Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 250 - Department of Environmental Management › Chapter 140 - Waste and Materials Management › Subchapter 05 - Solid Waste › Part 2 - Solid Waste Landfills › Section 250-RICR-140-05-2.3 - Solid Waste Landfill Operating Standards

Current through June 14, 2024
2.3.1
General
Sanitary landfill facilities shall meet all regulations set
					 forth in this Rule in addition to the General Operating Standards in §
											1.7 of this Subchapter and
					 shall also comply with all applicable Federal Rules, Laws, Regulations or other
					 Federal requirements.
2.3.2
Working Face
The width of the working face shall be kept as narrow as is
					 consistent with the proper operation of trucks and equipment in order that the
					 area of waste material exposed during the operating day is minimal. No working
					 face shall exceed one hundred fifty feet (150') in width when measured across
					 the operating surface of the fill. Except where separate areas are designated
					 on the engineering design for specific wastes, no more than one (1) working
					 face shall be in use at any one (1) time.
2.3.3
Lift Height
No lift shall exceed twelve feet (12') in height unless
					 otherwise specified on the approved engineering design for the site.
2.3.4
Cover Material
A. Initial Cover: All top surfaces and faces
				  of the working lift shall be covered with six inches (6") of cover material at
				  least at the end of each working day, or at more frequent intervals if
				  necessary, to control disease vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter and
				  scavenging. The cover material shall be earthen material, except that alternate
				  materials of a thickness other than six inches (6"), may be approved by the
				  Director, if the SWLF owner or operator demonstrates that the alternate
				  material and thickness control disease vectors, fires, odors, blowing litter,
				  and scavenging without presenting a threat to human health and the
				  environment.
B. Intermediate Cover:
				  When an additional lift is not to commence within six (6) months, an additional
				  six inch (6") layer of cover material shall be applied over the six inch (6")
				  initial cover layer within one (1) week after the disposal of refuse to all top
				  surfaces and faces.
C. Final Cover
1. When no additional lift is to be added for
				  one (1) year, a total thickness of twenty-four inches (24") of cover material
				  shall be maintained on all surfaces and faces.
2. When the landfill operation is terminated
				  in an area, the area must be closed in accordance with the approved closure
				  plans and must meet the requirements of § 2.2.12 of this Part.
3. The landfill owner or operator must begin
				  closure within thirty (30) days of the final receipt of waste or within one
				  year of the most recent receipt of waste, if there is remaining landfill
				  capacity and there is reasonable likelihood that the landfill will receive
				  additional waste. A request by the landfill owner or operator for extension
				  beyond the one (1) year deadline for beginning closure may be approved by the
				  Director, if the owner or operator demonstrates that the landfill has capacity
				  to receive additional waste and the owner or operator has taken and will
				  continue to take all steps necessary to prevent threats to human health and the
				  environment from the unclosed landfill.
4. The landfill owners or operators must
				  complete closure activities of each SWLF unit, in accordance with the closure
				  plan, within one hundred eighty (180) days of the beginning of closure of the
				  unit. A request by the landfill owner or operator for an extension beyond the
				  one hundred eighty (180) day deadline may be approved by the Director, if the
				  owner or operator demonstrates that closure will, of necessity, take longer
				  than one hundred eighty (180) days and the owner or operator has taken and will
				  continue to take all steps to prevent threats to human health and the
				  environment from the unclosed SWLF unit.
5. Following closure of an SWLF unit, the
				  owner or operator shall notify the Director that closure has been completed in
				  accordance with the operating plan and that the notice of this closure has been
				  placed in the landfill's operating record. This notice shall include a
				  certification, signed by an independent registered professional engineer or
				  approved by the Director, verifying that closure has been completed in
				  accordance with the closure plan.
6. Following closure of an SWLF unit, the
				  owner or operator shall record a notation on the deed to the landfill facility
				  property, (or on some other instrument that is normally esssxamined during
				  title search) and notify the Director of this notation action, and that a copy
				  of this notated document has been placed in the landfill's operating record.
				  The notation on the instrument must in perpetuity notify any potential
				  purchaser of the property that:
a. The land
				  has been used as a landfill facility.
b. The land's future use is restricted; any
				  future use shall not disturb the integrity of the final cover, liner(s) or any
				  other components of the containment system or the functioning of the monitoring
				  systems, except if the proposed disturbance is approved by the Director and if
				  the owner or operator demonstrates that such disturbance will not increase the
				  potential threat to human health or the environment.
D. Cover Material Supply: A four
				  (4) day supply of cover material shall be stored upon the landfill property at
				  all times. This supply should be calculated on the basis of one (1) part cover
				  material to four (4) parts of compacted waste (1,000
				  lbs./yd.3).
E. Maintenance of Cover Material: All
				  applications of cover material shall be maintained by the operator in
				  conformance with the requirements of this section.
F. Permeability of Cover Material: The
				  Director may specify the permeability of cover material used on a site specific
				  basis. The Director may also require the use of an impermeable cover to
				  mitigate water pollution or for other purposes described in these
				  Rules.
G. Vegetation: The operator
				  shall plant and maintain vegetative growth on all completed areas.