In order to implement the large undertaking of establishing a landfill, it is necessary to consider many different factors. This map shows the land suitability factors for a proposed landfill in Gallatin County in Montana. Taking into consideration such factors as slope of elevation, distance to landfills, soil drainage, streams, and land cover, helps to address risk factors that come along with the establishment of landfills, as demonstrated by the LA times article addressing the health issues associated with the landfill in Kettleman City, California.
GIS is an extremely useful tool that should be used to address such issues as health concerns. If Kettleman City had applied the analysis shown here for Gallatin County, it could have avoided many of the issues that they have since faced. GIS has the unique capability to combine a number of important factors in deciding where to place a landfill in order to produce a final report.
By studying slope elevation, the ability for waste to flow and be transferred is addressed, and therefore promotes a landfill at an elevation with little slope. An analysis of the location of current landfills in the county will also aid in determining where to place a new landfill. By examining environmental factors, such as soil drainage and streams, the risk of contamination and in turn health risks is decreased. And by combining all these factors with the type of land cover, the GIS is able to provide an analysis of where it seems most suitable to have a landfill.
Kettleman City’s main concern is the risk that the landfill in their area has upon their health. While the above factors address this concern indirectly, GIS can be implemented to further address these concerns. In an attempt to prove to the landfill companies that the landfills were indeed the main contributing factor to birth defects in the city, a GIS map can be created mapping the communities that reported birth defects. Additionally, the commissioner of the map of Gallatin County could include other factors, such as distance from schools and other places in which children congregate in order to further prevent instances of health problems.
The possibilities for GIS and spatial analysis to prevent health risks are almost endless. The more the government or private companies use GIS to help solve and prevent risks, the more the risks will decrease. In such places as Gallatin County, the landfill is sure to be placed in a location that will have the least amount of risk because of its implementation of GIS, and in such places as Kettlemen City hopefully GIS can help prevent further issues with landfill and health risks in the future.
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