Landfill bioreactor: A biotechnological solution for waste management

Abstract

This paper presents a pilot-scale investigation on landfill reactors (diam 1.3 m, height 3 m) loaded with municipal solid waste (MSW). The reactors were operated with and without leachate recirculation to simulate bioreactor fill and conventional open fill, respectively. Strong leachates with high COD (98 g/l), BOD (33 g/l), DOC (35 g/l) and TVA (34 g/l) were encountered during the first week of operation. Reduction in organic contents, BOD, COD (88%) and DOC (88%), and solids were evident in the leachates from bioreactor as against the leachates from conventional open fill. Thus, landfill bioreactor technology is a viable approach to treat organically rich MSW generated in Indian cities.