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Objectives:
The main objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of incorporating a reactive barrier layer to earthen landfill covers to mitigate odor nuisance and green house gases form landfills
Methodology:
The proposed study consists of performing column experiments using soils-compost mixtures as media for growth of micro-organisms that are capable of oxidizing biologically landfill emissions. The effects of water content, temperature, and gas generation flux on the rate of oxidation will be assessed. The performance of different types of composts and bio-solids will be evaluated. The second objective of this project is to develop practical design guidelines for incorporating a bio-reactive layer into the design of alternative landfill covers
In Florida and other states, several old landfills were closed and/or in need closing with no gas management plans. At the same time, alternative earthen landfill covers that use the storage capacity of soil and plant water uptake to control percolation were proven to be effective in some regions of the country. However, these types of covers were criticized for not addressing landfill gas management. Gas extraction, with or without energy recovery from landfills is currently being used to control gas emissions from landfills. However, this approach tends to be expensive and out of the reach of most small communities managing their solid waste facilities. An attractive alternative is to incorporate a bio-reactive layer into the design of a landfill cover or in areas with significant release of gas into the atmosphere (typically referred to as hot spots).