Section 288.436. Primary liner

(a) General. The primary liner shall meet the following requirements:

(1) The primary liner shall prevent the migration of leachate through the liner to the greatest degree that is technologically possible.

(2) The effectiveness of the primary liner in preventing the migration of leachate may not be adversely affected by the physical or chemical characteristics of solid waste, solid waste constituents or leachate from the facility.

(3) The primary liner shall be resistant to physical failure, chemical failure and other failure from the properties identified under § 288.412(d) (relating to liner system and leachate control plan).

(4) The primary liner shall cover the bottom and sidewalls of the facility.

(b) Alternative design standards. Unless alternative design standards to meet the performance standards in subsection (a) are approved as part of the permit under § 287.231 (relating to equivalency review procedure), the primary liner shall meet, at the minimum, the requirements of Appendix A, Table I (relating to minimum liner design standards).

(c) Requirements. A primary liner shall:

(1) Be no more permeable than 1.0 x 10^-7 cm/sec. based on laboratory testing.

(2) Be installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications under the supervision of an authorized representative of the manufacturer. The approved quality control program shall be implemented in the field during the installation of the liner.

(3) Be inspected for uniformity, damage and imperfections during construction or installation.

(d) Composite primary liner.

(1) If the operator does not design, construct, operate and maintain a composite secondary liner, the operator shall design, construct, operate and maintain a composite primary liner which has the following requirements:

(i) An upper component made of a manufactured geosynthetic liner that meets the requirements of this section independently of the composite component.

(ii) A composite component made of earthen material that meets the requirements of § 288.434 (relating to secondary liner) independently of the upper component, except that the composite component shall be no more permeable than 1.0 x 10^-6 cm/sec. based on laboratory and field testing.

(2) The two components of the composite liner shall be designed, constructed and maintained to provide a compression connection, or direct continuous contact between them.

(3) The use of a composite primary liner does not relieve the operator of responsibility for a separate secondary liner under § 288.434.

(e) Natural attenuation of leachate prohibited. Except as provided in subsection (d), a facility or a component thereof that is subject to this section may not have a primary liner made of clay or earthen material or a primary liner based upon natural attenuation of leachate.

The provisions of this § 288.436 amended January 12, 2001, effective January 13, 2001, 31 Pa.B. 235. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (226658) to (226659).

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 287.114 (relating to interim operational requirements for unpermitted processing or disposal facilities); 25 Pa. Code § 287.116 (relating to interim operational requirements); 25 Pa. Code § 288.412 (relating to liner system and leachate control plan); 25 Pa. Code § 288.421 (relating to basic limitations); 25 Pa. Code § 288.431 (relating to scope and requirements); and 25 Pa. Code § 288.434 (relating to secondary liner).