Risk study as a tool for the environmental management of municipal solid waste in Cienfuegos

Abstract

The environmental management of municipal solid waste requires the application of multiple scientific tools, which allow the use of best practices to be based. Therefore, risk studies in the final dumping stage are necessary to determine the potential sources of damage, mainly for workers, material goods, society and the environment. The objective of the research was to evaluate the risks associated with the activity of final disposal, in the open air, of solid waste in the landfill of the municipality of Cienfuegos, as a tool for the improvement of its environmental management. Methodologies based on the ISO 14001:2015 Standard, expert workshops, field work and an extensive search for information were applied. As a result, it was possible to determine the existence of nineteen risks associated with the main hazards evaluated: natural, health, technological and socioeconomic. The risks were classified as severe, important, moderate and tolerable to facilitate the priority levels of action. Finally, it was determined that systematic damage to natural resources (water, soil, air), effects on occupational health and safety, fires and damage to the local economy, constitute the main risks and with the greatest incidence. This complex environmental problem makes it difficult to properly manage waste in all its stages, particularly in final disposal. Although corrective actions were proposed, the study demonstrated the need to eliminate this bad practice, which is highly risky for the environment and the inhabited areas in the vicinity of the municipal landfill of Cienfuegos.