Land Treatment

"Land treatment" refers to a relatively uncommon method of hazardous waste management in which waste is treated either by being placed on or mixed into the soil. These units are also known as "land farms." This process can be used to degrade or transform the hazardous components in some wastes, such as contaminated soils, sediments, or sludges. The waste must be applied to the upper layers of the soil above the water table (the highest level at which groundwater flows). The sunlight and the microbes in the soil result in the biodegradation of the hazardous wastes. The operators of land treatment units use agricultural equipment to turn and aerate the mixture of soil and waste.

Safe treatment using this method must be demonstrated prior to its use. The EPA regional administrator will be involved with this demonstration to make sure that the demonstration accurately simulates the characteristics and conditions that will be present if the facility is approved for land treatment.

The owner or operator of a land treatment unit is responsible for designing, constructing, and maintaining the land treatment area to ensure that the waste degrades, transforms, and is immobilized as demonstrated.

To learn more about RCRA safety standards visit our RCRA Refresher Online Training web page.