Domestic Solid Waste Research Articles

Domestic Plastic Waste Generation in Rural Area of Thai Do Commune, Thai Thuy District, Thai Binh Province

The case study was conducted to evaluate the current situation of plastic waste generation from households in Thai Do commune, Thai Thuy district, Thai Binh province. The survey results show that the average plastic waste generation rate per capita in Thai Do commune is 0.04 kg/person/day. Accordingly, the total average mass of plastic waste generated in Thai Do commune is 268.4 kg/day, accounting for about 14.18% of the total mass of generated domestic solid waste. The composition of plastic waste generated in Thai Do commune is mainly plastic packaging containing/wrapping food (37%) and plastic bags with straps (29%). Domestic solid waste is classified by households into plastic recyclable waste and non-plastic recyclable wastes (such as paper, metals, etc.), the latter is typically for sale of scrap. Remaining plastic waste is collected with the rest of domestic solid waste two to three times/week, then is transported to the central waste treatment site of the commune in Tan Lap village for incineration. At the central treatment site, recyclable plastic waste continues to be classified by workers operating the treatment process. These plastic waste data will be the scientific basis to recommend approaches and solutions to reduce the plastic waste generated from the domestic solid waste in the rural area in Thai Do commune, Thai Thuy district, Thai Binh province.
 
 
 

ОЦЕНКА ВОЗМОЖНЫХ РИСКОВЫХ СИТУАЦИЙ ПРИ ОСУЩЕСТВЛЕНИИ РЕКУЛЬТИВАЦИОННЫХ МЕРОПРИЯТИЙ

The problem of recultivation of lands of unauthorised dumps of solid domestic wastes (solid municipal wastes) for further construction on these territories of various objects of industrial and residential nature, as well as their possible use in agriculture today is extremely urgent. The article deals with possible emergency situations during the recultivation of unauthorised dumps near Vologda, describes the causes and consequences of their occurrence, and provides a qualitative assessment of their potential impact on the environment. This information was based on the information on the natural characteristics of the territory, the current state of the natural environment and the characteristics of the projected object (source of impact), as well as the results of technical reports of engineering surveys. The assessment criteria were taken as criteria for assessment of atmospheric air and water pollution, since atmospheric air is in contact with all environmental objects: soil, surface water. The research tool is FMEA methodology. It is shown that the situation related to fire at the facility is the most critical. A number of measures are proposed to reduce the probability of occurrence of this situation.

Analysing Bijaya Hitan’s some Selected Stories from an Eco-centric Approach

This paper makes the Ecocritical reading of three stories, namely, “Bagmati Blues”, “Saharle Panchhayeki Buhari” (My translation “A Daughter-in-Law Disregarded by a City”) and “Nawabarshale Janmayeka Brykshyaharu” (My translation “The Groves Bred by New Year”), written by an ecowriter, Bijaya Hitan. Drawing on the Ecocritical and Ecofeminist theories of Lawrence Buell, Vandana Shiva, Greta Gaard, and some relevant journals and books, it analyzes the portrayals of non-human world that is the Bagmati river and her declining physical environment. As soon as Bagmati river enters the Kathmandu valley near Sundarijal, the water starts to deteriorate. The river has been used as dumping site for domestic and industrial waste water and solid waste. Besides that, the river has been widely used for sand extraction and land encroachment through squatter settlements at the bank of the river. Hitan, in his three short stories questions the ethics, policies, and cultural values of people at Kathmandu for treating Bagmati as an instrument, only a means of human ends. This paper scrutinizes the power of words, subject, images and narrative of aforementioned stories to reinforce to understand the oppressive human-environment relations causing multiple forms of ecodegradation that afflict Bagmati river today. The significance of this study is to exhibit how Hitan’s ecowriting has proved to be an effective means of communicating the burgeoning environmental concerns of Bagmati and resolving this environmental harm through the adoption of possible alternatives practically and morally.

Estimation of Plastic Waste Leakage to Environment in Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam

In recent years, the high demand for plastic products in Vietnam has led to an increase in plastic waste leakage into the environment, causing negative impacts on the environment and the ecosystems. In this study, the plastic leakage to the environment from the domestic solid waste in 13 districts of Ha Tinh province was estimated by a Waste Flow Model from 2018-2021 and forecasting to the 2025-2030 period. Results showed that the total plastic waste generated in Ha Tinh province increased from 20,983 tons/year to 23,483 tons/year during the 2018-2021 period. However, the plastic waste released into the environment and leakage into the aquatic environment decreased from 3,022 tons/year to 2,001 tons/year and from 490 tons/year to 361 tons/year in the same period, respectively. Forecasting for the 2025-2030 period, the high collection rate of domestic waste scenario (95%) resulted in 14,664 tons and 1,496 tons, respectively, of total plastic waste released into the environment and aquatic environment. With the low collection rate of domestic solid waste scenario (90%), the total plastic waste leakage into the environment and aquatic environment were 19,068 tons and 1,788 tons, respectively. This result showed that increasing collection and recycling rates of plastic waste may reduce plastic leakage to the environment. It is necessary to monitor and evaluate the impact of plastic waste leakage on the environment and the ecosystems.

Evaluation of Domestic Solid Waste Management in Cai Rang District, Can Tho City, Vietnam

The study was conducted to evaluate the management of domestic solid waste in Cai Rang district, Can Tho city. The study conducted sampling of domestic solid waste from 20 households in four wards Le Binh, Hung Phu, Ba Lang, and Tan Phu within 07 days from March 6 to 12, 2023. At the same time, three groups of subjects including 120 households, 3 Environmental Managers, and 3 employees of Urban Environment Joint Stock Company were interviewed to collect information. The result showed that the average domestic solid waste generation coefficient reached 0.28 kg/person/day, and the amount of domestic solid waste generated can reach about 11,027.3 tons by the end of 2023. Of which, up to 91% of the volume of domestic solid waste was recyclable, including 52% of biodegradable organic waste, and 39% of recyclable waste. As for domestic solid waste management, there was still a limitation in classifying waste at source, this rate only fluctuates between 43.4-86.7%. Besides, the rate of households registered for domestic solid waste collection service had a difference between urban and rural areas, fluctuating from 76.7-96.7%. After being collected, domestic solid waste was transported to the Can Tho household waste incineration plant (EB plant). Meanwhile, the remaining amount of domestic solid waste was treated using unsanitary landfill methods, and thrown into rivers, causing environmental pollution, and public health. Although propaganda activities related to domestic solid waste management were carried out in four wards in Cai Rang district, Can Tho city. However, the level of implementation of these activities was not regular. From that, the study identified a number of difficulties in domestic solid waste management, including solid waste that was not completely classified at source, and garbage collection services that were not organized throughout the area. The district lacked specialized waste collection vehicles after classification, and public propaganda, and education work were limited. This research will help local authorities come up with specific solutions to improve the quality of solid waste management in Cai Rang district, Can Tho city.

Application of SWMM in the simulation of point source pollution in a macrodrainage system

Many cities in Brazil still present, in some locations, flaws in the urban drainage system, mainly concerning water contamination by punctual and diffuse sources, with drainage channels visibly contaminated by domestic sewage and solid waste. Therefore, the present study aimed to perform the diagnosis of dry weather flows and evaluate the behavior of pollutant concentrations during the propagation of the flow and the response of mathematical modeling to an intervention proposal in case the punctual entries that present greater polluting potential to be removed, aiming at improving the quality channel waters. The identification of the sewage entry points in the Canal do Prado was based on field observations. The flow measurement was made at each selected point, to better understand the flow behavior and obtain a good average for the analyzed period. To perform the simulation, the concentrations of the variables BOD, COD and FT for the sewage inlets were raised. A diagnosis of dry weather flows was carried out, corresponding to the reality of the drainage system in the non-rainy periods of the city. The results indicate that SWMM responds well to the Dry Climate Flow (DWF) simulation. Furthermore, even small interventions done in the canal would not yield a significant improvement in the overall quality of the drainage system of the basin, the improvements would be only local.

Characterization for optimizing the integrated management of solid waste for energy recovery and circular economy.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management poses a significant environmental challenge in municipalities across developing nations worldwide. Our studies were focused on characterizing the waste and analyzing the chemical properties of mixed waste fractions to assess their potential for waste-to-energy conversion. The objective of our study was to scrutinize the existing state of the MSW management system and gauge its waste generation rates. Specific ASTM methods were employed to carry out both physical and chemical characterizations. The outcomes reveal that the city generates a daily volume of 1155 tons of domestic solid waste (DSW), translating to a generation rate of 0.51kg-1 capita-1day-1. When analyzed by source, organic matter emerged as the predominant constituent, accounting for 73.74% of the waste, followed by combustible content waste at 15.17%. The moisture content of MSW ranged between 26 and 58% throughout the seasons, while volatile solids varied from 22.35 to 99.74%. Among the components screened, carbon and oxygen stood out as the dominant elements. The calorific values encompassed a broad range, ranging from 14.87MJkg-1 for leather waste to a substantial 25,629.27MJkg-1 for organic waste. To alleviate the escalating burden of increasing solid waste generation, alternative treatment approaches were recommended. These include composting, biomethane plants, the establishment of recycling facilities, and the enhancement of existing landfill sites to scientifically designed landfills. In summary, the findings from this study provide valuable insights for regulatory bodies and municipal authorities. These insights can guide the formulation of policies concerning waste sampling, characterization, segregation, and the implementation of education and awareness campaigns.

Mycosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using marine fungi and their antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms

ObjectivesAt the present time, there is a persistent need to get rid of environmental contaminants by eco-friendly, sustainable, and economical technologies. Uncontrolled disposal practices of domestic and industrial solid and liquid wastes led to water pollution which has negative impacts on public health, environment, and socio-economic development. Several water-borne diseases are spreading man to man by microorganisms such as pathogenic bacteria. For the protection of water bodies, all wastewater from various sources should be managed and remediated properly. Myco-remediation is a form of bioremediation in which fungi are used to get rid of contaminants. Fungi are attractive agents for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles especially silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) which are considered one of the most widely utilized nanoparticles because of their unique characteristics such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. MethodsThis study uses silver nitrate and supernatants of four marine fungi; Penicillium simplicissimum, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus japonicus, and Aspergillus oryzae for extracellular biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles and to evaluate its activity against different pathogenic microorganisms. These nanoparticles may subsequently be applied for the treatment or nano-bioremediation of microbial contaminants in water bodies and improve water quality. ResultsSilver nanoparticles were synthesized and the results revealed that spherical and well-dispersed nanoparticles of different sizes were formed with sizes ranging between 3.8 and 23 nm. Characterization results approved the existence of stable nanocrystalline elemental silver. Antibacterial activity results revealed that AgNPs can be used as a powerful antimicrobial agent for several pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Among the biosynthesized NPs mediated by the four marine fungi, AgNPs mediated by A. japonicus (5 mM) had the highest antibacterial activity, while AgNPs mediated by Penicillium simplicissmum (8 mM) had the highest antifungal activity. ConclusionMarine fungi can biosynthesize stable AgNPs that exhibit potent antimicrobial activity against a variety of pathogens.

The Perception of Household about Solid Waste Management Issues in India

Solid waste management issues created by homegrown, business and modern exercises is regularly unpredictably arranged off and its informal administration prompts genuine natural create natural issues. One of the significant difficulties presented by fast urbanization is the executives of waste produced by ever expanding populace. Local area interest has an immediate bearing on effective solid waste management. This paper is set out to present the in-depth perception of households regarding domestic solid waste management in Moradabad of Uttar Pradesh. The study is descriptive and cross sectional in nature. The researcher used questionnaire as the main research instrument for the study. 95 respondents were selected randomly from one zone of Moradabad. It has been found from the study that majority of the respondents were agreed to every statement of the questionnaire and no difference have been found in the perception of male and female respondents towards solid waste management practices.

Prediction of Leachate Characteristics via an Analysis of the Solubilized Extract of the Organic Fraction of Domestic Solid Waste from the Municipality of Belém, PA

This work aimed to predict the physical–chemical characteristics of leachate according to the analysis of the solubilized extract from urban household solid waste (UHSW), on a laboratory scale, in the city of Belém/PA, Brazil. The neighborhoods where the waste was collected were sectorized based on geographic and socioeconomic data, with family income as the main parameter. After collection, the material was sent to the segregation area, where a gravimetric analysis of the UHSW was performed and fractions (paper, cardboard, Tetra Pak, rigid plastic, malleable plastic, metals, glass, organic matter, sanitary waste, fabrics and rejects) were segregated. After the gravimetric characterization, it was found that the highest average proportions were 55.57% organic matter, 14.26% sanitary waste and 9.97% malleable plastic. The organic fraction was selected and subjected to drying, crushing, sieving and packaging pretreatment, and then the solubilized extract of this fraction was obtained according to NBR No. 10.006/2004 of the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards. In the analyses of the solubilized extract, values for total nitrogen (201.80 to 359.90 mg·L−1), ammonia nitrogen (161 to 289 mg·L−1), nitrate (10 to 40 mg·L−1) and chemical oxygen demand were obtained (28,701 mg·L−1 to 38,608 mg·L−1), indicating the similarity of the waste solubilization conditions to those of leachate from landfills, in addition to being in noncompliance with environmental and health legislation, thus making it necessary to have an efficient waste management system, which avoids the release of waste into the environment that would result in environmental impacts similar to those of leachate contact with the environment.

State of the field of domestic solid waste management in Ukraine

It was determined that the current state of the field of solid household waste management in Ukraine is: focused on the landfilling of solid household waste, its placement in landfills and spontaneous landfills, most of which do not meet the requirements of environmental safety; is characterized by the lack of opportunities for separate collection and processing of solid household waste; has a low technological level and a low level of implementation of innovative technologies; is characterized by the lack of a proper recycling system (including a separate collection system); limited by approaches to making complex management decisions and financial resources. It has been established that the outdated methods of managing this area, as well as the lack of a comprehensive solid waste management system, is the main problem for Ukraine, which negatively affects the environment and the health of the population. Solving this problem largely depends on state policy, legislative innovations and specific financial and economic mechanisms approved at the national level. The main priorities for changes in solid waste management policy are outlined. It has been established that the development of national legislation in the field of waste management, including solid household waste, is taking place in Ukraine. In particular, the National Waste Management Strategy until 2030, the National Waste Management Plan until 2030, the Law of Ukraine “On Waste Management” was adopted, which indicates the implementation of the basic principles and provisions of European legislation in the field of waste management, including solid household waste.

The Use of Biochar for the Removal of Erythromycin Residues from Aqueous Environment

The presence of residual antibiotics in soil and water ecosystems has harmful effects on the environment, ecological food chain, and human health. It is also a driving factor for bacterial antibiotic resistance. Erythromycin is an antibiotic found in the water bodies in several countries due to improper disposal or inefficient wastewater treatment. Biochar is an adsorbent material prepared by the pyrolysis of discarded waste items including food and garden waste that could provide a cost-effective and efficient method for eliminating antibiotics from wastewater. This study evaluated whether biochar is successful in removing the antibiotic erythromycin from an aqueous environment through adsorption. It also investigated whether various factors such the pH of the aqueous environment or the concentration of erythromycin impacted its adsorption. Lastly, it was compared to commercially available activated charcoal to determine which material adsorbs erythromycin more effectively. The biochar is obtained from the pyrolysis of solid domestic waste including food, paper, and garden waste at 300°C. All experiments were conducted over three hours at neutral pH and the adsorption onto 1.0 g (±1 mg) of biochar was calculated in mg/g. The solutions were continuously stirred at 200 rpm and the temperature was set to 23°C. Samples were analysed using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at 210 nm using a mixture of methanol-water at alkaline pH (80:20, v/v) as a mobile phase. It was found that the highest concentration of erythromycin, 100 mg/L showed a better adsorption capacity (3.71 mg/g) compared to samples at a concentration of 50 mg/L (1.90 mg/g) and 25 mg/L (0.95 mg/g). In addition, samples obtained from the neutral (pH 7) solution showed slightly greater drug adsorption in comparison to samples obtained from the acidic (pH 5) and alkaline (pH 9) solutions. Lastly, biochar was more effective than activated charcoal in adsorbing erythromycin where a 1.0 g of biochar adsorbed almost twice the amount of the drug. Overall, this study suggested the use of a biochar prepared from discarded materials as a simple cost-effective additional method for removing erythromycin from water which could be further optimised or combined with another method achieve a full elimination.

Опыт использования беспилотных летательных аппаратов для выявления мест размещения отходов в водоохранных зонах

Disposal of industrial and consumer waste in water protection zones of water bodies is a violation of water legislation of the Russian Federation. The use of materials obtained with the help of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) significantly expands the possibilities for determining stored waste. UAVs are used for prompt identification of unauthorized waste disposal sites within the boundaries of the water protection zones of the Tsimlyansk reservoir. The paper presents the possibilities of using orthophotoplans and photo materials obtained during field surveys carried out by the Russian Research Institute for the Integrated Use and Protection of Water Resources in 2019-2021. According to the research results, the largest accumulation of solid household waste is localized in the water protection zone of large cities and villages. The largest amount of waste stored in the water protection zone is located in the Dubovsky and Tsimplansk districts of the Rostov region, as well as in the Kalachyovsky district of the Volgograd region. Dumping sites detected with the help of UAVs based on the composition of the predominant waste were divided into five groups: solid household waste, construction waste, organic waste, metal, and waste of unknown composition. Up to 42 % of landfill waste in the water protection zone of the reservoir is solid domestic waste, at least 25 % of landfill sites are construction waste and 20 % are organ waste.

Generation and Composition of Domestic Solid Waste in Vinh Chau Town, Soc Trang Province, Vietnam

The study aims to assess the generation, composition and household’s management of domestic solid waste in Vinh Chau town, Soc Trang province, Vietnam. The required data were collected by field survey and by interviewing 198 households in the study area. The results showed that the average generation rate of solid wastes was 2.29 kg/day with an emission factor per capita of 0.55 kg/person/day. The composition of domestic solid wastes was organic matters accounted for 86.60%, plastics 4.30%, hazardous waste 2.11%, paper and cardboard 1.95%, textiles 1.29%, metals 0.97%, brick and porcelain 0.54%, glass 0.51% and other components 1.73%. The solid wastes are now not classified at source. About 46.46% of the surveyed households have registered for the solid waste collection service and the collection rate in the study area is only 56.5%. The result also presented that 53.53% of waste is collected and brought to the landfill for treatment, while the remaining is mainly burned by the households. Solid waste management in the study area has several limits and it should be soon improved to meet the current legal regulations.

Effect of community participation on knowledge, attitude and practice of domestic solid waste management in Uyo, Nigeria

Background: The increasing burden of solid waste generated in many parts of the developing world is a cause for concern as it impacts on the environment and the health of the population. Community participation as an intervention can become a veritable opportunity for individuals and communities to address this challenge. 
 Aim: The study aimed to assess the effect of community participation on the knowledge, attitude and practice of house-heads in peri-urban communities in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. 
 Materials and methods: The study was set at peri-urban communities in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state and employs a quasi-experimental design. A multistage sampling method was used to sample household heads for the study. A pretested interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to get the opinions of the household heads before and after the intervention. Community participation, as an intervention involved distribution of waste bags and education of community members about the need for proper management of wastes. A committee was set up to ensure proper management of domestic waste in the community. A scoring system was used to assess and compare the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of domestic solid waste in both communities. The level of significance was set at <0.05. 
 Results: A total of 246 (98.0) respondents in the intervention arm and 250(99.6) in the control arm participated in the study. The mean ages of participants in the intervention and control groups were 45.84±14.4 years and 45.31±14.4 years respectively. Most of the respondents in the intervention and control groups were male. At post-intervention, there was an improvement in the level of knowledge, attitude and practice in the intervention group, which was in all cases statistically significant.
 Conclusion: Community participation can play a critical role in improving solid waste management in communities.

Overview of Domestic Solid Waste Management System at Islamic Hospital A. Yani Surabaya

Introduction: Hospital waste can threaten surfaces, water, air, soil, environment, and human health. Almost 80% of the waste produced by hospitals is in the form of non-medical waste, and 20% is in the form of medical waste. Based on the total amount of waste generated by health service activities, about 85% is general non-hazardous waste which is comparable to domestic waste. Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe the domestic solid waste management system at Isam A. Yani Hospital, Surabaya. Method: This type of research is a quantitative study with a cross-sectional approach. The population in this study is to 5 informants. Results and Discussion: of the research at the stage of handling domestic solid waste for storage have distinguished between organic and non-organic waste, the transporter uses PPE and is stored in the Landfills for 1 day. The facilities available are trolleys with uk 660 liters and 240 liters, sinks, green carts, dustbins, cikrak etc. Vector control is always carried out when there is a density of vector animals. Conclusion: The conclusion of the domestic solid waste management system at the Islamic Hospital A. Yani Surabaya is that RSI has carried out the stages of waste management in accordance with existing regulations

Sustainable technology: Recycling roof tile waste in the ceramics industry

With technological and economic developments, the amount of domestic and industrial solid waste is gradually increasing. It is important to investigate the methods that will ensure the disposal of waste in the roof tile industry, which is one of these solid wastes. In this study, the pigment effect of waste roof tile in ceramic glaze formulations was investigated. Waste roof tiles were added at the rate of 5-10-15-20% to the ceramic glaze formulations. Two different grinding times, 10 min and 45 min, were applied to the formed formulations, and their effects were compared. The chemical analysis of the waste tile used in the formulations by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), the effect on the glaze surface hardness by the Vickers hardness method, and the surface properties and characterizations of the obtained samples were examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It is foreseen that the roof tile waste will contribute to the usability and economic/environmental aspects of the ceramic industry.

Effects of PET and RFCC on the dynamic modulus, phase angle, and complex viscosity of asphalt concrete

With economic and social development, the total amount of domestic and industrial solid waste discharged is considerable. In 2020, Vietnam generated about 2.2 million tons of plastic waste and 2 million tons of industrial solid waste. And most of them are landfilled and take a long time to decompose. This has dramatically affected the environment, costly land resources, and considerable transportation, burial, and management costs of those landfills. Therefore, many scientists have studied to recycle these wastes. There are two approaches to using recycled waste in hot mix asphalt (HMA). Waste plastic changes the properties of the asphalt binder, and solid waste replaces coarse particles in an asphalt mixture. During the research on using recycled waste for asphalt concrete, PET (Poly Ethylene Terephthalate) and RFCC (Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking) were chosen for the study. This paper presents a study on the influence of PET (with 0.2% content in HMA) and RFCC (with 5% content in HMA) on the viscoelastic property of asphalt concrete based on dynamic modulus, phase angle, and complex viscosity values. At high temperatures, HMA using PET and RFCC exhibit complete elastic behavior (φ ≈ 50) in contrast to the viscous elastic behavior of the control sample (φ ≈ 150). Compared control sample, RFCC significantly increased the stiffness of HMA at low and high temperatures; with the dynamic modulus of HMA using RFCC increased 1.1 times at low and 1.6 times at high temperatures; the viscosity of HMA using RFCC and PET decreased 10 times and 7 times at low temperatures.

SOME SOLUTIONS TO STRENGTHEN HOUSEHOLD SOLID WASTES MANAGEMENT IN TU SON CITY, BAC NINH PROVINCE, VIETNAM

The study has applied a number of traditional research methods to assess the current status of domestic solid waste (DSW) management and suggest some solutions to strengthen household solid wastes management in Tu Son city, Bac Ninh province, Vietnam. The results showed that the main component of DSW is organic waste; the total amount of DSW is 150 tons/day; the average emission factor is 1.16 kg/person/day; The DSW management in Tu Son city in recent years has achieved many positive results, but has not yet completely solved the amount of DSW generated. To improve the efficiency of DSW management in the study area, it is necessary to apply a number of solutions synchronously, such as: Raise awareness of the community on how to identify types of waste and the importance of sorting DSW at source; Implementation of solutions for effectively and thoroughly DSW classification at source; Collecting all DSW generated from households; Strengthening waste treatment at source; Effective use of currently operating incinerators and speeding up the investment in building solid waste treatment facilities in localities

Nature based solutions applied to mature leachate treatment in the Latin American resource-poor environment

Some Latin American countries have implemented environmental policies which have enhanced a shift in domestic solid waste practices from open dumps to sanitary landfills, bringing about a serious challenge to the region in terms of leachate management both in the operation and the aftercare phases of landfills. This work looks at the viability of Nature based Solutions (NbS) in the Latin American resource-poor environment as a cost-efficient alternative for dealing with such a challenge. In particular, an experimental trial was carried out in order to evaluate the contaminants removal of four subsurface constructed wetlands at a pilot scale, for treating mature leachate with emphasis on nitrogen removal. The wetlands were set in two treatment lines: (1) a vertical flow wetland followed by a horizontal flow wetland and (2) two vertical flow wetlands in series. Each line was fed at a 173 L.d−1 rate of mature leachate. The wetlands were planted with a polyculture of the tropical plants Colocasia esculenta and Heliconia psittacorum in a random way and the support media used was composed of 3/8″ gravel and gross sand. Both treatment lines showed similar behaviours and it is important to highlight that ammoniacal nitrogen, that is the principal contaminant to treat, was significantly removed (40% approx.) considering the high loads the system was fed with (490 kg.d−1 TAN). It is considered that the removal mechanism of the ammoniacal nitrogen is a biological nitrification-denitrification process, due to the increase of nitrite and nitrate concentrations in the effluent, as well as the bicarbonate alkalinity consumption. These results suggest the system proposed as an NbS has promising potential for leachate treatment in Latin American countries.