Integration of GIS and RSE aiming to the effective monitoring of the surroundings of landfills

Abstract

The article highlights the possibilities of using the technologies of remote sensing of the Earth (RSE) and geographic information systems (GIS) for monitoring studies of pollution factors of the environment within the municipal solid waste (MSW) dumps and landfill areas as well when the assessing their impact on the landscape components. The main purpose of the investigation is to formulate the general principles of creation and to determine the main components of the information system of geomonitoring of areas of impact of the MSW disposal landfills as part of an information-analytical system of analysis of the risk of emergencies of man-made and natural character, aimed at ensuring sustainable regional development of Ukraine. During the research of the Kyiv’s Oblast territory, space imagery from IRS satellites was used. For detailed exploration of the individual sites where the largest landfill sites and areas are located (northern Obukhiv district, Bila Tserkva district, Trypillya district), were also used images from the Quick Bird satellite. The improvement of the characteristics of the Kyiv’s landfill No 5 at the north of the Obukhiv district used the unmanned aerial vehicle data. Some of the factors that have a negative environmental impact on the environment and the population of MSW disposal landfills and the possibilities of monitoring them by RSE methods are considered in the article. As a result it has been shown that the RSE data integrated to GIS allow to obtain accurate information about the current state of the studied area quickly, to conduct timely monitoring and forecasting the development of negative phenomena and processes, which significantly increases the level of environmental safety at national, regional and site levels and provides an opportunity to develop a set of measures to reduce the environmental impact of MSW disposal landfills. The situation with waste, especially domestic waste in Kyiv’s Oblast, is getting worse every year. As a result, there is an increasing threat to human and environmental health. The obtained results show that one of the reasons for the current situation is the selection of unfavorable sites for the allocation of waste disposal landfills.