Environmental Industries Sector Unit EISU Seminar Mission South Korea Leachate treatment from a UK perspective Dr Robert Eden Managing Director Organics Group plc

Environmental Industries Sector Unit UK company delivering equipment for waste management systems around the world Originally working with landfill gas and leachate technologies Now also involved in waste to energy systems Global experience with particular emphasis in Europe, the Far East and China Organics Group plc EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit What is leachate ? A toxic liquid that forms in landfills as water passes through deposited wastes and mixes with chemicals in the wastes EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit How is leachate a threat ? Leachate can leak from landfills causing toxic contamination of ground and surface water, hazards to human health and damage aquatic ecosystems EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit The UK approach to leachate management has for many years been based on: Applied and experimental research data Site-specific risk assessment Best Practical Environmental Option BATNEEC Principles of Sustainability EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit Used extensively in sewage sludge treatment. Particularly effective for acetogenic leachates, although may become inoperative once methanogenesis commences. Ammonia removal not achieved. Anaerobic biological treatment EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit Used to remove non-degradable organic compounds, although often used after some prior form of treatment to 'polish' effluent. The technique is, however, expensive and can produce a high-strength concentrate which must in turn be disposed of. Reverse osmosis EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit Effective, economical means of reducing BOD and ammonia Aerated lagoons have been used successfully to remove BOD and nitrify ammonia. Can be adversely affected by low values of BOD Aerobic biological treatment EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit This method has the potential to remove COD, ammonia, nitrate and suspended solids, although research has yet to establish optimum conditions of operation. Reed beds EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit Ammonia is found in raw domestic sewage in concentrations of about 30 mg/litre. In leachate it may rise to several thousands of milligrams per litre EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit  Ammonia is toxic to fish. Lethal concentrations range from 2.5 to 25 mg/l  As ammonia is biologically oxidised to nitrate it exerts an oxygen demand on the receiving water  Ammonia acts as a fertiliser EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit  Ammonia nitrogen is present in water in two forms.  The first is as dissociated ammonia, NH 4 +, also referred to as the ammonium ion.  The second is as undissociated ammonia, NH 3, known as ammonia gas EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit NH OH -  NH 3 + H 2 O f = [NH 3 ] / [NH 3 ] + [NH 4 + ] The relationship between the ammonium ion and ammonium gas EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit The effect of temperature and pH on "f" EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit Air stripping of ammonia involves the passage of large quantities of air over the exposed surface of the leachate, thus causing the partial pressure of the ammonia gas within the water to drive the ammonia from the liquid phase to the gas phase EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit NENT LTP  Flow rate: 1,400 m 3 /d  Influent concentration: 6,700 mg/l NH 3 -N  Effluent concentration: 100 mg/l NH 3 -N EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit

Thermal Destructor Emissions GasFeed concentration Exit concentration % Destruction Methane50%<0.002% Ammonia91,573 mg/m3 47 mg/m NO3.7 mg/m39 mg/m3n/a NO mg/m317 mg/m3n/a

Environmental Industries Sector Unit There are no technical obstacles to the treatment of landfill leachate to extremely high standards EISU Seminar Mission South Korea

Environmental Industries Sector Unit Organics Group plc EISU Seminar Mission South Korea