Achieving equilibrium status and sustainable landfill - the holy grail?

This paper presents the results of a research contract jointly funded by the Environment Agency and ESART examining the residues of likely post-Landfill Directive waste streams that will need to go to landfill and the time taken to achieve sufficient stabilisation such that management controls can be removed. The first part of the project has identified a number of processes that are likely to be adopted by the waste management industry in order to meet the biodegradable waste diversion targets. Both leachate quality and landfill gas generation data has been assessed for each residue stream. Forward modelling has been undertaken on these data using LandSim2.5 within GoldSim to assess the likely period of management needed in order to achieve equilibrium status.