The EU Landfill Directive, introduced over a decade ago, set strict requirements for landfill management in the UK - and the UK still largely follows its legislation, despite leaving the European Union in 2020. All landfill sites must follow this directive - whether active or dormant - and follow strict measures to ensure a landfill doesn't harm the local surrounding areas. Landfill leachate - classed as water that has filtered through waste in a landfill - must be effectively managed to not harm the local environment or surroundings.
Landfill sites are exposed to the elements, and rainfall or surface water can infiltrate the waste layers. Combined with liquids produced during waste decomposition, it creates leachate. It's notorious for its high levels of organic compounds, ammonia, and toxic metals, like arsenic. As leachate can hugely vary by its composition, it can be difficult to treat with any kind of consistency.
As such, the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires any organization generating leachate wastewater to protect surrounding water bodies. Failure to treat leachate leads to water pollution, which can disrupt the local ecosystem and harm the surrounding environment.
Aerated treatment wetlands with Forced Bed Aeration™ (FBA™) technology offer a sustainable and cost-effective solution for managing landfill leachate. These systems can handle varying wastewater strengths, improving water quality and preventing pollution.
FBA™ technology involves installing a network of pipes beneath the gravel bed of a wetland, which bubbles air through the system. This increases oxygen availability, increasing the wetland's capacity to treat pollutants.
Aerated wetlands are designed to achieve contaminant removal through physical (primary), biological (secondary), and chemical (tertiary) processes. This technology can be retrofitted into existing wetland systems or implemented in new projects.
