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This research project was established to investigate the varying environmental impact of a landfill waste mass after the installation of a fully engineered landfill capping system. Nant-y-Gwyddon Landfill Site is a waste disposal site situated in the Rhondda Fawr in South Wales, UK. The site was established on an area of high ground overlooking the densely populated valley floor. The key environmental body at risk from the site was identified as the layered aquifer system supported by the cyclical geological strata dominated by sandstone aquifers separated by less permeable siltstone, mudstone and coal seams. The research adopts an integrated approach, where the understanding of the changes occurring in the waste mass are directly linked to predicted changes in the contamination levels in the groundwater system. Emphasis is also given to the mechanisms for contaminant transport between the waste mass and the environmental systems. As such the entire landfill system including the surrounding environment is considered as a set of closely interconnected systems. A monitoring system was designed to observe the changes occurring to the waste mass in terms of leachate level and saturation conditions after the installation of the landfill cap in an attempt to assess the changing leachate generation rates and quality within the waste mass. The key findings from the waste mass are then used to interpret variations in contaminant levels in the groundwater systems. Geophysical investigations highlight the extent of the leachate contamination detected in the groundwater hydrogeologically down gradient of the waste mass. The findings from groundwater monitoring are then used to develop a hydrogeological numerical model for the site using the program Visual MODFLOW. The key findings from groundwater monitoring and modelling highlight the importance of the unsaturated zone beneath the site in providing a source of contaminants which are mobilised during increased groundwater levels triggered by rainfall events. The majority of the contaminant loading was determined to be sourced from the area where a direct pathway exists between the waste mass and the Main Aquifer system. Predictions for future trends of contamination levels are then made in response to the findings and show a dynamic system intrinsically linked to the development of the waste mass and the meteorological conditions on site.

The environmental performance of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) was chosen to be the topic of study for this thesis. While this policy-relevant research area has gained increased coverage in the literature over the last decade, it has still proved difficult to generate empirical data and information of sufficient quality and quantity. A major aspect of environmental performance involves the management of waste, and waste minimisation was of particular interest to this programme of research. Another area of special interest for this thesis was the extent to which voluntary policy tools (voluntary initiatives, or VIs) could be utilised at the local level to engage with SMEs on the issue of improved environmental performance. The early desk study research revealed the major barriers preventing more environmental action by SMEs to date. The barriers included low-priority attachment to environmental issues, a lack of time/manpower and limited understanding. It also revealed that while VIs have proved successful at the 'macro' level there is little evidence or experience to draw on for their design or implementation at the local scale. The programme of empirical research Involved an original analysis of a recent nation-wide survey into the environmental attitudes of UK manufacturing businesses; the completion of an environmental attitudes survey with approximately 60 SMEs situated in East Anglia; observation of a waste-oriented local authority environment project Involving small businesses and a similar project with a rural village community in Suffolk, and finally the establishment of two voluntary waste minimisation initiatives on Industrial estates in Norfolk and Suffolk. The national survey analysis identified smaller sites as consistently less proactive in most areas of environmental thinking and action. This finding was not strongly confirmed by the survey of East Anglian SMEs which showed that a small business does not have to be a member of an environmental group/initiative to have already adopted certain sound environmental practices, even if primarily these measures were geared towards cost savings/efficiency gains. The industrial estates projects have proved to be particularly useful, demonstrating the potential benefits of this type of voluntary action which capitalises on the close geographical proximity of a number of SMEs sharing common problems. The benefits included a reduction of waste generation, the development of more environmentally responsive business cultures and improved relations with the local authority. The village community project that brought together all elements of the local society from the businesses to the school, in a rural setting, seems to be a sensible way to focus minds on the reduction of waste and consequent benefits.