If there is a choice between on-site and off-site landfill leachate treatment at a sewer plant (municipal wastewater treatment) or even a commercially operated industrial effluent treatment plant, which should you choose?
OK here we go! On the one hand, there is Pro; In favor:
The main point in favor of on-site versus off-site landfill leachate treatment is that it is more efficient to treat leachate in a dedicated treatment plant that has been specifically designed for the high strength of a modern landfill leachate.
Your second point of support will be that the investment profile is more akin to a landfill business where an early built leachate plant can be paid for with revenues (gate fee revenues and landfill gas revenues) generated while the landfill is actively filled. If someone else treats leachate off-site, it will be per cubic meter treated for 30 to 50 years or more. But, after the site has been shut down, revenues drop, and soon there’s only treatment money to pay for it. Therefore, it is much better to invest in an on-site treatment plant asset that will be in use for many years after the initial investment, so that only running costs will have to be paid once the landfill closes. and landfill revenue to pay for the leachate plant dries up.
The third positive point is that the owner of an on-site leachate treatment plant has a much safer disposal route for their leachate than for an option off-site treatment plant, because the external service provider can stop accept the download with little notice.
A fourth major benefit is that it is more efficient to treat leachate treatment in a dedicated plant optimized for that purpose than in a sewage or industrial effluent plant, where both are typically better suited to treating more dilute or lower concentration effluents.
Finally, the fifth support point is going to be ((6))).
And on the contrary, for balance, the Side, against:
The first point against on-site versus off-site leachate treatment will be that site owners and environmental regulators (EA, EPA, Water Purification Board, River Management Authority), etc., are often concerned that an on-site leachate treatment plant could fail and discharge contaminated water into a river or stream. Although, this can be avoided with good design and training of site personnel in the operation of the leachate treatment plant.
The second drawback will be that the landfill company may find it difficult to finance the capital cost of an on-site leachate treatment plant (although an increase in gate fee to pay for it might be possible).
The third drawback will be lack of space, which is unlikely in a large landfill.
The fourth drawback will be the cost of bringing in a power supply for the leachate treatment plant, although a supply line and electricity are usually already available from the landfill gas (waste power) generators on site.
Fifth and last point, the last point against it will be the landfill’s lack of advance planning to make the right decisions to save money on an on-site leachate treatment plant over a long-term period.
Now both sides have been heard and the Pros and Cons are stacked, for and against.
So who won? What could we conclude? Is on-site landfill leachate treatment more good than bad? or more bad than good?
We have a “Yes” answer to both questions! on-site versus off-site landfill leachate treatment is a decision that will vary depending on the circumstances of each landfill, and the debate is a combination of good and bad… You, dear reader, will have to determine which side, the good or the bad one outranks the other for his site.
