ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT CAUSED BY FIRE AT LVIV’S MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILL
Authors: Kovalenko T. , Mykhaylenko V. 
Published: April 2020

The old-fashioned system of municipal solid waste management (MSW) is one of the numerous environmental problems in Ukraine. Uncontrolled dumping of waste poses a serious threat to the environment due to the migration of landfill gases and leachates from the landfills. Moreover, as a consequence of collecting unsorted wastes enriched by organic materials and non-compliance with the rules of their storing, the emergence of fires has become more evident. One of the most important accidents is the fire that took place at the Lviv landfill located near the village of Velyki Hrybovychi in May 2016. The third by the scale dump in Europe that occupies more than 45 hectares of land, has caused the death of four people and formed a large-scale spreading of dangerous pollutants. The purpose of this study is assessing the magnitudes of damages caused by fire at Lviv landfill and identifying the nature of pollutants harmful to the environment and human health. The studies were based on the monitoring observation performed by the State Environmental Inspection of Lviv region concerning the status of atmospheric air, surface waters and soils within three months after the incident. The scale of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) emission, as well as the soil and surface water pollutions caused by lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, cobalt, chromium, manganese and iron compounds, have been analysed. The dynamics of water stream pollutions by ammonia nitrogen, nitrites, phosphates, chlorides and petroleum products were investigated. The content of oxygen dissolved in the waters of the Malekhіvka River was estimated by biological oxygen demand that describes the self-cleaning processes of surface water. There were observed significant concentrations of heavy metals belongs to the second degree of danger together with the abnormal spreading of ammonium salts, nitrites and petroleum products in the environment. These compounds were kept in nature at a high level for almost two months. The negative impact of the smog that covered the Lviv city and surrounded villages also was detected. A problem of particular concern is spreading of unintentional POPs prohibited by Stockholm convention on POPs that come in force in 2007 in Ukraine. The role of POPs in transboundary pollution was detected indirectly and requires additional research. The revealed changes in geosystem have inclined the quality of life in the nearest settlements and increased the level of pollution of the Poltava River that belongs to the Baltic Sea Catchment. It is evident that the negative impact of the Lviv landfill on the environment is a complex problem. In order to ensure the safety of the population and components of the environment, it is essential to carry out measures for recultivation of the landfill and its subsequent maintenance in accordance with sanitary requirements. Modification of the slopes of landfill body and its cover is a precondition for preventing landslides and self-ignition of waste. It also will make a precondition for reducing the amount of filtrate and the flow of dangerous water-soluble compounds from the landfill body to the environment.