Land Treatment

"Land treatment" refers to a 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.

Land treatment is not a common treatment method for hazardous wastes for the following reasons:

• Land farms require large spaces.
• The variability of the weather is uncontrollable. Some compounds will take longer to biodegrade when the weather conditions are unfavorable.
• Biodegradation does not break down hydrocarbon carbon compounds (such as creosote, pentachlorophenol (PCP), and bunker C oil).
• Metal ions contained in the waste may be toxic to the microbes required for biodegradation.
• Particulate matter may accidentally be released into the atmosphere, causing air pollution.
• Contaminants may leach into the groundwater.

To learn more about RCRA visit our RCRA Hazardous Waste Safety Online Training web page.