Landfill Settlement Theory

Packed landfills no longer able to accept waste close down, but settlement allows the landowners of those former landfills to reuse the property for other purposes. Uneven settlement poses a potential threat when not dealt with properly.

Landfill Settlement

• The settlement theory speculates that under ideal conditions, the waste within a closed landfill settles evenly, compacted by the weight of the waste or mass above it. Soft spots within a landfill occasionally create gaps of air, however, and the settled land typically loses the space occupied by that air.

Settlement Dangers

• Decomposition of waste creates settlement, but decomposition also produces methane gas. Builders must effectively ventilate the methane to make the space safe and usable. Uneven settlement also poses a threat, as foundation damage typically occurs with uneven shifts in the land.

Land Uses

• Outdoor attractions built over former landfills account for future settling within their design. According to Terry G. Schwartz, Superintendent of Revenue Facilities for the Arlington Heights Park District, landowners should wait up to 15 years to avoid settlement problems when constructing buildings and fixed structures.