We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Leachate management in medium- and small-sized sanitary landfills: a Greek case study
Summary
Researchers investigated leachate management practices at a medium-sized Greek sanitary landfill, evaluating the performance of treatment systems and identifying challenges specific to medium- and small-scale operations. The case study assessed leachate composition, treatment efficiency, and compliance with discharge standards, offering insights applicable to sustainable leachate management in similar European facilities.
The sustainable management of landfill leachates remains a matter of important concern in many countries. We used as case study a medium-sized Greek landfill, and we initially investigated the performance of the existing secondary leachate treatment system. The activated sludge process removed chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), NH4-N, and PO4-P by 55%, 84%, 94%, and 14%, respectively, but the effluents did not meet the legislation requirements for discharge or reuse. Afterwards, different management options of these effluents (co-treatment with sewage in the centralized treatment plant, onsite tertiary treatment with reverse osmosis, granular activated carbon (GAC), ozonation, photo-Fenton, or constructed wetlands) were evaluated regarding their operational costs and environmental footprint. The use of constructed wetlands presented the lower operational cost, energy requirements, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, not exceeding 21.5 kg CO2eq/day. On the other hand, the power consumption and the GHG emissions of the other on-site technologies ranged from 0.37 kWh/m3 and 5.56 kg CO2eq/day (use of GAC) to 39.19 kWh/m3 and 588.6 kg CO2eq/day (use of ozonation), respectively. The co-treatment of the leachates with municipal wastewater required 0.6 kWh/m3 and emitted 30.18 kg CO2eq/day. For achieving zero-discharge of the treated leachates, a system consisting of constructed wetlands and evaporation ponds in series was designed.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Landfill Leachate: Review of various treatment approaches
This paper is not about microplastics; it reviews physical, chemical, and biological treatment approaches for landfill leachate management in developing countries.
Microplastics in landfill leachate: Sources, abundance, characteristics, remediation approaches and future perspective
This review examines the sources, abundance, and characteristics of microplastics found in landfill leachate, a difficult-to-treat waste liquid that can carry pollutants into the environment. The authors highlight the urgent need for standardized microplastic analysis methods and more research into cost-effective approaches for removing microplastics from leachate before it reaches waterways.
New Insights into Microplastic Contamination in Different Types of Leachates: Abundances, Characteristics, and Potential Sources
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in leachates from different types of municipal solid waste disposal facilities, moving beyond the typical focus on landfill leachate alone. The study found varying abundances and characteristics of microplastics across leachate types, identifying waste processing as a significant source of microplastic release into the environment.
Microplastics in landfill leachates: The need for reconnaissance studies and remediation technologies
Researchers reviewed studies on microplastics in landfill leachate — the liquid that drains through waste — finding concentrations up to 291 particles per liter that can be reduced by treatment but never fully eliminated. The study argues that landfills are an underappreciated source of microplastic pollution and urges development of better containment and removal technologies.
Revisiting Microplastics in Landfill Leachate: Unnoticed Tiny Microplastics and Their Fate in Treatment Works
This study revisited microplastics in landfill leachate, focusing on small and previously overlooked microplastic fractions and their pathways into the environment. The analysis found a broader size range and greater diversity of microplastics in leachate than earlier studies recognized, highlighting landfills as an underappreciated source of environmental microplastic contamination.