SLD Landfill Environment

The design and related environmental protection systems at the SLD facility meet all state and federal regulations.

The original SLD Facility encompasses a total of approximately 373.5 acres of land, which includes approximately 157.41 acres that was permitted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in 2006 for the disposal of C&D debris. SLD currently conducts disposal operations under Permit No. 0246176-007-SO/22. In 2013, SLD purchased an additional 224 acres of land south of the East and West Cells and the original southern property line. Approximately 16acres of this additional area are currently permitted for soil borrow operations. At this time, Phases 2 and 3 located in the Eastern Cell of the originally permitted disposal facility have been approved, based on the following technical facts, for construction and operation by FDEP without a liner system.

A thick layer of clay separates the surficial aquifer from the intermediate aquifer and the Floridan aquifer at the SLD site.

The potentiometric surfaces of the intermediate aquifer and the Floridan aquifer below the SLD site are above natural ground surface and therefore, there is an upward gradient that retards groundwater in the surficial aquifer from migrating down to the intermediate and Floridan aquifers.

Naturally occurring constituents in the groundwater at the SLD site routinely exceed the FDEP standards and criteria, and therefore, the groundwater at the SLD site (and much of coastal southwest Florida), and down-gradient from it, is not a suitable source of potable water.

The 224-acre tract used for soil borrow is situated directly adjacent to the southern property line of the SLD Facility. Three borrow areas have been permitted for this area, which currently and in the future will retain water connecting to the groundwater at the site. The lakes, that will ultimately be created, will promote natural aerobic conditions in groundwater that leaves the property and is expected to create a higher oxidizing environment. This environment will promote the strong binding of iron and arsenic to in situ soil particles, which in turn will promote a more balanced chemistry of the groundwater in the surficial aquifer.

Eight (8) groundwater monitoring wells are strategically placed throughout the site to ensure that the facility disposal operations do not affect groundwater quality. The current SLD Facility has been in operation since 2007, and there are no indications that the disposed waste is contributing any contaminants to groundwater. Temporary exceedances can occur as related to natural site conditions in the groundwater when exacerbated by construction (earth disturbance) activities.

SLD Landfill follows an aggressive capping schedule to control rain infiltration, erosion and to control potential odors from decomposing organic materials. A combination of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) liners, drainage materials and geotextiles are used to cap and seal the facility as it is filled to design grades. Soil and sod are then placed above the synthetic and soil capping system. Active gas collection is not required under FDEP rules, however, SLD has permitted (via FDEP) gas collection and destruction devices and incorporates these control features into the capping design for the facility. Though very little gas volume is created versus the amount created at a putrescible landfill, gas at C&D disposal facilities can contain high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (h2s) which has a very pungent “rotten egg” odor even at very low concentrations. H2S concentrations at the SLD facility perimeter checkpoints are very low, if detectable at all, because our gas extraction features allows us to draw h2s by vacuum and destroy it at a flare that uses the methane component of the captured gas as fuel. Click here​ to learn more!