Evolution of Sudokwon Landfill: from Waste Containment to Energy Generation

Since its opening in 1992, Sudokwon Landfill has become a landfill in which wastes generated from more than 22 million people are treated and disposed of. Its first phase landfill was closed in 2000 and the second phase landfill is in operation since then. The Korean environmental policies on refuse have drastically evolved for the last decade or so. From merely safe containment of wastes, the utilization of them as a source for energy generation and the minimization of waste volume to be filled in landfills are in the mainstream. Keeping in pace with the new trends, several challenging projects are in their way to blossom in Sudokwon Landfill. This paper briefs some important activities in the landfill. They are (1) geotechnical issues related to the construction and maintenance of the $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ Landfills and (2) landfill gas and bioreactor which are recently emerging in the market.