Bioreactor landfill

Dump with fast microbial decomposition

The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with North America and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. (April 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Bioreactor landfills are a more sustainable alternative to traditional landfills.[1] Where traditional landfills face long aftercare periods and associated costs due to long-term potential for environmental contamination, bioreactor landfills aim to stimulate breakdown of the waste within the landfill. Costs associated with management of leachate treatment and liner replacement are thereby significantly reduced while gas production (methane) is significantly enhanced to stimulate energy generation and amount of land required for landfills is reduced.[2] Waste breakdown is stimulated either through leachate recirculation[3] or aeration.[4]

## Traditional landfills and associated problems

[edit]

Landfills are the oldest known method of waste disposal.[5][6] Modern sanitary landfills are typically large dug-out or natural pits surrounded by impermeable artificial liners, filled with waste and subsequently covered to prevent environmental emissions. Bacteria and archaea decompose the waste over several decades, producing harmful by-products including greenhouse gases (notably methane), leachate rich in contaminants and particularly ammonium,[7][8] and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S)[9][10] which are associated with causing smog and acid rain.[11]

The placement of liners in sanitary landfills prevent environmental pollution. Build-up of methane can lead to explosive conditions,[12] and hence gas is captured and flared or, when gas is of sufficient quality, used for energy generation.[13] Leachate build-up can reduce the structural stability of the landfill and ultimately enter the groundwater and pollute the environment.[14][15] Hence, leachate is captured and treated at sewage treatment plants.[16] Yet the created anaerobic conditions in the landfill means the “aftercare” period, where the landfill poses a significant environmental threat and thus monitoring and treatment are required, lasts a substantial amount of time and for certain countries, e.g. the Netherlands, is legally considered eternal.[17] Costs of aftercare, such as replacement of liners and treatment of leachate shift to future generations and have an estimated cost of up to 20 million euros per landfill.[18] Additionally, with an increassing amount of waste generation,[19] appropriate places to safely store waste have become difficult to find.[20]

## Working of a bioreactor landfill

[edit]

Bioreactor landfills are operated in three modes: aerobic, anaerobic and a hybrid (combining the aerobic and anaerobic method). All three modes aim to stimulate microbial activity, enhancing decomposition while attempting to minimise harmful emissions.[21] Contaminants are flushed out during the treatment period, rapidly degraded, or retained within the landfill.

In aerobic bioreactors atmospheric air is introduced into the landfill using either vertical or horizontal system of pipes. Aeration is either passive, where air passively moves into the landfill through the pipes, or active, where energy is used to either actively pump in air or extract landfill gas and introduce air based on overpressure.[22] The created aerobic environment strongly accelerates waste decomposition, which is more efficient in the presence of oxygen.[23][24] Thanks to the aerobic conditions the amount of VOCs, generation of methane, and toxicity of leachate are minimised.[25] Organic contaminants are degraded, inorganic contaminants are removed at a rapid pace during the aeration period, and ammonium is allowed to be transformed to nitrate through nitrification in aerated pockets, followed by the transformation to nitrogen gas through denitrification in anaerobic pockets.[8][26]

In anaerobic bioreactors treated leachate is recirculated to optimize landfill moisture levels, recirculate microbes through the landfill body, and flush previously unreachable sections of the landfill.[27] The stimulated decomposition produces methane at a rate much faster and earlier than traditional landfills, which allows it to be used more efficiently for commercial purposes while reducing the time that the landfill needs to be monitored for methane production.[28] Ammonium remainsa contaminant of primary concern for anaerobic bioreactors, as the nitrification process cannot take place.[8] Furthermore, recirculation efficiency can be low because of the existence of impermeable layers and preferential flow paths in landfills.[29][30]

Hybrid bioreactors subject the landfill through aerobic-anaerobic cycles to combine the increased decomposition rate and ammonium removal of aerobic reactors with the optimal moisture content and flushing capabilities of anaerobic landfills.[1][31]

## Advantages of bioreactor landfills

[edit]

The main goal of bioreactor landfills is an accelerated decomposition.[31] As decomposition progresses, the mass of biodegradable components in the landfill declines, creating more space for dumping waste, up to an expected increase of 30%.[2] With an increasing global waste production,[19] bioreactor landfills can thus provide a significant way of maximizing landfill space.

The operation as a bioreactor landfill furthermore decreases the aftercare period where landfills need te be monitored to an estimated less than a decade, down from several decades to eternity for traditional sanitary landfills.[17] Contaminants are removed from rather than retained in the landfill. Bioreactor landfills are thereby significantly more cost-effective,[2] do not shift costs to future generations, and allow landfills to be used for other purposes such as reforestation or parks at an earlier date.[32]

## Disadvantages of bioreactor landfills

[edit]

Bioreactor landfills are a relatively new technology, hence initial monitoring costs are higher to ensure that everything important is discovered and properly controlled. This includes gases, odours and seepage of leachate into the ground surface.

The increased moisture content of bioreactor landfill may reduce the structural stability of the landfill by increasing the pore water pressure within the waste mass.[33]

Since the target of bioreactor landfills is to maintain a high moisture content, gas collection systems can be affected by the increased moisture content of the waste.

## Implementation of bioreactor landfills

[edit]

Bioreactor landfills are a novel technology and most studies are on a laboratory scale in landfill simulation reactors.[34][35][36][37] Translation to real life situations is difficult due to the relatively perfect conditions of landfill simulation reactors contrary to the complex and heterogeneous nature of landfills. Pilot projects on landfill scale are showing promise and more are being experimented with in different parts of the world. Despite the potential benefits of bioreactor landfills there are no standardised and approved designs with guidelines and operational procedures. Following is a list of bioreactor landfill projects which are being used to collect data for forming these needed guidelines and procedures:[38]

### United States

[edit]

* California
* Yolo County
* Florida
* Alachua County Southeast Landfill
* Highlands County
* New River Regional Landfill, Raiford
* Polk County Landfill, Winter Haven
* Kentucky
* Outer Loop Landfill
* Michigan
* Saint Clair County
* Mississippi
* Plantation Oaks Bioreactor Demonstration Project, Sibley
* Missouri
* Columbia
* New Jersey
* ACUA's Haneman Environmental Park, Egg Harbor Township
* North Carolina
* Buncombe County Landfill Project
* Virginia
* Maplewood Landfill and King George County Landfills
* Virginia Landfill Project XL Demonstration Project

### Canada

[edit]

* Sainte-Sophie Bioreactor demonstration Project, Quebec

### Australia

[edit]

* New South Wales
* WoodLawn, Goulburn
* Queensland
* Ti Tree Bioenergy, Ipswich

### Netherlands

[edit]

* Project introduction sustainable landfill management, including three landfills[39][40][41]
* The Kragge landfill (leachate recirculated)
* Braambergen landfill (aerated)
* Wieringermeer landfill (aerated)
* Landgraaf[42]

### Austria

[edit]

* Heferlbach landfill (aerated)[43]
* Vienna (aerated)[44]

## See also

[edit]

* Daily cover
* Landfill liner
* Landfill mining

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Townsend, Timothy G.; Powell, Jon; Jain, Pradeep; Xu, Qiyong; Tolaymat, Thabet; Reinhart, Debra (2015). Sustainable Practices for Landfill Design and Operation. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2662-6. ISBN 978-1-4939-2661-9.
2. ^ a b c Berge, Nicole D.; Reinhart, Debra R.; Batarseh, Eyad S. (2009-05-01). "An assessment of bioreactor landfill costs and benefits". Waste Management. First international conference on environmental management, engineering, planning and economics. 29 (5): 1558–1567\. Bibcode:2009WaMan..29.1558B. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2008.12.010. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 19167875.
3. ^ Bilgili, M. Sinan; Demir, Ahmet; Özkaya, Bestamin (2007-05-08). "Influence of leachate recirculation on aerobic and anaerobic decomposition of solid wastes". Journal of Hazardous Materials. 143 (1): 177–183\. Bibcode:2007JHzM..143..177B. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2006.09.012. ISSN 0304-3894. PMID 17023112.
4. ^ Ritzkowski, M.; Stegmann, R. (2012-07-01). "Landfill aeration worldwide: Concepts, indications and findings". Waste Management. 32 (7): 1411–1419\. Bibcode:2012WaMan..32.1411R. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2012.02.020. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 22459512.
5. ^ "Landfills | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
6. ^ Tammemagi, Hans (1999). The Waste Crisis : Landfills, Incinerators, and the Search for a Sustainable Future. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 4. ISBN 9780195351682. OCLC 466431800.
7. ^ Kjeldsen, P. M. (2002). Present and Long-Term Composition of MSW Landfill Leachate: A Review. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology , 297-336.
8. ^ a b c Berge, Nicole D.; Reinhart, Debra R.; Townsend, Timothy G. (2005-07-01). "The Fate of Nitrogen in Bioreactor Landfills". Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology. 35 (4): 365–399\. Bibcode:2005CREST..35..365B. doi:10.1080/10643380590945003. ISSN 1064-3389.
9. ^ Manheim, Derek C.; Yeşiller, Nazli; Hanson, James L. (2021-10-01). "Gas Emissions from Municipal Solid Waste Landfills: A Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Global Data". Journal of the Indian Institute of Science. 101 (4): 625–657\. doi:10.1007/s41745-021-00234-4. ISSN 0019-4964.
10. ^ United Nations Environment Programme and Climate and Clean Air Coalition (2021). Global Methane Assesment: Benefits and Costs of Mitigating Methane Emissions. Nairobi: United Nations Environment Programme
11. ^ Brosseau, J. H. (1994). Trace gas compound emissions from municipal landfill sanitary sites; Atmospheric-Environment. Atmospheric Environment, pp. 285-293.
12. ^ Duncan, Ian J. (2015). "Does methane pose significant health and public safety hazards?—A review". Environmental Geosciences. 22 (3): 85–96\. Bibcode:2015EnG....22...85D. doi:10.1306/eg.06191515005. ISSN 1075-9565.
13. ^ Qin, W.; Egolfopoulos, F. N.; Tsotsis, T. T. (2001-03-15). "Fundamental and environmental aspects of landfill gas utilization for power generation". Chemical Engineering Journal. FRONTIERS IN CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING. 82 (1): 157–172\. Bibcode:2001ChEnJ..82..157Q. doi:10.1016/S1385-8947(00)00366-1. ISSN 1385-8947.
14. ^ Koerner, R. M; Soong, T. -Y (2000-10-01). "Leachate in landfills: the stability issues". Geotextiles and Geomembranes. 18 (5): 293–309\. Bibcode:2000GtGm...18..293K. doi:10.1016/S0266-1144(99)00034-5. ISSN 0266-1144.
15. ^ Christensen, T. H. (1999). Landfilling of waste: Biogas
16. ^ Teng, Chunying; Zhou, Kanggen; Peng, Changhong; Chen, Wei (2021-09-15). "Characterization and treatment of landfill leachate: A review". Water Research. 203: 117525. Bibcode:2021WatRe.20317525T. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2021.117525. ISSN 0043-1354. PMID 34384952.
17. ^ a b Laner, David; Crest, Marion; Scharff, Heijo; Morris, Jeremy W. F.; Barlaz, Morton A. (2012-03-01). "A review of approaches for the long-term management of municipal solid waste landfills". Waste Management. 32 (3): 498–512\. Bibcode:2012WaMan..32..498L. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2011.11.010. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 22188873.
18. ^ Scharff, Heijo (2014-11-01). "Landfill reduction experience in The Netherlands". Waste Management. 34 (11): 2218–2224\. Bibcode:2014WaMan..34.2218S. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2014.05.019. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 24999096.
19. ^ a b United Nations Environment Programme (2024). Global Waste Management Outlook 2024: Beyond an age of waste – Turning rubbish into a resource. Nairobi. https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/44939
20. ^ Abdel-Shafy, Hussein I.; Mansour, Mona S. M. (2018-12-01). "Solid waste issue: Sources, composition, disposal, recycling, and valorization". Egyptian Journal of Petroleum. 27 (4): 1275–1290\. Bibcode:2018EgyJP..27.1275A. doi:10.1016/j.ejpe.2018.07.003. ISSN 1110-0621.
21. ^ Hinkley Center For Solid and Hazardous Waste Management. (2006). Bioreactor.org - General Info. Retrieved February 3, 2010, from Bioreactor.org: [1]
22. ^ Ritzkowski, M.; Stegmann, R. (2012-07-01). "Landfill aeration worldwide: Concepts, indications and findings". Waste Management. 32 (7): 1411–1419\. Bibcode:2012WaMan..32.1411R. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2012.02.020. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 22459512.
23. ^ Fricke, Klaus; Santen, Heike; Wallmann, Rainer (2005-10-01). "Comparison of selected aerobic and anaerobic procedures for MSW treatment". Waste Management. 25 (8): 799–810\. Bibcode:2005WaMan..25..799F. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2004.12.018. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 16125060.
24. ^ Erses, A. Suna; Onay, Turgut T.; Yenigun, Orhan (2008-09-01). "Comparison of aerobic and anaerobic degradation of municipal solid waste in bioreactor landfills". Bioresource Technology. 99 (13): 5418–5426\. Bibcode:2008BiTec..99.5418E. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2007.11.008. ISSN 0960-8524. PMID 18082400.
25. ^ Murphyb, S. R. (1992). A lysimeter study of the aerobic landfill concept . Waste Management & Research , 485-503.
26. ^ Aharoni, Imri; Dahan, Ofer; Siebner, Hagar (2022-07-01). "Continuous monitoring of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) transformations along the waste-vadose zone - groundwater path of an uncontrolled landfill, using multiple N-species isotopic analysis". Water Research. 219: 118508. Bibcode:2022WatRe.21918508A. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2022.118508. ISSN 0043-1354. PMID 35533620.
27. ^ Reinhart, Debra R.; Al-Yousfi, Basel A. (1996-08-01). "The Impact of Leachate Recirculation on Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Operating Characteristics". Waste Management & Research. 14 (4): 337–346\. Bibcode:1996WMR....14..337R. doi:10.1006/wmre.1996.0035. ISSN 0734-242X.
28. ^ Reinhart, Debra R. (1996-07-01). "Full-Scale Experiences With Leachate Recirculating Landfills: Case Studies". Waste Management & Research. 14 (4): 347–365\. doi:10.1177/0734242X9601400403. ISSN 0734-242X.
29. ^ Morris, J. W. F; Vasuki, N. C; Baker, J. A; Pendleton, C. H (2003-01-01). "Findings from long-term monitoring studies at MSW landfill facilities with leachate recirculation". Waste Management. Second Intercontinental Landfill Resarch Symposium. 23 (7): 653–666\. Bibcode:2003WaMan..23..653M. doi:10.1016/S0956-053X(03)00098-9. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 12957160.
30. ^ Aharoni, Imri; Siebner, Hagar; Yogev, Uri; Dahan, Ofer (2020-11-01). "Holistic approach for evaluation of landfill leachate pollution potential – From the waste to the aquifer". Science of the Total Environment. 741: 140367. Bibcode:2020ScTEn.74140367A. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140367. ISSN 0048-9697. PMID 32599402.
31. ^ a b Reinhart, Debra R.; Townsend, Timothy G. (2018). Landfill Bioreactor Design and Operation (1 ed.). Routledge. doi:10.1201/9780203749555. ISBN 978-0-203-74955-5.
32. ^ Bard, S. (2002). Voices from the Past: Hong Kong. HK University Press , 1842-1918.
33. ^ Sustainable Practices for Landfill Design and Operation. Waste Management Principles and Practice. Springer. 2015. ISBN 9781493926619.
34. ^ Nair, V.V., Dhar, H., Kumar, S., Thalla, A.K., Mukherjee, S., Wong, J.W.C. (2016). Artificial neural network based modeling to evaluate methane yield from biogas in a laboratory-scale anaerobic bioreactor. Bioresource Technology 217, 90 – 99. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.03.046
35. ^ Giannis, A.; Makripodis, G.; Simantiraki, F.; Somara, M.; Gidarakos, E. (2008-01-01). "Monitoring operational and leachate characteristics of an aerobic simulated landfill bioreactor". Waste Management. 28 (8): 1346–1354\. Bibcode:2008WaMan..28.1346G. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2007.06.024. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 17884423.
36. ^ Fricko, Nora; Brandstätter, Christian; Fellner, Johann (2021-11-01). "Enduring reduction of carbon and nitrogen emissions from landfills due to aeration?". Waste Management. 135: 457–466\. Bibcode:2021WaMan.135..457F. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2021.09.024. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 34624744.
37. ^ Brandstätter, Christian; Laner, David; Fellner, Johann (2015-09-01). "Nitrogen pools and flows during lab-scale degradation of old landfilled waste under different oxygen and water regimes". Biodegradation. 26 (5): 399–414\. doi:10.1007/s10532-015-9742-5. ISSN 1572-9729. PMID 26216372.
38. ^ Kjeldsen, P. M. (2002). Present and Long-Term Composition of MSW Landfill Leachate: A Review. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology , pp. 297-336
39. ^ Brand, Ellen; de Nijs, Ton C. M.; Dijkstra, Joris J.; Comans, Rob N. J. (2016-10-01). "A novel approach in calculating site-specific aftercare completion criteria for landfills in The Netherlands: Policy developments". Waste Management. 56: 255–261\. Bibcode:2016WaMan..56..255B. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2016.07.038. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 27497586.
40. ^ Dijkstra, Joris J.; van Zomeren, André; Brand, Ellen; Comans, Rob N. J. (2018-05-01). "Site-specific aftercare completion criteria for sustainable landfilling in the Netherlands: Geochemical modelling and sensitivity analysis". Waste Management. 75: 407–414\. Bibcode:2018WaMan..75..407D. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2018.02.002. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 29428495.
41. ^ "Home". Duurzaam Stortbeheer. Retrieved 2025-04-11.
42. ^ Oonk, Hans; Zomeren, André van; Rees-White, Tristan C.; Beaven, Richard P.; Hoekstra, Nanne; Luning, Luchien; Hannen, Maan; Hermkes, Hans; Woelders, Hans (2013-10-01). "Enhanced biodegradation at the Landgraaf bioreactor test-cell". Waste Management. Landfill Processes. 33 (10): 2048–2060\. Bibcode:2013WaMan..33.2048O. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2013.03.003. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 23602275.
43. ^ Brandstätter, Christian; Prantl, Roman; Fellner, Johann (2020-01-01). "Performance assessment of landfill in-situ aeration – A case study". Waste Management. 101: 231–240\. Bibcode:2020WaMan.101..231B. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2019.10.022. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 31629167.
44. ^ Hrad, Marlies; Gamperling, Oliver; Huber-Humer, Marion (2013-10-01). "Comparison between lab- and full-scale applications of in situ aeration of an old landfill and assessment of long-term emission development after completion". Waste Management. Landfill Processes. 33 (10): 2061–2073\. Bibcode:2013WaMan..33.2061H. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2013.01.027. ISSN 0956-053X. PMID 23428564.

## External links

[edit]

* Toward a Twenty-first Century Landfill \- Yolo County's Bioreactor Research Project web page.
* Bioreactorlandfill.org

* v
* t
* e

Biosolids, waste, and waste management

Major types|

* Agricultural wastewater
* Biodegradable waste
* Biomedical waste
* Brown waste
* Chemical waste
* Construction waste
* Demolition waste
* Electronic waste
* by country
* Food waste
* Green waste
* Hazardous waste
* Heat waste
* Industrial waste
* Industrial wastewater
* Litter
* Marine debris
* Mining waste
* Municipal solid waste
* Open defecation
* Packaging waste
* Post-consumer waste
* Radioactive waste
* Scrap metal
* Sewage
* Sharps waste
* Surface runoff
* Toxic waste

Processes|

* Anaerobic digestion
* Balefill
* Biodegradation
* Composting
* Durable good
* Ecological design
* Garden waste dumping
* Illegal dumping
* Incineration
* Landfill
* Landfill mining
* Mechanical biological treatment
* Mechanical sorting
* Photodegradation
* Reclaimed lumber
* Recycling
* appliance recycling
* battery recycling
* bottle recycling
* fluorescent lamp recycling
* land recycling
* plastic recycling
* textile recycling
* timber recycling
* tire recycling
* water heat recycling
* water recycling shower
* Repurposing
* Resource recovery
* Reusable packaging
* Right to repair
* Sewage treatment
* Urban mining
* Waste collection
* Waste sorting
* Waste trade
* Waste treatment
* Waste-to-energy

Countries|

* Afghanistan
* Albania
* Armenia
* Australia
* Belgium
* Bangladesh
* Brazil
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Egypt
* Georgia
* Hong Kong
* India
* Israel
* Japan
* Kazakhstan
* New Zealand
* Russia
* South Korea
* Sri Lanka
* Switzerland
* Syria
* Tanzania
* Taiwan
* Thailand
* Turkey
* United Kingdom
* United States

Agreements|

* Bamako Convention
* Basel Convention
* EU directives
* batteries
* Recycling
* framework
* incineration
* landfills
* RoHS
* vehicles
* waste water
* WEEE
* London Convention
* Oslo Convention
* OSPAR Convention

Occupations|

* Sanitation worker
* Street sweeper
* Waste collector
* Waste picker

Other topics|

* Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future
* China's waste import ban
* Cleaner production
* Downcycling
* Eco-industrial park
* Extended producer responsibility
* High-level radioactive waste management
* History of waste management
* Landfill fire
* Sewage regulation and administration
* Supervised injection site
* Toxic colonialism
* Upcycling
* Waste hierarchy
* Waste legislation
* Waste minimisation
* Zero waste

* Environment portal
* Category: Waste
* Index
* Journals
* Lists
* Organizations

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template