Selecting a compatible open space use for a closed landfill site

Reclaimed landfills can be used after closure, yet environmental and physical problems impose restrictions on their after-use. Due to these restrictions, there is an advantage in using landfills as open spaces. A procedure for selecting a suitable open space for a closed landfill site is presented. The procedure includes two main parts: criteria for selecting open space uses suitable to the planning conditions of the landfill, and criteria examining the compatibility of functional sub-units of open spaces ("activity environments") under the physical potential risks and environmental conditions prevailing in a landfill. The main contribution of the procedure is in forming environmentally sound planning alternatives. The procedure demonstrates how a systematic approach to landfill recycling can integrate environmental control for the benefit of the community. The logical procedure developed can be used for examining the suitability of other land uses to a landfill. The basic method used can serve to create decision-making procedures in order to select land uses for various types of land having physical restrictions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.