Chapter 7 - A glance over current status of waste management and landfills across the globe: A review

Abstract

The disposal of urban solid waste is a significant environmental issue. In developing countries, unsanitary waste disposal is the most commonly practised option. Leachate, a significant downside of landfilling, tends to be generated in massive amounts, and existing treatment methods are both expensive and inefficient. Assessment of landfill status, leachate characteristics and environmental effects of landfills is a critical subject in literature and, given the increasing environmental issues, has recently received increased attention. Significant information about scenario of landfills globally as a source of environmental risk was also included in the findings. In this analysis the most effective management strategy to reduce the harmful environmental impact of waste leachate is introduced. Gas and leachate production are unavoidable consequences of the activity of solid waste disposal in landfills, mainly due to microbial decomposition, climatic conditions, waste characteristics and landfill operations. In both current and new facilities, the migration of gas and leaching away from the landfill limits and their release into the local ecosystem raise significant environmental concerns. The current analysis compiles some of the most widely used approaches for landfill leachate treatment, including coagulation-flocculation and anaerobic filter treatment. The conclusion of various problems and challenges of leachate treatment in terms of sustainability has been reached.