Water balance estimation for an ordinary solid waste sanitary landfill in Costa Rica

Abstract

To assess the necessity of treatment systems for leachate generated by ordinary solid waste deposited in a sanitary fill, accurate estimation of the leachate and gas amount produced during biodegradation process is essential. Climatic conditions at the site significantly influence leachate generation; therefore, accurate estimation of rainfall, temperature, solar radiation, and infiltration into the fill is imperative. In this study, we analyzed the water balance of the Miramar landfill in Costa Rica, assessed the amount of leachate produced using various methodologies, and then compared these findings with the field data to identify the best methodology for specific environmental conditions. To comprehensively analyze landfill behavior, as well as the leachate and gases generated from waste decomposition, determining the hydraulic properties of the materials inside the cells is necessary. These properties must consider variables such as the types of materials present at the site, age of the ordinary waste, and their densities. The hydraulic properties of the materials were obtained from various laboratory tests, which included determining the soil–water characteristic curve necessary for assessing unsaturated conditions in the solid waste. These properties are compared with the results of studies conducted in other landfills to validate the current methodology and the obtained results, which can be used for conducting studies on leachate generation or slope stability analysis for sanitary landfill slopes. The amount of leachate generated was estimated using the methodology proposed by Delgado A. (2018). Additionally, the Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance model (HELP V 4.0) was employed, demonstrating superior estimation compared to recorded field data. The HELP V 4.0 model facilitated the incorporation of different material layers and thicknesses, weather information at the site, slopes, and drainage conditions.