Environmental assessment and treatment solution to an old garbage disposal site near Jinan

Solid waste is the biggest and primary pollution source in many Chinese cities such as Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. Before the municipal sanitary landfill plant became operational in 1998, large amount of solid waste generated in Jinan was trucked to garbage disposal sites scattered in a number of suburban villages including JiuQu, Dajian Ditch, Shiliuliher, South and North Zhaner, and Zhan Village. These old disposal sites not only affect air quality and cause environmental degradation, but also contaminate groundwater severely. More importantly, as the city of Jinan sprawls outwards in recent years those disposal sites have been enclosed by new developments. Therefore, finding an optimal way to clean these abandoned disposal sites becomes a pressing issue, which has been listed as an important initiative in the city´s comprehensive plan. This article analyzes the geographical distribution, magnitude, and chemical components of one of those garbage disposal sites near the Jiuqu Village, by using multifaceted research methods including field investigation, geophysical prospecting, topographical mapping, and advanced remote sensing techniques. Results of the examination of soil quality and magnitude of heavy metal indicate that this garbage hill is largely made up of non-toxic waste (i.e., lower than the minimum standards set by the Chinese Environmental Protection Agency). Therefore, it is suggested that the garbage in Jiuqu can be reused as garden soil through physical filtration, an efficient way of cleaning the garbage waste at affordable cost.