Performance of landfills of hazardous waste with special respect to the function of clay liners

Abstract: This licentiate thesis is based on four papers related to the performance of near-surface low-level (LLW) repositories (landfills) focusing on construction and performance of clay liners in the cappings. The first paper discusses the source of hazardous wastes, their location and their impact on public health. The paper also discusses the scientific basis of the selection of the isolation of such wastes taking in account also cost issues. The paper also shows rules and principles of composing and constructing isolation of such waste according to American and German regulations. The second paper deals with the criteria for locating plants for processing and disposal of hazardous waste in Iraq with special respect to environmental, geological and socio-economic factors. Referring to these criteria a potential disposal site in the Al-Jezira desert is assessed in the paper. The third paper describes the properties of two candidate Iraqi smectitic clays of potential value for isolating hazardous wastes. These clays have been and are still being examined in order to determine their performance and usability for waste isolation. The fourth paper, finally, discusses in detail the hydration-dehydration processes in clay liners in cappings of waste landfills in desertic climates. It also deals with construction issues.