Assessing the environmental risk and pollution status of soil and water resources in the vicinity of municipal solid waste dumpsites

Municipal solid waste management remains a major challenge for many developing countries where unsanitary and environmentally damaging practices, such as open dumping and burning of wastes, are consistently utilized as means of waste disposal. This study aimed to assess the impact of local dumpsites in a region in Southern Lebanon and to assess/determine the level of pollution they cause on local ecosystems and the concomitant risks to public health. Accordingly, soil and water samples were collected from the seven dumpsites that were investigated over the course of two seasons. Several biological, chemical, and physical parameters were examined, with the results being utilized to calculate a number of environmental indices. Results indicated that several soil parameters including TN (700–2400 mg/kg), pH (8.3–8.7), COD (39–1995 mg/kg), and sulfate levels (17.8–301.6 mg/kg) were altered by the dumpsites. Heavy metal concentrations varied between dumpsites; however, the most commonly prevalent metals across all dumps were Fe (992–41,500 mg/kg), Cr (17.4–139.5 mg/kg), Zn (24.1–177.4 mg/kg), Cu (9.42–148.2 mg/kg), and Mn (25.2–776.5 mg/kg), though recorded concentrations exceeded permissible limits only in certain instances. Evidently, soil samples collected at dumpsites had higher concentrations compared to the samples collected away from dumpsites reaching 27 times more in certain locations. The altered parameters have a direct effect on soil fertility and, if biomagnified, could disrupt crop yields and impact human health. Physiochemical properties and heavy metal concentrations in water samples were not significantly altered and were found to be within permissible limits. However, it is crucial to develop a monitoring and remediation plan to decrease the percolation of leachate to water resources.