23 April 2007
San Diego Landfills
After reading chapter 12, I was interested in finding more information on where all our trash goes and how it effects us. I found the site containing info about landfills here in San Diego County. I thought it was a good site because it talks about the current, future, and closed landfills. More importantly, it outlines the exposures from the closed landfill Poway. While investigating the extent of low concentration solvent (PCE and TCE) contamination in ground water within the closed landfill boundary, very low levels of benzene and solvents were found.Benzene is the compound causing much concern because at low levels benzene can be carcinogenic. There has been no actual confirmation of exposure to benzene and other chemicals. The exposure was said to be more harmful long term but that wont be known until more samples and studies are done. I found it interesting that there was not more information known about the sources of Benzene. So, for those of you who might live near a landfill this site provides a lot of information on how to stay informed and safe from exposure.
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Landfills don't only emit benzene, but other pollutants, like heavy metals. Recently, I conducted a study testing the heavy metal (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu) concentrations in sediments from Mission Bay. The study sampled in June 2004 and June 2006. I noticed that the heavy metals were closer to the freshwater inputs and higher in June 2004 compared to June 2006. Upon researching probable reasons for these results, I discovered that Miramar Landfill drains into the Penasquitos Watershed and Mission Bay via Rose Creek. Interestingly, the landfill banned the dispoal of batteries, all of which contain these four metals, in September of 2006. We cannot be certain that the battery ban was the sole reason for the decrease in these heavy metal concentrations into Mission Bay, but suggests that it might be worth to ban more heavy metal sources to limit heavy metal concnetrations in the bay in the future.
I was kind of appalled to find out that there is a landfill in Borrego Springs, a desert town totally surrounded by Anza-Borrego State Park in eastern SD County. Hopefully it is only used for local garbage!
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