Methods For Containing Landfill Leachate

Leachate is a liquid that is extracted from solids or other components after passing through waste matter

. Landfill leachate is the liquid material from land or other related material that drains from the soil. Because of the significant levels of undesirable composition of the leachate, there are environmental safety and overall ecological concerns. The potential safety hazards of this drainage necessitates its containment. Below is a description of some of the landfill leachate containment methods available.

Leachate Composition

Leachate from landfills can vary widely in its composition. Depending upon the landfills age and the kind of waste it contains, both suspended and dissolved material may be present. Leachete is generated primarily by precipitation that percolates through the waste that is deposited in the landfill. Leachate volume increases during decomposition, producing carbonaceous material and an expansive range of other substances, such as:

-Carbon dioxide

-Methane

-Aldehydes

-Organic acids

-Simple sugars

-Alcohol

Leachate Risk Mitigation

The risks associated with leachate generation can be lessened substantially through the use of properly engineered systems and landfill sites. For example, French drain construction methods consisting of a trench that is covered with rock or gravel. Alternatively, this type of draining system may also contain perforated pipes that redirect ground and surface water away from the area.

French drains may also have hollow pipes that are perforated along the bottom. This allows seeping water from upper rock or gravel to vent quickly. Due to their effectiveness, French drains are commonly used primarily to prevent surface and ground water from damaging or penetrating structural foundations.

The French drain technique can also be used for the distribution of water, such as from a septic drain or a tank sewage system. Often, the French drain system is also used to relieve ground water pressure behind retaining walls.

French drains are also referred to as:

-Weeping tile

-Blind drain

-Rubble drain

-Rock drain

-Drain tile

-Perimeter drain

-Land drain

-French ditch

Landfill Management

Landfill leachate containment is the most important aspect of landfill management. Effective leachate collection systems are designed so that all of the leachate may be collected and then removed from the landfill. This should also occur at a rate that is sufficient to prevent unacceptable hydraulic heads from occurring anywhere in the system.

There are four main components of leachate collection systems:

-Liners

-Filters

-Pumps

-Sumps

In addition, leachate collection methods may also utilize:

-Manholes

-Discharge lines

-Liquid level monitors

Part of landfill management involves collecting, treating and containing the leachate to protect surface and groundwater in areas near the landfill.

Sustainable Containment

Finding sustainable methods to manage leachate is an objective of many landfill managers. Engineers continue to look for ways to destroy contaminants simultaneously so that harmful byproducts are not produced.

On site treatment is one of the more common methods of sustainable containment. This is accomplished by pumping the leachate from a sump into a treatment tank. The leachate may then be mixed in with chemical agents that modify the pH to reduce hazardous matter concentrations.

Recycling

Another method for containing leachate is to capture it and recycle the substance back into landfills. This method wets the garbage and assists with speeding up its decomposition. The methane gas released is trapped to speed up the biodegrading process.

Ecological studies enable new methods of landfill leachate containment to be developed. For the time being, one of the more effective methods is the use of French drain construction systems.

by: William Hauselberg

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