Project Page Views: [ 748 ]
| Project Metadata Element | Details |
| Project Title | Laois - The Treatment of Landfill Leachate Using Peat |
| Research Area | Water |
| Project Acronym | |
| Principal Investigator or Lead Irish Partner | Charles Tweeney (IE) |
| Lead Institution or Organisation | Laois County Council; Kerry County Council; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
| Lead Country | Ireland |
| Latitude, Longitude (of Lead Institution) | 53.03164, -7.30079; 52.26608, -9.67876; 52.29570, -6.50182 |
| Lead Funding Entity | LIFE |
| Approximate Project Start Date | 24/03/1997 |
| Approximate Project Finishing Date | 24/02/2001 |
| Project Website (if any) | http://www.laois.ie/; http://www.epa.ie/#&panel1-1 |
| Links to other Web-based resources | |
| Project Keywords | Waste treatment; End-of-pipe technology; Landfill leachate; Alternative technology |
| Project Abstract | Background: In the EU, contaminated leachate from landfills is commonly transported from the site to a biological sewage treatment plant for processing. However, in countries with low population densities and relatively small population centres, as is the case in Ireland, the availability of suitable treatment plants with excess treatment capacities can be low, and even when such plants are available prohibitive costs are incurred transporting leachate over long distances. The use of leachate technology at the time of the inception of the project throughout the Member States was not equitable and potentially levied an economic disadvantage on waste producers in countries with small population densities. Significant variations in treatment costs throughout the EU could have resulted in an unbalanced application of the polluter pays principle. Initial laboratory analysis, followed by the construction of a small scale pilot plant for the treatment of leachate at the central landfill in the country of Laois in Ireland, showed that leachate contaminant concentration could be reduced to acceptable discharge levels using peat filtration. Potentially, the technology could be applied on-site at landfills and reduce the need to transport leachate for treatment at sewage plants. On-site treatment systems, when used elsewhere, are mainly aerobic treatment systems and are costly to construct and operate. Objectives: The project was a partnership between Laois County Council, Kerry County Council and the Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland to demonstrate the potential reproduction of an innovative, low-cost, low maintenance technology as a BATNEEC. The objective was to demonstrate that innovative peat technology could be used as best available technology not entailing excessive cost (BATNEEC) for onsite treatment of landfill leachate on both active and closed landfills. The project also proposed to demonstrate the technology to be 'low cost, low maintenance'. The following discharge standards were required at each of the two sites to ensure protection of the receiving waters: BOD at 85 mg/l, ammonia at 15 mg/l. Target concentrations for treatment levels for three discharge parameters were given in the LIFE application as follows: Laois site: BOD at 47 mg/l, SS at 75 mg/l, ammonia at 15 mg/l; Kerry site: BOD at 23 mg/l, SS at 75 mg/l, ammonia at 15 mg/l. |