Selected Case Studies

Management of landfill leachates

Funded by landfill tax credits and in collaboration with CL Associates and Terraconsult, Mineral Solutions has played a key role in assessing the performance of novel drainage systems for leachate management (geogrid and limestone). Mineral Solutions carried out mineralogical analysis of suspended solids from leachate samples taken for WMP4 quarterly suite analysis and materials from uniaxial permeability tests, interpreting these using geochemical modelling techniques.

The work showed that calcium carbonate (calcite) occurs in all leachates studied, despite variation in pH. The implication is that limestone aggregate chemically is stable in contact with leachates under conditions that are normally encountered in sanitary landfills.

Output includes publications (part satisfying the needs of the landfill tax funding source) and Environment Agency guidance notes for the use of limestone aggregate in landfill drainage systems.

Potential: this approach could be taken to assess the performance of novel materials in landfill drainage systems, such as crushed concrete and slag.

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