Effects of co-disposal of wastes containing organic pollutants with municipal solid waste—a landfill simulation reactor study

Abstract

Different phases of the life cycle of a landfill receiving municipal solid waste (MSW) were monitored in landfill simulation reactors (LSRs) with the aim of investigating the effects of co-disposal of wastes containing organic pollutants (OPs) with MSW. Two LSRs out of four filled with well-characterised MSW received waste materials containing OPs. These included two types of plasticised PVC flooring materials, freon-blown insulation and phosphorus- and nitrogen-based flame-protected materials. Each of the two LSRs was operated under acid fermentative and neutral methanogenic conditions, respectively as were their corresponding controls, i.e. without extra OP. The methanogenic consortia degrading MSW were hampered by the addition of wastes containing OPs, probably due to the presence of Freon R11 and its degradation product, R21. The concentrations of R11 and R21 ranged between 0.1 and 1800 mg m −3 depending on the biogas production rate in the OP-amended LSRs. Losses of butylbenzyl- (26%) and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (15%) from one of two flooring materials was observed, whereas the other remained unaffected. Methanogenic conditions favoured the loss of plasticisers as compared to acidogenic conditions. Total phosphorus was significantly higher in the OP-spiked LSRs, which indicated a transformation of the non-halogenated flame-retardants.