| Contents Notes |
Liner specimens from three existing landfill sites were collected and examined to determine the changes in their physical properties overtime and to validate data being developed through laboratory research. Samples examined included a 15-mil PVC liner from a sludge lagoon in New England, a 30- mil PVC liner from a landfill in New York State, and four liners from a landfill test site in Boone County, Kentucky- chlorosurfonated polyethylene (CSPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), clay, and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE). clay. and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE). The 15-mil PVC liner from the New England sludge lagoon lost plasticizers whether it was exposed to sludge only, weather only, or both. But the most severe loss of plasticizer and stiffening was exhibited by samples that had been exposed to weather only. The 30-mil PVC liner from the New York landfill had stiffened and probably lost plasticizer after exposure to weather for 3 years. But the material was still extensive and had not become brittle, as is often the case with exposed PVC liners. The remaining four liners from Boone County, Kentucky, came from two different test cells. The CSPE, LDPE, and clay liners were all from Test Cell 1. The CSPE liner was swollen and soft and had adsorbed considerable amounts of leachate after 9 years of exposure to attenuated leachate. Nonetheless, its properties were relatively normal for CSPE material. The LDPE liner appeared to be unaffected by its 9 years of exposure to full-strength leachate. These samples showed little swelling and normal properties for a 6- to 7-mil LDPE liner. The clay liner was shown to have contained the leachate effectively. No cracking, channeling, or unusual changes in texture or consistency were noted. The CPE liner from Test Cell 2 showed significant absorption of the leachate it had contained, but its properties were relatively good. CPE samples that had been exposed to weather only for 9 years showed significantly higher tensile strength, moduli, and puncture resistance than did the leachate-exposed samples. |
