According to the EPA:

Landfills are required to cover trash with 6 inches of soil every day.  It's a rule: Right there in black and white.

But in the gray world of reality, it takes more than 6 inches to effectively cover trash.

Based on our research:

The average landfill uses the equivalent of 16 inches of soil for daily cover.

Say what?

Not convinced?  Don't take our word for it - run your own numbers on a daily cell.

1.     Measure the surface area to be covered (expressed in square feet)

2.     Count loads and determine how much soil was hauled as cover (expressed in cubic feet)

3.     Divide cubic feet by square feet, then multiply the answer by 12 to convert to inches

Example:

·        Exposed waste area is 55' x 105' = 5,775 square feet

·        13 scraper loads (at 22 cubic yards per load) = 286 cubic yards x 27 = 7,722 cubic feet

·        7,722 cubic feet ÷ 5,775 square feet = 1.34 feet x 12 = 16"

Worth the effort?

Is it worth our effort to track soil use to the nearest inch? Based on airspace & handling cost of $12 per cubic yard, what's the effect?

Well, in this example, reducing your soil depth by just 1 inch could save $214 per day

...that's over $55,000 per year.