The landfill reinjection of concentrated leachate: Findings from a monitoring study at an Italian site

The membrane-based processes are among the most used techniques for leachate treatment in modern landfills but its environmental, technical and economical sustainability strongly depends on the disposal of concentrated leachate that is produced there. This paper presents the monitoring study of the landfill of the municipality of Monsummano Terme (Pistoia province, Tuscany. Italy) named "II Fossetto" where concentrated leachate obtained during membrane treatment is recirculated. The findings resulting from the first 30 months of monitoring of concentrated leachate recirculation show that leachate production did not increase significantly and that only a few quality parameters (i.e. COD, Nickel and Zinc) presented a moderate increase. Moreover, the latest data on biogas composition seem to indicate a reduction in methane content that, if confirmed, could be related to the partial inhibition of methanogens due to the competition of sulphate reducing bacteria. The non-accumulation of other conservative pollutants such as Ammonia Nitrogen and Chloride in the leachate is still under investigation and needs to be better clarified. The overall sustainability of the reinjection as a means of disposing of the concentrated leachate produced by membrane treatment should be further analysed and evaluated in the long term. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.