The Environmental Impact of Landfill Fires and Their Contaminant Plumes at the Chunga Landfill Site, Lusaka, Zambia

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aut.relation.endpage579
aut.relation.issue12en_NZ
aut.relation.journalAfrican Journal of Environmental Science and Technologyen_NZ
aut.relation.startpage569
aut.relation.volume15en_NZ
aut.researcherHinchliffe, Graham
dc.contributor.authorMuleya, Men_NZ
dc.contributor.authorHinchliffe, Gen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorPetterson, Men_NZ
dc.date.accessioned2022-01-12T23:24:25Z
dc.date.available2022-01-12T23:24:25Z
dc.description.abstractThe management of solid waste is recognised as a challenging activity with respect to the environment, particularly within rapidly growing urban centres in Lower Income Countries. This paper examines the issue of landfill-waste-generated fires and resultant pollution plumes sourced within the Chunga Landfill Site, Lusaka, Zambia. The authors present the results of a geospatial analysis research programme to map and assess risks posed by landfill combustion. The project identified fires and their plumes in the period 2013 to 2019. Pollution plumes are predominantly oriented East to West but also form plumes blowing towards the South West and North West. The area impacted by landfill plumes increased from 34 ha in 2013 to 133 ha in 2019. There is significant existential and potential human-exposure to these plumes. An estimated 5000 residents live within the areas affected by landfill-combustion-plumes. The authors suggest the following framework for landfill management to be adopted: (1) for waste to be increasingly sorted and segregated with different disposal options developed for different types of waste; (2) for methane and gas evacuation pipes to be inserted into the Chunga Site in a systematic rectilinear manner which allows for its safe dispersal: alternately collect the gases as usable biogas; (3) rapid extinguishing of any fires; (4) weekly monitoring of the landfill site by UAV and on-the- ground inspections; (5) active weekly monitoring of air quality; (6) develop a communication strategy that aims to engage local residents and other stakeholders concerning Chunga Landfill waste management; (7) the further drafting of medium-long term waste management policy in Lusaka that takes account of the rapid population growth and increasing landfill requirements.
dc.identifier.citationAfrican Journal of Environmental Science and Technology , 15(12), 569-579.
dc.identifier.doi10.5897/ajest2021.3008en_NZ
dc.identifier.issn1996-0786en_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/14819
dc.publisherAcademic Journalsen_NZ
dc.relation.urihttps://academicjournals.org/journal/AJEST/article-abstract/1D01D1368404
dc.rights© 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.
dc.rights.accessrightsOpenAccessen_NZ
dc.subjectLandfill fires; Smoke plume; Photogrammetry; Geospatial mapping; Disaster; Risk management
dc.titleThe Environmental Impact of Landfill Fires and Their Contaminant Plumes at the Chunga Landfill Site, Lusaka, Zambiaen_NZ
dc.typeJournal Article
pubs.elements-id447178
pubs.organisational-data/AUT
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Health & Environmental Science
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Health & Environmental Science/School of Science
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Health and Environmental Sciences
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Health and Environmental Sciences/HA Science 2018 PBRF
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