Contaminant mitigating performance of Chinese standard municipal solid waste landfill liner systems

In 2004, Chinese Government prescribed standard municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill bottom liners. However, very limited research has been conducted to evaluate the performance of the standard MSW landfill bottom liners prescribed by the Chinese Government. In this paper, the performance of the two types of Chinese MSW landfill bottom liner systems was evaluated based on: (1) the maximum leachate head; (2) leakage rate; (3) peak concentration of the target contaminant in an aquifer which was underlain the assumed landfill, and (4) total mass per unit area of the target contaminant discharged into the aquifer. The performance of the German standard MSW landfill bottom liner system was evaluated and compared with that of Chinese ones. It is found that the calculated maximum leachate head for the Chinese landfill liner systems was much higher than that for the German one. The calculated leakage rate, peak concentration and the maximum total mass per unit area in the aquifer of the target contaminant show that the performance of the Chinese standard landfill liner Type 2 is practically the same as that of the German standard landfill liner with holed geomembrane wrinkles, while the Chinese standard liner Type 1 is less effective, with regarding the mitigation of the impact of landfills to the groundwater quality. It is concluded that the overall performance of the Chinese standard landfill liner systems is less strict than that of the German standard landfill liner system.     

Development of geomembrane strains in waste containment facility liners with waste settlement

The development of tensile strains in geomembrane liners due to loading and waste settlement in waste containment facilities is examined using a numerical model. Two different constitutive models are used to simulate the waste: (a) a modified Cam-Clay model and (b) a Mohr-Coulomb model. The numerical analyses indicate the role of the slope inclination on the maximum geomembrane liner strains for both short-term loading (immediately post closure) and long-term waste settlement. A geosynthetic reinforcement layer over the geomembrane liner is shown to reduce the maximum geomembrane liner strains, but the strain level of the geosynthetic reinforcement itself may become an engineering concern on steeper slopes (i.e., greater than 3H:1V) for cases and conditions examined in this paper. The paper considers some factors (e.g., slope inclination, use of a high stiffness geosynthetic over the geomembrane liner) and notes others (e.g., the designer selection of interface characteristics below and above the geomembrane, use of a slip layer above the geomembrane) that warrant consideration and further investigation to ensure good long-term performance of geomembrane liners in waste containment facilities.     

Geosynthetic liner integrity and stability analysis for a waste containment facility with a preferential slip plane within the liner system

The paper examines the effects of settlement-induced downdrag on geosynthetic liner systems for a waste containment facility with steep side slopes for different design scenarios, and conducts the stability analysis of the waste mass during waste filling operations. Without the presence of a reinforcing layer above a geomembrane (GMB) liner, the liner experiences unacceptable tensile strains under both short- and long-term downdrag waste settlements. It is shown that an anchored high strength/stiffness geotextile (HS-GTX) reinforcement over the GMB can reduce the GMB tensile strains to less than 3%, but the HS-GTX itself may be overloaded. A geosynthetic slip layer over the full or partial HS-GTX reinforcement overlying the GMB can reduce the tensile strains of the GMB to less than 3% and of the HS-GTX to less than 5% by providing a preferential slip plane between the geosynthetic slip layer and the HS-GTX. A rupture of the geosynthetic slip layer is likely to occur resulting in the exposure of the HS-GTX to the waste, but the protection of the GMB by the HS-GTX is still expected. The results from the stability analysis show that, during waste filling operations under a given factor of safety, there is a critical relationship between the width of the top of the waste pile and the total waste thickness.     

Development of a numerical model for performance-based design of geosynthetic liner systems

A numerical model for performance-based design of the geosynthetic elements of waste containment systems has been developed. The model offers a rational alternative to the current state of practice for design of geosynthetic containment system elements in which neither the strains nor the forces in liner system elements are explicitly calculated. To explicitly assess the ability of the geosynthetic elements of a containment system to maintain their integrity under both static and seismic loads, a large strain finite difference model of waste-liner system interaction was developed. Modular features within the model allow the user to select the appropriate features required for any particular problem. A beam element with zero moment of inertia and with interface elements on both sides is employed in the model to represent a geosynthetic element in the liner system. This enables explicit calculation of the axial forces and strains within the liner system element. Non-linear constitutive models were developed to represent the stress-strain behavior of geomembrane and geosynthetic clay liner beam elements and the load-displacement behavior of the beam interfaces. The use of the various features on the model is illustrated using available experimental data, including shaking table test data on rigid and compliant blocks sliding on geomembranes. Analysis of geomembranes subject to waste settlement and subject to seismic loading demonstrate applications of the model and provide insight into the behavior of geosynthetic liner system elements subject to tensile loads.     

浅谈生活垃圾卫生填埋场选址中应注意几个问题

生活垃圾卫生填埋场多处于农村或城乡结合部,其选址涉及多方面因素,不仅要分析其是否符合相关政策、规划、规范、标准等要求,而且还要紧密结合所选场址各方面特征因素,全面分析其可能存在的影响,尤其应关注对农村、农业和农民的影响,并提出解决办法。本文结合环评实践,阐述选址中应该注意几个问题。     

城市固体废弃物的复合指数应力–应变模型及其应用

在大三轴固结排水剪试验研究的基础上,提出了城市固体废弃物(MSW)的复合指数应力–应变模型。该模型参数少且有明确的物理意义,既可反映MSW在小应变情况下的非线性变形特性,也可反映其在大应变情况下的明显应变硬化特性。采用有限差分程序FLAC内置的Fish语言将复合指数应力–应变模型耦合入FLAC程序,并通过三轴压缩试验数值模拟得到了验证。最后利用该模型分析了某填埋场在竖向扩建堆体荷载作用下的应力压缩沉降、侧向变形以及新老填埋场交界面处中间衬垫系统的应变。结果表明:复合指数模型的计算结果总体上位于莫尔–库仑模型和邓肯–张模型之间;中间衬垫系统的拉伸应变可能导致压实黏土层发生破坏。     

Evaluation of interface shear strength of composite liner system and stability analysis for a landfill lining system in Thailand

The paper presents the case history of laboratory evaluation of the interface shear strength properties of various interfaces encountered in a modern day landfill with emphasis on proper simulation of field conditions and subsequent use of these results in the stability analyses of liner system. Over 70 large direct shear tests were systematically conducted to evaluate the interface shear strength properties of composite liner system using project specific materials under site specific conditions, being used at non-hazardous and hazardous landfills project situated in Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand. The critical interfaces were located between the geotextiles and the smooth geomembrane (GM), the smooth GM and the geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), and the smooth GM liner and the compacted clay liner (CCL) with the interface friction angles ranging from 6.5° to 10.5° for dry conditions and 6.5° to 9.5° in wet conditions. The residual shear stress for these interfaces was attained at a displacement less than 4 mm. Three methods, namely, limit equilibrium method (LEM), limit method (LM), and the simple composite column (SCC) approach were used to evaluate the tensile loads induced in the geosynthetic components. The SCC approach proposed by Liu, C.N. [2001. Tension of geosynthetics material regarding soils on landfill liner slopes. Proceedings, National Science Council ROC(A), 25(4), 211–218] that takes into account the force equilibrium as well as displacement compatibility yielded satisfactory results. The factor of safety for geosynthetic components in the liner was found to be greater than 3.0 for both types of landfill.     

考虑温度效应和纤维加筋作用的垃圾土热-弹塑性本构模型

考虑填埋场内垃圾土成分的复杂性和有机质降解产热导致的温度升高,根据不同温度不同纤维材料含量垃圾土的三轴试验结果,表明温度和纤维材料是影响垃圾土力学特性的关键因素,由此将垃圾土看作是类土材料和纤维材料的复合体.荷载作用下垃圾土的力学特性取决于类土材料和纤维材料的共同作用,认为温度变化只影响垃圾土的体积变形,提出了考虑温度...     

Estimation of the mass-balance of selected metals in four sanitary landfills in Western Norway, with emphasis on the heavy metal content of the deposited waste and the leachate

A worst-case simulation of the mass-balance for metals in the waste deposited during 1 year and the levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr) and iron (Fe) in the leachate was calculated for four sanitary landfills in Western Norway. Estimates of the levels of metal content in mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) were found by using recent literature values calculated in a mass-balance study at a Norwegian waste incinerator plant. Leachate from the landfills were sampled and analyzed monthly during 1 year, and from these measurements the total annual discharge of the selected metals through the leachate was determined. The levels of the measured heavy metals in the leachate were low. For Cd less than 0.06%, for Pb less than 0.01% and for Hg less than 0.02% of the estimated year's deposited mass of metals were leached from the landfills during the year of investigation. The high retention of these metals are most likely due to sulfide precipitation, but also due to the immobile condition of the metals in their original deposited solid state (plastics, ceramics, etc.). The percentage of Cr leached was relatively higher, but less than 1.0% per year. The mass balance of Fe suggests that this element is more mobile under the prevailing conditions. The percentage of Fe leached varied and was estimated to be between 1.9% and 18%. The present study clearly supports the theory that MSW only to a small extent will lead to discharge of metals if deposited at well-constructed sanitary landfills with top layers.     

新鲜生活垃圾抗剪强度参数变化规律研究

在环境土工实验室,人工配制新鲜生活垃圾试样,采用大型压缩与直剪联合测定仪器,对288个垃圾试样抗剪强度参数的变化规律进行了研究。将生活垃圾分为3大类,模拟城市经济发展的不发达、发展中及发达3个阶段,将生活垃圾分为3大配比。试验采用3种初始孔隙比(2.1,2.5,2.9)、4级竖向压力(25,50,100,200 k Pa),每级压力作用下的时间分别为0,0.25,0.5,1,2,6,12,24 h,研究了10种剪应变限值(2%,4%,6%,8%,10%,12%,14%,16%,18%,20%)新鲜垃圾的抗剪强度参数。试验结果表明,新鲜垃圾的抗剪强度与竖向压力可以拟合为一条直线,符合库仑定律。随着剪应变限值的增加,抗剪强度参数c值和φ值均有增加的趋势,符合对数模型。给出了不同因素影响下,新鲜生活垃圾c值和φ值的取值范围,c值在6.14~34.17 k Pa之间、φ值在4.1°~30.6°之间。     

Life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management with regard to greenhouse gas emissions: Case study of Tianjin, China

The environmental impacts of municipal solid waste (MSW) management have been highlighted in China, due to the continually increasing amount of MSW being generated and the limited capacity of waste treatment facilities. Of particular interest is greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, aided by the Kyoto Mechanisms. China is an important case study for this global issue; however, an analysis of the entire life cycle of MSW management on GHG emissions is not available for China. This study evaluates the current and possible patterns of MSW management with regard to GHG emissions, using life cycle assessment (LCA), based on the Tianjin case. We assess the baseline scenario, reflecting the existing MSW management system, as well as a set of alternative scenarios, five exploring waste treatment technology innovations and one exploring integrated MSW management, to quantitatively predict potentials of GHG mitigation for Tianjin. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis is used to investigate the influence of landfill gas (LFG) collection efficiency, recycling rate and methodological choice, especially allocation, on the outcomes. The results show GHG emissions from Tianjin's MSW management system amount to 467.34 Mg CO₂ eq. per year, based on the treatment of MSW collected in the central districts in 2006, and the key issue is LFG released. The integrated MSW management scenario, combining different improvement options, shows the highest GHG mitigation potential. Given the limited financial support and the current waste management practice in Tianjin, LFG utilization scenario would be the preferred choice. The sensitivity analysis of recycling rate shows an approximately linear relation of inverse proportion between recycling rate and total GHG emissions. Kitchen waste composting makes a considerable contribution to total GHG emissions reduction. Allocation choices result in differences in total quantitative outcomes, but preference orders and contributions analysis are found to be robust, suggesting LCA can support decision making.     

Statistical estimate of mercury removal efficiencies for air pollution control devices of municipal solid waste incinerators

Although representative removal efficiencies of gaseous mercury for air pollution control devices (APCDs) are important to prepare more reliable atmospheric emission inventories of mercury, they have been still uncertain because they depend sensitively on many factors like the type of APCDs, gas temperature, and mercury speciation. In this study, representative removal efficiencies of gaseous mercury for several types of APCDs of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) were offered using a statistical method. 534 data of mercury removal efficiencies for APCDs used in MSWI were collected. APCDs were categorized as fixed-bed absorber (FA), wet scrubber (WS), electrostatic precipitator (ESP), and fabric filter (FF), and their hybrid systems. Data series of all APCD types had Gaussian log-normality. The average removal efficiency with a 95% confidence interval for each APCD was estimated. The FA, WS, and FF with carbon and/or dry sorbent injection systems had 75% to 82% average removal efficiencies. On the other hand, the ESP with/without dry sorbent injection had lower removal efficiencies of up to 22%. The type of dry sorbent injection in the FF system, dry or semi-dry, did not make more than 1% difference to the removal efficiency. The injection of activated carbon and carbon-containing fly ash in the FF system made less than 3% difference. Estimation errors of removal efficiency were especially high for the ESP. The national average of removal efficiency of APCDs in Japanese MSWI plants was estimated on the basis of incineration capacity. Owing to the replacement of old APCDs for dioxin control, the national average removal efficiency increased from 34.5% in 1991 to 92.5% in 2003. This resulted in an additional reduction of about 0.86 Mg emission in 2003. Further study using the methodology in this study to other important emission sources like coal-fired power plants will contribute to better emission inventories.     

Continuous treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste in an anaerobic two-stage membrane process with liquid recycle

The stability and performance of a two-stage anaerobic membrane process was investigated at different organic loading rates (OLRs) and Hydraulic Retention Times (HRTs) over 200 days. The Hydrolytic Reactor (HR) was fed with the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW), while the leachate from the HR was fed continuously to two Submerged Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors (SAMBR1 and 2). The Total COD (TCOD) of the leachate varied over a wide range, typically between 4000 and 26,000 mg/L while the Soluble COD (SCOD) in the permeate was in the range 400-600 mg/L, achieving a COD removal greater than 90% at a HRT of 1.6-2.3 days in SAMBR1. The operation was not sustainable below this HRT due to a membrane flux limitation at 0.5-0.8 L/m² h (LMH), which was linked to the increasing MLTSS. SCOD in the recycled permeate did not build up indicating a slow degradation of recalcitrants over time. SAMBR2 was run in parallel with SAMBR1 but its permeate was treated aerobically in an Aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AMBR). The AMBR acted as a COD-polishing and ammonia removal step. About 26% of the recalcitrant SCOD from SAMBR2 could be aerobically degraded in the AMBR. In addition, 97.7 % of the ammonia-nitrogen was converted to nitrate in the AMBR at a maximum nitrogen-loading rate of 0.18 kg NH₄⁺-N/m³ day. GC-MS analysis was performed on the reactor effluents to determine their composition and what compounds were recalcitrant.     

Impact of open dumping of municipal solid waste on soil properties in mountainous region

This paper presents the effect of open dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW) on soil characteristics in the mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh, India. The solid waste of dumpsite contains various complex characteristics with organic fractions of the highest proportions. As leachate percolates into the soil, it migrates contaminants into the soil and affects soil stability and strength. The study includes the geotechnical investigation of dump soil characteristics and its comparison with the natural soil samples taken from outside the proximity of dumpsites. The geochemical analysis of dumpsite soil samples was also carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Visual inspection revealed that the MSW consists of high fraction of organics, followed by paper. The soil samples were collected from five trial pits in the dumpsites at depths of 0.5 m, 1 m and 1.5 m. Then the collected soil samples were subjected to specific gravity test, grain size analysis, Atterberg's limit test, compaction test, direct shear test, California bearing ratio (CBR) test and permeability analysis. The study indicated that the dumpsite soils from four study regions show decreasing trends in the values of maximum dry density (MDD), specific gravity, cohesion and CBR, and increasing permeability as compared to the natural soil. The results show that the geotechnical properties of the soils at all four study locations have been severely hampered due to contamination induced by open dumping of waste.     

A continuous-flow approach for the development of an anaerobic consortium capable of an effective biomethanization of a mechanically sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste as the sole substrate

An effective mesophilic continuous anaerobic digestion process fed only with a mechanically sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MS-OFMSW) was developed. During a preliminary 3-month experimental phase, the microbial consortium was acclimated toward MS-OFMSW by initially filling the reactor with cattle manure and then continuously feeding it with MS-OFMSW. The Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) and Organic Loading Rate (OLR) were 23 days and 2.5 g/L/day, respectively. After 4 weeks, the reactor reached stationary performances (84% COD removal yield, 0.15 L₄CH/g_CODremoved methane production yield). The acclimated consortium was then employed in a second run in which the reactor was operated under steady state conditions at the previous HRT and OLR for 73 days. The COD removal and the methane production yield increased up to 87% and 0.25 L₄CH/g_CODremoved, respectively. The capability of the acclimated consortium to biomethanize MS-OFMSW was further studied via batch digestion experiments, carried out by inoculating the target waste with reactor effluents collected at the beginning of first run and at the end of the first and second run. The best normalized methane production (0.39 L₄CH/g_{initial COD}) was obtained with the inoculum collected at the end of the second run. Molecular analysis of the microbial community occurring in the reactor during the two sequential runs indicated that the progressive improvement of the process performances was closely related to the selection and enrichment of specific hydrolytic and acidogenic bacteria in the reactor.     

某核电厂中低放固体废物整备工艺辅助系统的优化改造

中低放固体废物整备工艺辅助系统是中低放固体废物整备的配套子系统,其运行直接影响装备的整体安全。本文在分析某核电厂现有中低放固体废物整备工艺辅助系统安全隐患的基础上,从工艺流程设计和设备选型入手,通过对拆包设备、输送设备、搅拌设备及配套设备等的优化改造,设计了一套自动化工艺辅助系统。该系统可实现全流程工序作业,保障特种水泥在拆包、输送、搅拌及下料等方面的自动化操作,并配备了自动化同步收尘和安全识别系统,不仅能避免因人工操作不慎造成的水泥包泄漏等问题,改善作业环境及降低工作强度,还能对整个操作流程进行实时监控。     

Burden of disease attributable to air pollutants from municipal solid waste incinerators in Seoul, Korea: a source-specific approach for environmental burden of disease

Few studies have attempted to quantify the integrated health burden, incorporating both mortality and morbidity as these factors pertain to air pollutants, on the population in the vicinity of the incinerators. The aims of this study are to estimate the attributable burden of disease caused by incinerators in Seoul, Korea and to present an approach based on source-specific exposure for the estimation of the environmental burden of disease (EBD). With particular attention on the development of a measurement means of the source-specific, exposure-based population attributable fraction (PAF), we integrated air dispersion modeling, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the population distribution of exposure, and the exposure-response relationship. We then estimated the PAFs caused by additional concentrations of four air pollutants (PM₁₀, NO_2, SO₂, and CO) emitted from four municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) in Seoul in 2007. We, finally, estimated the attributable burden of disease, using the estimated PAF and the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) method developed by the Global Burden of Disease Group of the World Health Organization (WHO).The PAF for NO₂ to all-cause mortality was assessed at approximately 0.02% (95% CI: 0.003-0.036%), which was the highest among all air pollutants. The PAFs for respiratory and cardiovascular disease were 0.12% (95% CI: 0.01-0.16%) and 0.10% (95% CI: 0.04-0.16%), respectively. The sum of the attributable burden of disease for four pollutants was about 297 person-years (PYs) (95% CI: 121-472 PYs) when the incinerators observed to the emission standards. The attributable burdens of respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease were about 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively, of the total burden of respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease of Seoul citizens for the year 2007. Although the air emissions from one risk factor, an incinerator, are small, the burden of disease can be significant to the public health when population exposure is considered.