Since 1998, waste received for disposal at the Tontitown Landfill has been placed in a double composite liner system consisting of a primary composite liner and a secondary composite liner on the bottom. This double composite liner system exceeds landfill design requirements (Subtitle D) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Tontitown Landfill has been designed in accordance with the established design standards of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) as set forth by Regulation 22. Complete information on ADEQ solid waste regulations can be found at www.adeq.state.ar.us.

The ADEQ inspects the Tontitown Landfill on a regular basis. These unannounced inspections include a thorough review of facility operations and records. The Tontitown Landfill consistently meets or exceeds state and federal environmental standards.

Waste Management has a full-time environmental engineer (registered in Arkansas) who oversees the Tontitown Landfill. There is also a full-time compliance manager who oversees the environmental protection systems at the landfill and fulfills state record-keeping and reporting requirements. At the landfill itself, there is a management team, licensed by ADEQ, with responsibility for daily operations.

Overall Design

Designing and building a landfill is a complex and highly sophisticated. This graphic Tontitown Landfill Anatomy Diagram shows the various components. A double compositive liner system is complex and highly sophisticated; the graphic here shows the various components that are used to create highly impermeable layers to protect the environment.

Below are links to additional detailed information about landfill design and construction: