Modern Landfill Engineering

SUMMARY:  A landfill is not a dump; it is a disposal ecosystem complete with living microbes working to break down garbage, numerous civil, hydraulic, and environmental challenges with millions of dollars invested in proper design and operation. A landfill is forever and when done correctly, it provides an important service to the community without negatively affecting the environment. 

BIO: Kevin Kiernan is the Assistant Division Director for King County’s Solid Waste Division. With more than 30 years of experience in landfill engineering, Kevin is a proponent of responsible landfill and solid waste management. As a member of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Kevin has consistently and continues to advocate for ways to make landfills better. Some of Kevin’s most important projects include keeping King County’s Cedar Hills Regional Landfill one of the premiere disposal sites in the country, helping to bring a landfill gas-to-energy plant online, and ensuring closed landfills are well-monitored and regulated. 

Links for Learning More…

1.About the King County Solid Waste Division: http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/index.asp

2.About “SWANA” the Solid Waste Association of North America: https://swana.org/

3.EPA Landfill information: https://www3.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/landfill.htm

4.Information on energy from landfills: https://www3.epa.gov/lmop/index.html

5.King County Zero Waste. This is an easy to navigate website with lots of basic information and resources for “what you can do” from the King County Solid Waste Division, the same division that supports the King County Green Schools Program. http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/garbage-recycling/zero-waste.asp