Process and structure for storing and isolating hazardous waste

A hazardous waste system for safely containing hazardous waste substances comprising:

• solidified, load-bearing hazardous waste;
• a first pervious protective layer surrounding the solidified hazardous waste;
• a liner around the protective layer and the hazardous waste, said liner being impervious to water and to leachates that the hazardous waste might produce;
• an inner-liner integrity detection system at the bottom of said liner to collect and measure any leachate that seeps to the bottom of said liner;
• a second pervious protective layer around said liner, the top and side portions of said second protective layer providing a pervious infiltration layer formed around the sides and top of the liner to permit the gravitational flow and run off of any fluids that might enter the pervious infiltration layer;
• an outer liner integrity detection system under the second protective layer, said outer liner integrity detection system including means for providing for the gravitational flow and run off of leachates and means for the collecting and measuring leachates flowing through that system;
• an inclined platform below the outer liner integrity system;
• a perimeter support wall means about the periphery of the infiltration layer to hold in place the infiltration layers, liner and hazardous waste and thereby restrain the horizontal slippage of the hazardous waste;
• a relatively impervious cap formed over the second protective layer to protect the hazardous waste from the surface environment;
• a runoff water detection system for collecting and measuring precipitation that falls on and runs off the cap;
• a cap integrity detection system for collecting and measuring any fluids that flow through the infiltration layer;
• and
• a support base under the hazardous waste, liner, protective layers, inclined platform and perimeter support wall means and proximate to the surface of the ground, said support base including an impervious top surface above the ground and providing a barrier between the ground and hazardous waste.

A process for safely containing hazardous waste comprising the steps of:

• forming a support base on or above the ground surface to provide an impervious barrier;
• forming on the support base a monitoring detection system which includes means for providing for the gravitational flow and run off of leachates and water;
• forming an outer pervious protective layer over the leachate collection system;
• placing a liner for the hazardous material on top of the protective barrier, said liner being impervious to water and leachates that the hazardous waste might produce;
• forming a inner protective layer about the inner periphery of the liner;
• placing the solidified hazardous waste within the liner and against the inner protective layer;
• sealing the liner about the hazardous waste to encapsulate the hazardous waste;
• forming about the outer periphery of the liner a pervious infiltration layer to permit the gravitational flow and run off of any water or fluids that might enter the pervious infiltration layer;
• forming about the perimeter of the pervious infiltration layer a perimeter support wall to securely hold the hazardous wastes, layers and liners in place and thereby restrain the horizontal slippage of said hazardous waste;
• and
• forming a cap over the infiltration layer and hazardous waste to protect the hazardous waste from the surface environment.