significant environmental impacts
ISO 17025	Specifies the general requirements for the competence to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sampling
Lagoon	A lined dam constructed to contain liquid waste
Landfill site	The area permitted for waste disposal on which landfill cells and other structures required for the safe disposal of waste are constructed
Landfill Development Process	This is the development of a landfill from its inception or sitting, through its investigation, design, permitting, commissioning, operation, closure and end-use. Monitoring takes place throughout the above process and may continue for up to 30 years after closure
Landfill Operation Monitoring	The auditing and assessing of a waste disposal operation to determine whether it conforms to the site design and the Minimum Requirements
Leachate	An aqueous solution arising when water percolates through decomposing waste and as a result of the biodegradation of the waste. It contains final and intermediate products of decomposition, various solutes and waste residues
Leachate Management	The collection and drainage of leachate to a point where it can be extracted for treatment
Lift	A series of adjoining cells of the same height, and at the same level, in a landfill
Liner	A layer of low permeability material placed beneath a landfill and designed to direct leachate to a collection drain or sump, or to contain leachate
Local authorities	Municipalities, district councils and government institutions
Manifest System	A system for documentating and controlling the fate of a Hazardous Waste from cradle-to-grave
Maximum Rate of Deposition (MRD)	The projected maximum rate deposition during the expected life of a landfill
MCCSSO	A standard system of soil profiling, which describes the soil in terms of Moisture, Colour, Consistency, Structure, Soil type and Origin
Medical Waste	Waste emanating primarily from human and veterinary hospitals, clinics and surgeries. Also from chemists and Sanitary Services. They may comprise, inter alia, sharps (used hypodermic needles and scalpel blades), malignant tissue, body parts, soiled bandages and liner, and spent or outdated medicines or drugs. They have the ability to affect other living organics, and are considered hazardous
Minimum Requirements	A standard by means of which environmentally acceptable waste disposal practices can be distinguished from environmentally unacceptable waste disposal practices
Mitigate	To reduce an impact to meet the objectives of a Minimum Requirement
Mono-Landfill	A landfill that accommodates one type of waste
Monitoring	The process of checking for changes in status or trends over time. This may be achieved by compiling successive audits or water quality analyses results
Monitoring Committee	A committee comprising the Permit Holder or his or her authorized representative (Responsible Person), the Department and IAPs. The function of the Monitoring Committee is to monitor the operation of the landfill and to disseminate information to relevant people e.g. the public
MSDS	Materials Safety Data Sheet. It will give you the chemical name and then a description how toxic the waste is to humans and to aquatic life. It will give a short description about the physical and chemical properties, what will happen if you come in contact, inhale or ingest the chemical.How to treat it during a fire.How to handle and to store the chemical.What protection to wear.It will tell you how stable and reactive the chemical is and how to transport the chemical.
Mutagens	Agents causing genetic mutations. A substance is considered mutagenic when it is significantly positive in at least 3 different in vitro/in vivo assays
Neutralisation	To render harmless or less hazardous by the addition of acid or alkali to bring the PH in the region of 7
OHSA	Occupational Health and Safety Act
Operating Plan	A site-specific document which describes the way in which the landfill is operated. The Operation Plan commences at the level and detail of daily cell construction and continues through to the development and excavation sequence, access and drainage within a given phase of the Development Plan
Outflow Rate	The rate at which leachate will pass through a liner, taking account of the head of leachate likely to accumulate over the line
Oxidising Substances	Substances, which may increase the risk and intensity of fire in other materials with which they come in contact.
Permeability (Primary)	The rate per unit area at which fluid will pass through a porous material under a unit flow gradient
Permeability (Secondary)	The rate unit area which fluid will pass through macro features of a soil such as paleo-root canal, termite tunnels and rodents burrows, under unit flow gradient
Permit	The Permit issued by the Department for the operation or closure of a landfill, in terms of Regulation 1549, promulgated under the Environmental Conversation Act, 1989 (Act 73 of 1989).
Permitting	The act of issuing a Permit
Permit Holder	The person who, having obtained a Permit to operate a waste disposal site, in terms of Section 20 (1) of the Environmental Conservation Act, is legally responsible for the site, both during and after closure.
Permit Procedure	The procedure to be followed and the necessary investigates to provide the Department with the necessary information so that a Permit can be issued
Persistence	The tendency to remain instead of falling away in the normal manner. (In this case, the tendency to remain in the environment, instead of degrading).
Phreatic Surface	A surface defined by the level at which the ground water will come to rest in a series of boreholes drilled in an area. The surface indicates the level at which the pressure in the ground water is atmospheric
PPE	Personal Protective Equipment. This is any devise or item that is issued to an individual to protect them from a physical, chemical, biological and mechanical hazard
Precautionary Principle	Where a risk is unknown; the assumption of the worst case situation and making provision for such a situation.
Precipitation	Precipitation is the addition of lime, sodium sulphide or other reagents that result in the formation of insoluble compounds that come out of solution
Pre-disposal background	This is water quality monitoring which takes place before a landfill is commissioned and thus reflects the pollution status of the water regime prior to waste disposal
Radio-Active Substances	Substances, which may emit or exhibit radioactivity. These substances must be disposed of in terms of the Nuclear Energy Act (Act 92 of 1982) and the Hazardous Substances Act (Act 15 of 1973). In particular Section 3A, Hazardous Substances Act (Act 15 of 1973) regulates radioactive substances used for medical, scientific and industrial purposes
Recycle	The use, re-use, or reclamation of a material so that it re-enters the industrial process rather than becoming a waste
Rehabilitation	The restoration of a landfill site to a state which is publicly and environmentally acceptable, and which is suitable for the implementation of the agreed End-use Plan
Remediation	The rectification of problems, caused by bad practices, through the implementation of remedial measures
Residue	A substance that is left over after a waste has been treated or destroyed
Response Action Plan	A plan intended to counter or minimize the adverse effects of any malfunction of a landfill designed element with immediate effect. A response Action Plan is usually associated with the disposal of Hazardous waste
Responsible Person	The Permit Holder or his legally appointed representative who takes responsibility for ensuring that all or some of the facets of the following are properly directed, guided and executed, in a professionally justifiable manner: investigatory work, design, preparation, operation, closure and monitoring
Risk	The probability of dangerous substances contained in the waste, leached therefrom, or released by emission, entering into the air, the surface environment or the water regime in unacceptable quantities or concentrations. The consequences of such occurrences could be manifested as a threat to public health or as the impairment of an eco-system or resources
Risk Assessment	The identification of possible impacts of a landfill on the environment so that they can be addressed in the design
Sanitary Landfilling	A method of disposing of waste on land without causing nuisances or hazards to public health or safety. Sanitary landfilling uses the principles of engineering to confine the waste to the smallest practical area, to reduce it to the smallest practical volume, and to cover it with a layer of earth at the conclusion of each day's operations or at such less frequent intervals as may be acceptable
Saturated zone	The portion of the soil or rock profile situated below the phreatic surface
Shear strength	The shear strength of a soil (or waste) is the sum of the frictional resist lance between the soil grains (or particles of waste) and the cohesion imparted by the finer fractions (clay and silty).
Significant	Factors or considerations are termed significant when they are important, because they are of consequence. For example, they will have a detectable influence on a process, the environment, or the end result
Significant leachate generation	Seasonal or continuous leachate generation resulting mainly from climate and/or waste moisture content. In the case of existing landfills, significant leachate generation may also result from poor site selection and/or design. It is essential that significant leachate generation be managed by means of leachate collection and treatment if water pollution is to be avoided
Site Specific Factors	Factors peculiar to a specific site that must be taken into consideration when applying the Minimum Requirements
Solidification	Solidification or cementation is a process in which the waste is converted to an insoluble rock-like material by mixing with suitable materials.
Standard	A measure by which the accuracy of quality of others or degree of excellence is judged, or a model for imitation
Sterilise	Make free from micro-organisms
Surface Water	Water (usually rainfall) which flows across the ground surface towards and in man made and natural drainage features such as drains, rivers, streams, lakes and ponds
SHERQ	Safety, Health, Environment, Risk and Quality
Technical Design	The Technical Design is based on the Conceptual Design. It includes detailed specifications of materials, measurements and procedures, as well as detailed drawings
Teratogens	These are substances, which have the capacity to cause birth defects
Total Load Capacity	The capacity of a landfill site to accept a certain substance or the amount of a substance, which can be safely disposed of at a certain site. The total load capacity is influenced by the concentration levels and mobility of the waste, and by the landfill practice and design.
Toxic	Poisonous
Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP)	A test developed by the USA Environmental Protection Agency to measure the ability of a substance to leach from the waste into the environment. It thus measures the risk posed by a substance to groungwater
Transporter	A person, organization, industry or enterprise engaged in or offering to engage in the transportation of waste
Treatment	Treatment is used to remove, separate, concentrate or recover a hazardous or toxic component of a waste or to destroy or, at least, to reduce its toxicity in order to minimise its impact on the environment
TREM Card	Transport Emergency Card. It contains information in a clear and concise manner for the use of the driver of the vehicle transporting dangerous goods, to make him aware of the danger associated with the load, and to serve as a concise and quick reference in an emergency situation
Unsaturated Zone	Also referred to as the vadose zone, is the portion of the soil or rock profile situated above the phreatic surfaces. In this zone, the soil pores are filled with gas and water, as opposed to those in the saturated zone, where pores are filled with water
Waste	An undesirable or superfluous by-product, emission, or residue of any process or activity which has been discarded, accumulated or stored for the purpose of discarding or processing. It may be gaseous, liquid or solid or any combination thereof and may originate from a residential, commercial or industrial area. This definition excludes industrial waste water, sewage, radioactive substances, mining, metallurgical and power generating waste
Waste Body	This refers to the body of waste that is contained in the landfill. Because it is subject to decomposition, it has the potential to generate leachate and must therefore be adequately separated from waste regime
Waste Load Allocation	This term refers to volumes of hazardous waste permitted on certain landfills. Such allocations are calculated taking both the nature of the waste and the specific site characteristics into account
Waste Disposal	The act of disposing of waste
Waste Disposal Site	Referred to as landfill, because the vast majority of all waste is ultimately disposed of on land, whether it be in trenches or other excavations, or above grade
Waste Stream	A continuous flow of waste from an industry, activity, process or group
White Goods	Bulky waste such as old washing machines, fridges and stoves
Working Face	The active part of the landfill; where waste is deposited by incoming vehicles, then spread and compacted on the sloped face of the cell by a compactor
Note to reader: If there are any terms used in this report with which you are unfamiliar, you may e-mail annemaried@enviroserv.co.za.