The water coming from a landfill is usually contaminated. When rain or meltwater permeates the waste body, it creates leachate – a highly contaminated liquid that can contain various harmful substances, such as heavy metals or organic compounds. Without treatment, this leachate can pollute soil and groundwater.
To prevent this, modern landfills are equipped with ingenious collection and treatment systems. There are sealing layers and drainage systems under the landfill material that drain the leachate in a controlled way to a storage or treatment facility. Advanced purification systems collect, filter and treat this leachate. The treated water can then be reused, for example for dust suppression on site or for industrial use. Thus, water recovery contributes to a circular economy and reduces the impact of landfills on ground and surface water.
Task installed an RO (reverse osmosis – reverse osmosis) treatment plant which has been reusing water at this landfill in Belgium for decades. This plant was built in a container, making it a compact and convenient system.
In landfills, water reclamation is a crucial part of sustainable environmental management. The result is treated water that can be reused. In some cases, the water can also be discharged.
Water recovery in landfills is thus not only a technical necessity, but also an important step towards circular and responsible waste management.
