Drainage Capability of Fully Degraded MSW with Respect to Various Leachate Collection and Removal Systems

The issue of adequate drainage of leachate collection and removal systems at municipal solid waste landfills has been a long-standing concern among all involved. As the organic components of the waste degrade the residue is high in moisture content, dissolved and suspended solids, and microorganism content as well. The situation is greatly heightened with wet leachate management practices, as in anaerobic bioreactor landfills. This field project is focused on examining the long term flow rates of fully degraded MSW placed over different drainage media (gravels and sands, with and without geotextile filters). The experimental setup follows ASTM D1987 arid uses leachate from an adjacent landfill. Initial results from this ongoing project are presented.