Inside a Landfill

Degradation in the Landfill Environment

EPI’s degradable films will start to degrade through the exposure to heat, mechanical stress and/or sunlight. Any of these factors is sufficient to start the degradation process. When the film is used as an alternative daily cover on the landfill surface, all of these factors are present. Upon burial, the heat and the mechanical stress inside a landfill continue to provide the environment for film degradation.

As degradation continues, EPI's degradable films will loose their mechanical properties. They will eventually become brittle and fragmented and will produce only non-toxic, water-insoluble by-products.

Biogas/Leachate Movement

The use of improper waste covering materials such as low permeability soil and non-degradable film could lead to the formation of impermeable barriers within the landfill. These barriers would result in undesirable lateral migration of biogas/leachate, thus affecting the effectiveness of biogas/leachate collection.

Because EPI's films are degradable, they will allow the biogas/leachate to flow through for collection.