---
title: "Sanitary landfill: merits and demerits"
subject: "Sanitary Engineering"
chapter: 10
key: "semester_6/sanitary_engineering:sanitary-landfill-merits"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/sanitary_engineering/sanitary-landfill-merits
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Sanitary landfill: merits and demerits

Sanitary Engineering · Chapter 10: Solid Waste Disposal

- Asked in: 2079 Chaitra, 4 marks; 2075 Baisakh, 6 marks; 2072 Magh, 4 marks; 2070 Magh, 4 marks (asked 4 times)
- Video: [Sanitary Landfill](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En89BhnqtkU) — Aisyah
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/sanitary_engineering/sanitary-landfill-merits
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/sanitary_engineering/chapter-10

## Question

Describe briefly about sanitary landfill (method of sanitary land filling) for disposal of solid waste with its merits (advantages) and disadvantages.

## Short answer

Sanitary landfill is an engineered waste disposal method using thin layers, compaction, daily soil cover, liners, and leachate/gas control. Methods include trench, area, and ramp. Advantages: low cost, handles varied waste, controls nuisances, allows land reuse and gas recovery. Disadvantages: requires large land, high transport cost, leachate and methane risks, settlement limits construction, and public opposition.

## Answer

A **sanitary landfill** is an engineered method of disposing of solid waste on land in which the waste is spread in thin layers, compacted and covered daily with soil, so that there is no nuisance or hazard to health or the environment. It differs from open dumping because it has a liner, leachate and gas control, and daily cover.

#### Methods

1. **Trench method:** used on flat land where the ground-water is deep; trenches about 2-3 m deep and 4-8 m wide are dug, and the waste is placed, compacted and covered daily with 15 cm of soil, using the excavated soil as cover.
2. **Area method:** used where the land is flat but the ground-water is high or the ground is rocky, so trenches cannot be dug; waste is spread on the ground surface in layers and covered with soil brought from elsewhere.
3. **Ramp / depression (valley) method:** used in valleys, quarries or ravines (common in Nepal, e.g. Sisdol, Banchare Danda); waste is spread on the slopes, compacted and covered.

```text
 final cover 0.6 m
 ____________________________
 | daily soil cover 15 cm    |
 |  compacted waste cells    |
 |___________________________|
 clay/HDPE liner -> leachate collection pipe -> pond
 gas vent pipes
```

**Operation:** waste is spread in layers of about 0.5 m, compacted to reduce its volume, covered daily with 15 cm of soil, and finally covered with 60 cm of soil and vegetation. Leachate is collected and treated; methane is vented or flared.

#### Merits

- Cheap compared with incineration or composting; handles most kinds of waste.
- No odour, flies or fire if covered daily; the land can later be used as a park.
- Landfill gas can be used as fuel; flexible for varying quantities of waste.

#### Demerits

- Needs a large area of land, usually far from the city, so transport cost is high.
- Leachate can pollute ground-water; the gas (methane) causes a risk of explosion.
- The site settles, so building on it is restricted; there is public opposition to siting.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What distinguishes sanitary landfill from open dumping?
   A. Cheaper operation
   B. Waste is burnt
   C. No soil used
   D. Compaction, daily soil cover, liner, leachate and gas control
   Answer: D. Engineering controls make it sanitary. (Key point: Definition)

2. When is the trench method used?
   A. Flat land with deep ground water
   B. Valleys
   C. High water table
   D. Hospital waste
   Answer: A. Trenches are dug on flat land where ground water is deep. (Key point: Trench method)

3. What daily cover thickness is used?
   A. 60 cm
   B. 15 cm soil
   C. 5 cm
   D. None
   Answer: B. 15 cm daily, 60 cm final. (Key point: Daily cover)

4. Which is a demerit?
   A. Odour always
   B. Cannot take mixed waste
   C. Leachate and methane risks
   D. Needs no land
   Answer: C. Leachate may pollute ground water and methane may explode. (Key point: Demerit)

## Related in Sanitary Engineering

- [Methods of solid waste disposal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fsanitary_engineering%3Asolid-waste-disposal-methods) — Sanitary Engineering, chapter 10, asked 2×
- [Incineration: merits and demerits](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fsanitary_engineering%3Asolid-waste-incineration) — Sanitary Engineering, chapter 10, asked 7×
- [Composting: methods, merits, demerits](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fsanitary_engineering%3Asolid-waste-composting) — Sanitary Engineering, chapter 10, asked 5×
- [Open dumping and sanitary landfill](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fsanitary_engineering%3Aopen-dumping-vs-landfill) — Sanitary Engineering, chapter 10, asked 2×
- [Sewer pipe materials: merits, demerits](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fsanitary_engineering%3Asewer-pipe-materials) — Sanitary Engineering, chapter 3
- [Short note: Sludge disposal methods](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fsanitary_engineering%3Asludge-disposal-methods) — Sanitary Engineering, chapter 8

## Related in other subjects

- [Solid waste management system and techniques](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenvironment_and_pollution_control%3Asolid-waste-management-techniques) — Environment and Pollution Control, chapter 5
- [Overvoltage causes; solid grounding merits](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fswitchgear_and_protection%3Aovervoltage-causes-solid-grounding) — Switchgear and Protection, chapter 5, asked 2×
- [Physical and chemical characteristics of solid waste](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenvironment_and_pollution_control%3Asolid-waste-characteristics) — Environment and Pollution Control, chapter 5
- [Treatment and disposal of hazardous waste](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenvironment_and_pollution_control%3Ahazardous-waste-management-techniques) — Environment and Pollution Control, chapter 5