Excavation and characterization of refuse in closed landfill

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Zhao, You-cai

Affiliations: The State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse,School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Tongji University,Shanghai 200092,China, E-mail:zyclmk @ online,sh.cn

Abstract: Refuse in landfills becomes stabilized as organic matter in refuse degrades and soluble inorganic substances dissolve during their longterm stabilization process.In this paper,this process is also referred to as mineralization process and the resultant stabilized refuse referred to as aged refuse.Aged refuse contains a wide spectrum and huge quantity of microorganisms with strong decomposition capability for refractory organic matter present in some wastewater such as leachate.In this study,aged refuse excavated from 2 to 10 years old closed landfill compartments in Shanghai Refuse Landfill is characterized in terms of particulate distribution by screening,total nitrogen,total phosphorus,biodegradable matter.The approaches for redevelopment of both land and aged refuse in the stabilized landfills are proposed.

Keywords: landfill, refuse, mineralization

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 303-308, 2002