Site Assessment

Landfill sites

For a long time, the common way of disposing of waste was to deposit it in landfills. The forecasted development of the volume of waste in the past caused a great demand for corresponding dumping capacities until the mid 1990s, and for the establishment of new landfill sites. IFEU was asked to do several expert opinions for regional authorities for determining appropriate sites. The criteria used for procedures to determine these sites as well as the possible environmental impacts of landfills served as the basis for developing corresponding guidelines (e.g. in Bavaria).

Waste treatment plants

Due to the modified statutory and waste management guidelines, plans for erecting new waste disposal plants are meanwhile focused on refuse incineration plants, mechanical-biological treatment facilities, composting and anaerobic digestion plants or also transfer stations and sorting stations. Even today, the views of people living within the vicinity of a proposed waste treatment facility are sceptical. Thus it is still very important to maintain an open dialogue when searching for the most appropriate site. A significant pre-requisite here are technically well-founded, transparent arguments in favour of the cause, which accommodate both specific site qualifications and potential environmental impacts.

Transport surveys

The question of the site selected in relation to the development of transport concepts must be taken into consideration pertaining waste treatment plants in general and particularly for transfer stations. Corresponding transport studies, in which recommendations have been made based on ecological and economical comparisons are also one aspect of our work at IFEU.