Leachate recirculation - A review of operating experience at municipal solid waste landfills throughout the United States

Recently, leachate recirculation is reported to have become widespread at municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills throughout the United States, as owners and operators attempt to reduce operating costs associated with leachate treatment and disposal, and increase revenues from gas-to-energy systems. Long-term, some sites look forward to increased site life due to accelerated decomposition of inplace waste. There appear to be many different methods of recirculation as there are sites practicing it. From pits dug at the working face to elaborate pumped distribution systems. Few of the systems appear to have been "engineered," and fewer still are being monitored in a manner which would aid in quantifying the effects of full-scale recirculation. Rust Environment & Infrastructure, Inc. (Rust) has assisted several MSW landfill owners and operators with the design and construction of new leachate recirculation systems, and with evaluation of improvements to existing leachate recirculation systems. In the process, Rust has compiled a database of operating information concerning leachate recirculation systems throughout the United States. This presentation summarizes current operating experience, highlights common problems, and identifies several areas of basic field research which would benefit the MSW landfill industry and improve the practice of leachate recirculation.