Phyto cover for Sanitary Landfill Sites: A brief review

Abstract

Landfill gases (LFG) are produced due to biodegradation of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) when water comes in contact with buried wastes. The conventional clay cover is still practiced to mitigate the percolation of water in landfills in India. Gas extraction systems in landfill for gas collection are used but are much expensive. Thus, "Phytocapping" technique can be one of the alternatives to mitigate landfill gases and to minimize percolation of water into the landfill. Indian plants with locally available soil and municipal solid waste can be tested for the purpose of methane mitigation, heavy metals remediation from leachate. Methane oxidation due to vegetation can be observed compared to non-vegetated landfill. Root zone methane concentrations can be monitored for the plant species.

Methane emissions from trees planted on a closed landfill site

“…Methanotrophic oxidation rates in landfill cover soils are related to site management practices; for example, the thickness and composition of cover soil, and seasonal variability in cover soil moisture and temperature ( Bogner et al, 1997 ; Spokas et al, 2011 ). Planting trees is commonly used as a management strategy to improve the visual appeal of closed landfill sites, increase carbon sequestration and minimise water percolation into waste ( Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2003 ; Shah et al, 2017 ; Venkatraman and Ashwath, 2009 ). Currently in England, around ca .60% of closed landfill sites that accepted household or commercial waste have areas of trees planted on them (Fraser-McDonald, unpublished satellite investigation work).…”