Junipero Serra Landfill facts for kids
The Junipero Serra Landfill was a special place in Colma, California, where a lot of trash was buried. It was used for many years, but it closed down in 1983. After it closed, the area was cleaned up and turned into a big shopping and business center called the Metro Center.
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What Was the Junipero Serra Landfill?
The Junipero Serra Landfill started operating in 1956. It mainly accepted trash from businesses, not so much from homes. When the landfill closed in 1983, engineers had to figure out how to build new buildings safely on top of the old trash.
Building on a Former Landfill
One of the first big stores built on the old landfill was a Home Depot. To make sure the building was safe and stable, engineers had to use a special method. They drove over 1,300 long poles, called piles, deep into the ground. Each pile went down about 160 ft (49 m)! This helped the building stand firmly on the ground, even with the buried trash underneath.
Dealing with Landfill Gas
When organic trash breaks down underground, it creates a gas called methane. Methane gas can be dangerous because it's explosive and toxic if too much builds up. So, engineers had to design a special system to collect and control this gas. A company called SCS Engineers even won an award for their great design of this gas capture system at the Junipero Serra Landfill. This system helps keep the area safe for everyone.
Where Was the Landfill Located?
The Junipero Serra Landfill is located on the San Francisco Peninsula in California. It sits in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The ground in this area is made up of different types of sediments, which are tiny bits of rock and soil that have settled over time.
