Composition and Characteristics of Excavated Materials from a Legacy Waste Dumpsite: Potential of Landfill Biomining

Abstract

Landfill biomining (LFBM) has been proposed as a viable method for the reclamation of legacy waste dumpsites as well as the subsequent recovery of valuable resources and land value spaces. Despite these advantages, the potential of LFBM faces a significant challenge due to the composition, characteristics and end-use of the excavated materials. This paper assesses the composition of the excavated waste obtained during the LFBM operation of the four legacy waste heaps at the Boragaon dumpsite in North-East India and determines the physicochemical characteristics crucial for the material and energy recovery from the key reclaimed fractions. The compositional analysis revealed that the proportion of combustible and non-combustible fractions decreases from the youngest heap HP4 to the oldest heap HP1 due to variations in the consumption habits of the local community and the inadequate recycling of recyclable materials. However, the proportion of fine fraction (FF) shows an increasing trend from HP4 to HP1, suggesting enhanced biodegradation of easily degradable waste over the years. The proximate and energy content analysis suggest that refuse-derived fuel (RDF) preparation is the most suitable valorization option for the combustible fractions since surface defilements are too high for good quality material recovery. The elevated amount of organic matter and leachable heavy metals indicate that unrestricted reuse of FF as earth-fill material can cause long-term settlements and groundwater contamination, respectively. Even though every dumpsite is different in characteristics, the findings of this case study can assist in developing new strategies for recycling excavated waste.