Evaluating the physicochemical properties of refuse with a short-term landfill age and odorous pollutants emission during landfill mining: A case study

Abstract

A field excavation of refusewitha short-termlandfillage from the Qingdao Xiaojianxi municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill was conducted. The physical composition and chemical properties of refuse with landfill ages of 1–4 years were studied, and the emission characteristics of odorous pollutants during the excavation period were monitored. The refuse aged 1–2 years has a higher proportion of combustible material than that the refuse aged 3–4 years, and the volatile content and calorific value in refuse aged 1–2 years were also higher than those in refuse aged 3–4 years, indicating that the refuse with a short-term landfill age was more suitable for incineration than refuse with a long-term landfill age. The pH and availablephosphorus (AP) gradually increased with increasing landfill age, while the total Kjeldahlnitrogen (TKN) and organic matter (OM) decreased. The contents of the heavy metals Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb and As generally decreased with landfill age, especially in refuse aged 2–4 years, whereas the Cr content showed no significant differences in refuse aged 1–4 years. The main odorous pollutants emitted during the excavation and screening periods were ammonia (NH3) and carbon disulfide (CS2), and the odor intensity of excavated refuse aged 1–3 years was higher than that of refuse aged 4 years. Under the condition of a small excavation area and continuous deodorization, the pollution intensity can meet the discharge standards of the factory boundary.