Comparison of a Traditional Landfill and a Mechanically-Biologically Treated waste Landfill (Case study; Kirkuk landfill)

Abstract

Owing to the increasing population in Kirkuk, Iraq and the consequent rise in the production of waste, alongside with global warming caused by an increase in the greenhouse gases concentrations, a high level of emissions was observed at the landfill site near Kirkuk. These emissions can be transmitted by the wind over considerable distances and adversely affect the environment and individual health. In this study, two pilot scale columns were built to investigate different options for achieving sustainability by reducing long-term landfill emissions. Each reactor was packed with (8.5) kg of shredded synthetic solid waste (less than 5 cm) that was prepared according to an average composition of domestic solid waste in the city of Kirkuk. The main result of this study was that the pretreatment of the waste may shorten the transition time for active methane development and increase the methanogenesis of the landfill site and also affects COD removals efficiencies which were 19.11% and 66.53% for columns A and B respectively.