From Problem Statement to Pilot Scale: A Hybrid Passive Treatment System for Landfill Leachate in North Bay, Ontario, Canada

Passive treatment of landfill leachate is an enticing option for landfill sites since efficient treatment of the leachate generated can continue after the landfill closes and is no longer receiving waste (therefore not generating a profit). Treatment performance in these systems is affected by regional climate and therefore site-specific research needs to be considered for each treatment system design. This three-phase treatability study was designed to determine a pretreatment system that would minimize the size of the subsequent passive treatment system, and to evaluate various passive treatment technologies at both the bench and pilot scales. The results from this treatability study will be used to support the use of passive treatment systems for landfill leachate mitigation in North Bay, as well as serving as a template for other sites in the northern Ontario climate looking to implement passive treatment of landfill leachate.