Evaluation Of Landfill Effects On Soil And Water Sources, A Case Study Of The Whein Town Sanitary Land Fill, Montserrado County-Liberia

ABSTRACT The study investigated the perceptions of the inhabitants of Whein Town on the effects of the activities of Whein Town Sanitary landfill in Monrovia, Liberia, and evaluated real time health hazards posed on the community. The Whein Town Engineered Landfill was developed with an integrated solid waste management motive. Even though the landfill lifespan expired at the end of 2016, active landfill activities are still ongoing. Liners may have deteriorated, thereby resulting in infiltration of leachates into ground and surface water sources, resulting in their contamination and consequent health attendants. Frequent flooding of adjoining agriculture lands by leachates from the landfill is perceived to have reduced the quality of the land for its intended purpose. Inhabitants of Whein town therefore have every justification to believe that the improperly sited landfill, which is currently overaged and ill-managed, is responsible for most of their predicaments. The study was therefore conducted to verify the effects of the landfill on soils, water sources as well as health of inhabitants of Whein Township. Questionnaires were distributed to ascertain citizens’ perceptions on the effect of the landfill activities in the study area. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC) and 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) were analysed on samples of potable water sources from hand-dug well and stream water (surface water) as well as leachates from the landfill’s wastes stabilization ponds. Calorimetric method was used to analyse the levels of 6 heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe) in the samples while Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer was used to determine the levels of the same heavy metals in soils samples.