Leachate from sanitary landfills – origin,

characteristics, treatment

Assoc. Prof. Irina Kostova, Ph.D.

University of Architecture, Civil Engineering
and Geodesy

“Iskar’s Summer School” – Borovetz, 26-29 July 2006

 Landfills

A landfill is defined as a system that is designed and

constructed to dispose of discarded waste by burial in
land to minimize the release of contaminants to the
environment.

The landfill process

When biodegradable waste, such as paper, card and
waste food, is disposed of to the oxygen-free (anaerobic)
conditions of a landfill, breakdown by bacteria produces
gas and soluble chemicals. The soluble chemicals
combine with liquids in the waste (e.g. rainwater) to form
landfill leachate.
 Landfills

Types of landfills (according Bulgarian regulations):

I class – landfills for industrial wastes;
II class – landfill for municipal wastes;
III class – landfill for hazardous wastes.
Landfill management incorporates:
•Planning;
•Design;
•Operation;
•Environmental monitoring;
•Closure;
•Post closure control of landfill.
 Landfills

Advantages Disadvantages
• Low-cost • Need of large areas;
investments; • Negative environment
• Low-cost operational impact: dust, noise,
needs; smell, litter, insects
• End-off utilization. and animals, gas
emigration,
groundwater
pollution.
5135 – dumping sites
Assessment of existing landfills depending on the risks to the
environment and human health
 Generation of wastes 2001-2004
(According to the National Statistical Institute)

industrial Municipal solid wastes

municipal
average – 480 kg/cap. a
hazardous
 Basic elements of landfills

•Siting considerations;
•Landfilling techniques;
•Cover design;
•Bottom isolation;
•Leachate treatment facilities;
•Landfill gas utilization;
•On-site operation facilities;
•Monitoring facilities.
 Landfill construction

Clay isolation

Liner isolation
Landfill site
 Landfill daily operation
Birds and
Landfill
other
compactor
animals

Plastic
bags in Polluted
trees crack
 Landfill cloisure

Suit in flood-site
Suit in mountain terrain-site
 Leachate

What does it mean “leachate”? - Liquid that has seeped through solid
waste in a landfill and has extracted soluble dissolved or suspended
materials in the process.
It is composed of water, and organic and inorganic chemicals from the
decomposition of waste.
The bacteria will degrade the waste to a state which will be relatively
harmless if escape to the environment occurs. However, this can take
many tens and perhaps hundreds of years.
Leachates are a potential hazardous waste from landfill sites. If not
dealt with properly they can cause pollution to groundwater, health
problems and effect the environment. It is important that leachates are
treated and contained to prevent these occurrences.
 Leachate generation

Precipitation

Evapotranspiration Evapotranspiration

Surface runoff

Percolation into waste

Leachate
 Landfill body

Compacted Clay
Vegetative Soil Gas Vent
Groundwater Drainage Material
Monitoring Top Liner (FML)
well Darin Pipe

Soil

Waste

Bottom
Leachate Collection Composite Liner
And Removal System
Upper Component
(FML)
Leachate Detection,
Collection, and Removal
Lower Component
System (LDCSR) (Compacted Soil)
(i.e. Leak Detection) Native Soil Foundation

Drain Pipes Leachate Collection

System Sump
(Monitoring Compliance
Point)
 Leachate formation

Infiltration from precipitation

landfill

Waste material Waste material

dissolution biodegradation

Contaminated
leachate
Hydrological considerations in
landfill site

Groundwater
table Precipitation

Landfill

Subsurface
water

Impervious Strata

Groundwater
table
Deep aquifer

Impervious Strata
 Mechanisms of leachate flow

Vegetative layer (topsoil)

Precipitation Evapotranspiration
Landfill
cover

Lat
er Vegetation
Re al drai Infiltration
com nag
Percolation pac e lay
ted er (o
barr pt
ier ional)
Surface water runoff
Waste layer la y (slope)
er Surface
Perched water leachate
breakout
Leachate mound
Leachate percloation
(vadose zone)
Saturated waste
Ground water
inflow Landfill Contaminant
subgrade transport
 Soil liner for a sanitary landfill

Precipitation

Runoff Runoff

Surface water infiltration

Compacted solid waste

Leachate
flow line
Drainage layer
(2ft. or more)
Leachate

Leachate Clay
collection line liner
 Collection tile

Solid Waste
Drainage
layer
Collection
pipe

Low
Permeable
French liner
drain
Pipeline layout for leachate collection

cleanout
access

holding tank holding tank

 Factors affecting the composition of
landfill leachate

Type of wastes. Is it biodegradable or non-biodegradable? Is it soluble

or insoluble? Organic or inorganic? Liquid or solid? Toxic or nontoxic?
Landfill conditions. The pH, temperature, degree of ongoing
decomposition, moisture content, climate, and landfill age.
Characteristics of entering water. The pH, temperature, and amount.
The direction of groundwater flow. Groundwater moves slowly and
continuously through the open spaces in soil and rock. If a landfill
contaminates groundwater, a plume of contamination will occur. Wells
in that plume will be contaminated, but other wells, even those close to
the landfill, may be unaffected if they are not in the plume.

The amount of leachate produced is directly linked to the amount of

precipitation around the landfill.
 Leachate characteristics

Concentration (mg/L)
Leachate
Methane Final
constituent
Transition Acid-formation fermentation maturation
phase phase phase phase
Years 0-5 Years 5-10 Years 10-20 >20 years
BOD5 100 -11 000 1 000-57 000 100 – 3 500 4 - 120

COD 500 -22 000 1 500-71 000 150 – 10 000 30 - 900

TOC 100 -3 000 500 - 28 000 50 – 2 200 70 - 260

NH4-N 0 -190 30-3 000 6 – 430 6 - 430
NO3-N 0,1 - 500 0,1 - 20 0,1 – 1, 5 0,5 – 0,6
Total diss.
solids 2 500 -14 000 4 000-55 000 1 100 – 6 400 1 460 – 4 640
 Factors affecting the choice of
leachate treatment

• The anticipated flow rate that will require treatment. This

mainly depends on the water inflow into the landfill.
• Composition of leachate at source which is carried out in an
equipped laboratory.
• Discharge composition required by the authorities.
 Leachate treatment options

Treatment choice

Discharge or Recirculation
On-site treatment transport to off-site through the
treatment plant landfill body
Complete Partial
treatment treatment

Discharge Discharge or
in surface transport to off-site
waters treatment plant
 Leachate treatment processes

Biological Application Comments

processes

Aerobic system Removal of Refractory or slowly degrading

organics compounds are not removed. Process
cannot tolerate influent toxics. Biological
sludge is produced. Needs separate
clarifier.

Aerated stabilization Removal of Requires large land area.

ponds (lagoons) organics

Fixed-film processes Removal of Temperature-sensitive in cold weather.

(trickling filters, organics Cover may be needed.
biological contractors)
 Leachate treatment processes

Biological Application Comments

processes

Anaerobic systems Removal of Low operating costs and sludge

(anaerobic contractors organics production. Requires heating. Long
and lagoons) detection times for high removal levels.
Typically cannot tolerate influent toxics or
high concentrations of some inorganics.

Nitrification and Removal of Nitrification/denitrification can be

denitrification nitrogen accomplished along with removal of
organics.
 Leachate treatment processes

Physical – Chemical Application Comments

processes

Sedimentation Removal of Can remove only heavier material by

suspended gravity. Usually used in conjunction with
solids other treatment processes.

Dissolved air Removal of Dissolved contaminates are not removed.

flotation suspended Additional treatment is required.
solids, oil and
grease

Filtration Removal of Is combined with other technologies.

suspended Useful as a polishing process.
matter
 Leachate treatment processes

Physical – Chemical Application Comments

processes

Ultra filtration Removal of Possibility of fouling. Limited applicability

bacteria and to leachate.
high-molecular-
weight organics

Steam stripping Removal of Effective removals of volatile organics.

volatile organics Expensive process.
or ammonia

Absorption Removal of Costs depend on the leachate quality.

organics
 Leachate treatment processes

Physical – Chemical Application Comments

processes

Ion-exchange Removal of Ions of alkaline earth metals are difficult

dissolved organic to remove.
and inorganic

Neutralization pH Frequently used in conjunction with other

adjustment treatment.

Chemical Removal of A wet sludge is produced that may

precipitation some metals, require disposal as a hazardous waste.
specially Cd,
Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni
 Leachate treatment processes

Physical – Chemical Application Comments

processes

Oxidation Removal of Incomplete oxidation can produce

organics. compounds that may be more
Detoxification of undesirable than the parent compounds.
some Complete oxidation is usually impossible.
inorganics. Works well on dilute waste streams. High
oxidant demand by leachate.

Evaporation Where leachate Process sludge may be hazardous.

discharge is not
permitted
 Technological scheme for chemical
treatment of the leachate

Mixed
Media
Lime/
filtration
caustic Polymer Clarifier
Stream A

Rapid Flocculation
Equalization
mix

Sludge Trucked
Dirty filter
Sludge backwash Carbon
Dewatered
holding storage adsorbtion Clean
sludge
tank Pressure contact backwash
filter vessels and effluent
storage

Stream B

Equalization Carbon
transfer
vessel
 Monitoring system

Monitoring well
(downstream)
depth 24 m
Monitoring well
(downstream)
depth 12 m landfill
Monitoring well
(upstream)
Monitoring well depth 6 m
(downstream)
depth 30 m
direction of
groundwater flow

Monitoring
well