Risk of Slipping Industrial Landfills

*Emilia-Cornelia Dunca and Sabina Irimie*

#### **Abstract**

Due to the high rate of industrialization, urbanization and development of the road network, hydrotechnical constructions, etc., larger areas of agricultural and arable lands are affected, some of these being removed from the economic circuit. Due to the magnitude of the involved volumes, industrial waste has lately become a threat to all the components of the environment. In Romania, 90–95% of the total quantity of the produced industrial waste are stored, but only 24% of them have an environmental clearance certificate. The action of the climatic factors increases the risk of the occurrence of some landslides, which leads to the deterioration of the ecosystems and the risk of pollution, the loss of stability, the destruction of some historical objectives. Thus, the risk analyses represent the support for the decisionmaking process in taking solid measures, meant to lead to the limitation and diminution of the danger of slipping and losing the stability of these deposits. However, the implementation of the measures is based on a systemic model, supported by the concept of risk. This chapter presents the definition and classification of environmental risks, the risk assessment methodology and a risk analysis for waste in a mining area in Romania.

**Keywords:** risk, sliding risk, industrial waste, pollution risk and risk analysis, mining area

#### **1. Introduction**

The International Risk Institute emphasis's that "risk is part of our whole life" [1], therefore risk is a human concern, and as an object of study, it has been a component part of scientific research in various fields (socio-human, natural sciences and exact sciences). Due to this fact, the concept of risk has evolved through a variety of emerging theories. Starting from the earliest times, the representatives of different fields have tried to develop an algorithm for risk perception, assessment and management. Risk is unquestionably an ambiguous concept and very difficult to define. Up to present, there are numerous perceptions of risk, which depend on the taken perspective, context, situation, and application field.

The etymology of the term "risk" is not unambiguous either. Some authors grant it Arab roots, however most of them consider that the term comes from the Greek word—rock [2]. In French, "risqué" has two meanings: the first one is—to expose to it (the risk), and the second meaning—to bear something, to have a chance, possibility, opportunity, meaning which aims the positive favorable aspect, the possibility of success.

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*Risk Management and Assessment*

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bowker/toc/9780226080444.pdf

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of Hazard and vulnerability.

10.1080/03085149600000011

pp. 221-228

Although, in the case of the ecological risk, the delimitation and assessment of the positive aspects are carried out within the programs and actions for the restoration, improvement and conservation of the natural ecosystems and habitats, for improving the ecological situation of a region, for ensuring and improving the health and life quality of the population ([3], pp. 211–212). Simultaneously, the estimation of the risk negative aspects will affect the actions which can generate a possible high risk on the environmental factors, their ecosystems and biodiversity, the health and the life quality of the population ([4], p. 83). Most of the times, the environmental risks take a negative look: natural or technogenic disasters.

For the Romanian geographers [5], the environmental risk is a category of state, designating the relational conjuncture, which results as a consequence of the hazard assumption by those components of the geo-system which possess the capacity to perceive events ([6], pp. 10–16).

The environmental risk is defined by most specialists as the probable occurrence of an unexpected effect as a result of exposure to a disturbing factor. The notion of risk is related to the probability of unforeseen results or unpredictable consequences, derived from the decisions/omissions or actions of social groups [7].

Based on the analysis of the existing specialty literature, we propose to define *the environmental risk as the probability of a quantitative and/or qualitative deviation of the expected result which may occur following certain actions or inactions of the decisionmaker and the magnitude of the losses or gains resulting from this variation*.

The probability of an event advancement is only a first component of the risk, the second being the size of the possible damage. Unlike danger, the risk cannot be analysed without assessing the consequences of the unwanted event occurrence. Therefore, risk represents the quantitative dimension of the danger, more precisely of the possible consequences, so the risk can be calculated by the formula:

$$R = P \mathfrak{x} Q \tag{1}$$

In the classification regarding the sources of risk we find that depending on the type of the *source of risk*, there are approaches focused on the slide phenomena,

• Natural risks—generated by natural phenomena, such as earthquakes, storms,

In conducting risk analysis studies, reference benchmarks (indicators or indices) that can be used at different levels are required. It is obvious that the risk cannot be reduced to zero and therefore it appears as a value of the maximum importance to

Accident prevention through risk analysis involves a specific activity starting from the design stage through the application of qualitative and quantitative techniques and methods based on existing data and on systematic creative imaginative

The qualitative analysis has as a main objective the establishment of the list of possible hazards, and it makes possible the hierarchy of the events in the order of the risk and presents the first step in the methodology of performing the quantita-

There are two major categories of techniques in which a number of general

methodology of performing the quantitative risk analysis [6, 10, 11].

• Quantitative analysis used to assess hazards to decide how one should act in order to eliminate or reduce the risk (Hazard Analysis—Hazan) [12].

The order of application is from qualitative identification to quantitative analysis.

• Qualitative analysis used to identify hazards (Hazard and Operability Study— Hazop). Its main objective is to establish the list of possible hazards, making possible to rank the events in the order of risk and present the first step in the

which—in turn classify the risks according to their origin:

• Anthropic risks—triggered by human activity.

be the limit that can be borne by people in current activities.

floods or droughts and so on.

*Environmental risk classification. Source: authors.*

*Risk of Slipping Industrial Landfills*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91020*

**2. Risk assessment methodology**

components are distinguished (**Table 1**):

actions ([9], pp. 88–93).

tive risk analysis.

**15**

**Figure 1.**

where R is the risk; P is the probability; and Q is the size of the losses, which can be of economic, social and ecological nature ([8], pp. 118–121).

Analyzing the specialized literature in this field, it can be observed that most of the classifications are made based on the criteria concerning these risk components. The existences of classifications according to the particularities of these two defining elements of risk are of great practical importance, especially for risk assessment and management.

Analyzing the criteria according to which the environmental risk classifications have been developed, one can see that they focus on the following aspects:


*Risk of Slipping Industrial Landfills DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91020*

Although, in the case of the ecological risk, the delimitation and assessment of the positive aspects are carried out within the programs and actions for the restoration, improvement and conservation of the natural ecosystems and habitats, for improving the ecological situation of a region, for ensuring and improving the health and life quality of the population ([3], pp. 211–212). Simultaneously, the estimation of the risk negative aspects will affect the actions which can generate a possible high risk on the environmental factors, their ecosystems and biodiversity, the health and the life quality of the population ([4], p. 83). Most of the times, the

For the Romanian geographers [5], the environmental risk is a category of state, designating the relational conjuncture, which results as a consequence of the hazard assumption by those components of the geo-system which possess the capacity to

Based on the analysis of the existing specialty literature, we propose to define *the environmental risk as the probability of a quantitative and/or qualitative deviation of the expected result which may occur following certain actions or inactions of the decision-*

The probability of an event advancement is only a first component of the risk, the second being the size of the possible damage. Unlike danger, the risk cannot be analysed without assessing the consequences of the unwanted event occurrence. Therefore, risk represents the quantitative dimension of the danger, more precisely

where R is the risk; P is the probability; and Q is the size of the losses, which can

Analyzing the specialized literature in this field, it can be observed that most of the classifications are made based on the criteria concerning these risk components. The existences of classifications according to the particularities of these two defining elements of risk are of great practical importance, especially for risk assessment

Analyzing the criteria according to which the environmental risk classifications

have been developed, one can see that they focus on the following aspects:

• The probability and the predictability of the risk, i.e., the occurrence of a

• The consequences of the risk situation occurrence, which can materialize in

• The degree of sustainability and vulnerability to the risk (**Figure 1**).

*R* ¼ *PxQ* (1)

environmental risks take a negative look: natural or technogenic disasters.

The environmental risk is defined by most specialists as the probable occurrence of an unexpected effect as a result of exposure to a disturbing factor. The notion of risk is related to the probability of unforeseen results or unpredictable consequences, derived from the decisions/omissions or actions of

*maker and the magnitude of the losses or gains resulting from this variation*.

of the possible consequences, so the risk can be calculated by the formula:

be of economic, social and ecological nature ([8], pp. 118–121).

• The sources of risk (the subject of the action).

• Risk-generating action or inaction.

• The object of the possible impact.

deviant result from the expected one.

perceive events ([6], pp. 10–16).

*Risk Management and Assessment*

social groups [7].

and management.

profit or loss.

**14**

**Figure 1.** *Environmental risk classification. Source: authors.*

In the classification regarding the sources of risk we find that depending on the type of the *source of risk*, there are approaches focused on the slide phenomena, which—in turn classify the risks according to their origin:

