Spatial and temporal distribution of illegal dumping sites in the nature protected area: the Ojców National Park,Poland

The existence of illegal dumping continues to be a worldwide problem, even in nature protected areas, and its distribution is not random. An understanding of the distribution of illegal dumping sites is crucial for the enhancement of effective waste management systems. Therefore, this study aims at a better understanding of spatial and temporal changes to illegal dumping sites in a nature protected area (the Ojców National Park) from 1994 to 2016. The most important spatial factors that control the distribution of illegal dumping sites were the distance from roads and from the field-forest edge. In the last two decades, the number of small dumping sites has increased, whereas the number of large illegal dumping sites has decreased. Moreover, this study presents a model of the potential occurrence of illegal dumping sites, which indicates places that should be under the control of the national park and of local authorities.     

IMPROVEMENT OF LEACHATE PREDICTION THROUGH MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LAYERS1

ABSTRACT: Existing leachate prediction models over- or underestimate leachate generation by up to three orders of magnitude. Practical experiments show that channeled flow in waste leads to rapid discharge of large leachate volumes and heterogeneous moisture distributions. In order to more accurately predict leachate generation, leachate models must be improved. To predict moisture movement through waste, the one-domain water balance model HELP, and two-domain PREFLO, are tested. Experimental waste and leachate flow values are compared with model predictions. When calibrated with experimental parameters, the HELP model yields reasonable predictions of cumulative leachate flow and PREFLO provides estimates of breakthrough time. In the short term, field capacity has to be reduced to 0.12 and effective storage and hydraulic conductivity of the waste must be increased to 0.2 and 2.2 cm/s respectively. In the long term, a new modeling approach must be developed to adequately describe the moisture movement mechanisms.     

Associations between distance lags,groundwater velocities,and detection efficiencies in groundwater monitoring networks

Effects of distance lags between landfills and monitoring wells on contaminant detection capability were quantified in several groundwater velocity settings. Detection efficiency calculations were made with and without imposing a time limit on contaminant travel. In general, longer distance lags yieldedhigher detection efficiencies. However, detection efficienciesdecreased as monitoring wells approached a buffer zone boundaryimposing a maximum permissible contaminant transport distance.Imposing a time limit on contaminant travel substantially reduced detection efficiency in low velocity settings, especiallyat longer distance lags. Time limits were less significant in high velocity settings where contaminants more quickly reachedmonitoring wells. Detection efficiencies also decreased as velocity increased, but decreases were minor once the velocityreached a threshold value.     

The contribution of the paper cycle to global warming

Worldwide, paper production is a major industry that contributes about 3 percent of Gross World Product. The paper cycle involves a broad range of natural resource and environmental impacts because fiber supply relies on trees, paper manufacturing requires fuel inputs, and paper waste disposal can contribute to emissions of the potent greenhouse gas (GHG), methane (CH₄). In some countries, the paper cycle may be seen as a net sink for GHG because of reliance on renewable wood by-products and the maintenance of forest plantations. On a worldwide basis, however, this study demonstrates that the paper cycle is a significant contributor to GHG emissions, adding emissions at least comparable in magnitude to that of Australia each year. The estimated global warming contribution of paper in landfills is estimated to be similar to that of paper manufacturing processes, on a heating-equivalent basis. In some temperate regions, original old-growth forests are still harvested to supply pulpwood, resulting in a significant loss of carbon (C) storage. In theory, the paper cycle holds the promise of achieving zero net emissions if pulpwood production, consumption and disposal are carefully managed. In practice, even stabilization of emissions at current levels would be challenging and entail changes comparable to a 20 percent reduction in CH₄ generation from landfilled paper, and a 2.5 percent annual increase in plantation establishment would be needed to offset the projected increase in emissions from paper manufacturing.     

城市生活垃圾填埋场垃圾-土壤-植物中汞含量的分布特征

在贵阳和武汉市的4座城市生活垃圾填埋场,研究了其中的生活垃圾、土壤和植物中的汞含量分布特征。结果显示,城市生活垃圾的汞含量分布极不均匀,浓度为0.170~46.222 mg.kg-1,几何均值0.574 mg.kg-1,一半以上的样品汞含量低于0.5 mg.kg-1,个别含量异常偏高,可能是被混入的含汞废弃产品污染了,而各个填埋场的垃圾汞含量几何均值相差不大。不同垃圾填埋场覆盖土壤的汞含量差异显著,反映了填埋场所在区域的土壤背景值以及垃圾填埋活动对覆盖土壤的污染程度,有时覆盖土壤的汞含量超过区域土壤背景值的2~23倍。填埋场附近的农田土壤存在一定的汞污染迹象。填埋场生长的植物因生活习性的不同汞含量分布特征也不同,无喙齿冠草为叶>根>茎,狗牙根和硬质早熟禾为地下部分>地上部分。随着填埋场运行时间的增长,附近生长的苔藓汞含量不断升高,封闭填埋场种植的玉米果实有一部分汞含量超过了食用标准,这些都说明填埋场的运行会给周围的生态环境带来一定的汞污染风险。     

Anammox: an option for ammonium removal in bioreactor landfills

Experiments carried out in bioreactor landfill simulators demonstrated that more than 40% of the total N was transferred into the liquid and gas phases during the incubation period of 380 days. Ammonium, an end product of protein degradation and important parameter to consider during landfill closure, tends to accumulate up to inhibitory levels in the leachate of landfills especially in landfills with leachate recirculation. Most efforts to remove ammonium from leachate have been focused on ex situ and partial in situ methods such as nitrification, denitrification and chemical precipitation. Besides minimal contributions from other N-removal processes, Anammox (Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation) bacteria were found to be active within the simulators. Anammox is considered to be an important contributor to remove N from the solid matrix. However, it was unclear how the necessary nitrite for Anammox metabolism was produced. Moreover, little is known about the nature of residual nitrogen in the waste mass and possible mechanisms to remove it. Intrusion of small quantities of O₂ is not only beneficial for the degradation process of municipal solid waste (MSW) in bioreactor landfills but also significant for the development of the Anammox bacteria that contributed to the removal of ammonium. Volatilisation and Anammox activity were the main N removal mechanisms in these pilot-scale simulators. The results of these experiments bring new insights on the behaviour, evolution and fate of nitrogen from solid waste and present the first evidence of the existence of Anammox activity in bioreactor landfill simulators.     

WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Waste management is emerging as a key sector for sustainable development in South Africa with opportunities for enhancing investments in carbon credits that target reduction of methane from landfills and moveable assets in relation to environmentally sound equipment required for effective waste management. In the past, the waste management sector was dominated by private sector with selective operations in what makes business sense through recycling of saleable products. Materials mostly recycled included paper and hard board, plastics, glass, tinplate and aluminum. The rest of the waste materials estimated at 10.2 million tons of both general and hazardous end up in landfills. This trend is now getting reversed as development agencies such as Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit Gmbh (GTZ), Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Danish Co-operation for Environment and Development (DANCED) and Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) are identifying opportunities in the sector for sustainable development purposes. Two key areas for investments include capturing methane emissions from landfills for trading in carbon markets and financing both physical and moveable assets to enhance sustainable development. However, the challenges for cost-effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability in the sector prevail in relation to lack of sound knowledge to design and implement integrated programmes that incorporate environment, development and sustainability. Also, inadequate capacity at municipal levels to administer waste management programmes and inability to collect rates and taxes for effective management of landfills constraint effectiveness and efficiency of the sector. Overall, financial resources are imperative to waste management and sustainable development as the sector requires capital investments for necessary infrastructure.     

中外垃圾土体渗透系数试验对比分析

从试验数据、试验方法 2个方面总结归纳了关于现有垃圾填埋场渗透系数的国内外试验,并且通过对比国内外渗透系数的一系列试验成果,分析了国内外渗透系数试验在基础数据、试验方法多样性方面的优劣。以此为基点,对未来国内岩土工程发展方向提出了建议。     

序批式生物反应器填埋场的脱氮特性

采用3个填埋柱模拟序批式生物反应器填埋场: 1号柱装填新鲜垃圾,为对照柱,渗滤液简单回灌;2号和3号柱分别装填新鲜垃圾和腐熟垃圾,渗滤液交叉回灌.探讨了序批式生物反应器填埋场的氨氮去除率、反硝化能力以及厌氧氨氧化能力.结果表明:1号柱渗滤液的氨氮质量浓度在40 d内升高并趋于稳定;3号柱的氨氮去除率随时间的延续逐渐降低,从垃圾装填开始的100%降到90 d后的0,2号柱氨氮的累积去除率为40%左右.试验进行90 d后,分别将一定质量浓度的硝酸盐溶液添加到3个填埋柱内,结果表明,所使用的硝酸盐氮在2 d内几乎全部被去除, 证明3个填埋柱都具有很强的反硝化能力.3号柱在添加硝酸盐过程中硫酸根质量浓度升高,表明发生了自养反硝化反应.通过向填埋柱添加亚硝酸盐发现, 3号柱有一定的厌氧氨氧化能力,氨氮质量浓度下降10%～32%.      

回灌条件下垃圾填埋体析出氨氮总量模型

文章在试验基础上提出垃圾厌氧填埋场达到稳定后,温度与渗滤液中氨氯析出总量呈二次关系,对试验数据进行相关性分析,其相关系数R2达到0.9185,从而验证了该二次函数关系的正确性.同时本文提出了回灌条件下,垃圾厌氧填埋体氨氮析出总量的模型,为今后该方面研究工作的进一步展开提供借鉴.