smart storage of landfilled waste

Sharon E. Borglin, Terry C. Hazen, Curtis M. Oldenburg, and Peter T. Zawislanski

Contact: Sharon E. Borglin, 510/486-7515, SEBorglin@lbl.gov

Research Objectives

Although Subtitle D landfills are permitted to contain only nonhazardous municipal solid waste (MSW), in fact they often include substances such as metals, solvents, halogenated organics, and mercury. Currently, most landfills are “dry tombs” because moisture and air exposure is restricted, slowing biodegradation of the waste and increasing the time required for landfill stabilization. The time period over which the waste presents itself as a risk for contamination of air and water extends to decades, severely limiting land reuse options. In addition, landfill costs have more than doubled in the last 15 years, as the requirements for stabilization and containment of waste have become increasingly stringent, and obtaining a permit for a new landfill site has become more costly.

Smart Storage is the active control of the waste containment environment for accelerated degradation and stabilization of landfill waste. Smart Storage provides a framework for managing landfilled waste that includes long-term, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable solutions based on bioreactor technology. Extreme heterogeneity and the large scale of landfills make comparison between the technologies difficult. This study directly compares identical MSW samples in controlled laboratory conditions to give relative rates of settlement, gas production, and leachate quality to support the decision making process concerning aerobic and anaerobic strategies.

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