Landfill gas collection from an operating bioreactor landfill

The operation of landfills as controlled bioreactors under wet conditions offers the potential for safer and more effective management of landfilled solid waste relative to traditional dry landfill systems. The effects of different environmental conditions on the degree and rate of landfill stabilization have been evaluated in a number of pilot-scale studies during the previous twenty years. These studies have demonstrated that increased levels of moisture in the waste and the recycle of leachate through the waste increase the rate of waste stabilization. Benefits of leachate recycle, including leachate hydrologic management and in-situ leachate treatment, make leachate recycle an attractive option for some landfill operators. A number of landfill currently practice leachate recycle throughout the United States. This paper reviews recent results regarding gas collection from an operating bioreactor landfill in Alachua County, Florida.