Patent ID: 8376657

Claim:
A combination of an existing landfill and a berm to increase capacity of the existing landfill, the landfill comprising a waste-receiving recess having a surface and an outer perimeter, an edge surface peripherally adjacent at least a portion of the outer perimeter, and an existing accumulation of waste within the recess having a collective top surface, the berm comprising: a reinforced portion having opposing inner and outer surfaces and comprising structural fill material and a plurality of reinforcing members disposed therein; backfill material having an inner surface adjacent the inner surface of the reinforced portion, the backfill material being fully encapsulated by an impermeable membrane, the backfill material comprising contaminated fill material; and a drainage system within the impermeable membrane, the drainage system comprising a perforated pipe surrounded by a granular fill material; wherein at least a portion of the berm sits on at least a portion of the edge surface of the landfill, and wherein portions of the berm are substantially parallel to corresponding portions of the outer perimeter; wherein the contaminated fill material comprises one or more of fossil fuel combustion product, fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, flue gas desulphurization material, non-hazardous contaminated soil, contaminated crushed glass, contaminated crushed concrete, contaminated crushed asphalt, sand blast grit, foundry sand, properly de-watered dredge spoils, or combinations thereof; and wherein the contaminated fill material is contaminated with one or more of metal, acid, base, volatile organic compound, semi-volatile organic compound, petroleum product, or combinations thereof.