A Review of Phthalates and Phenols in Landfill Environments: Occurrence, Fate and Environmental Implications

Landfilling is the preferred method of solid waste disposal globally, but landfills are sources of several pollutants including heavy metals, phthalates, phenols, and other chemicals to the environment. Phthalates and phenols are widely used in the manufacture of everyday household products and are therefore contained in leachate generated in landfills where these products are disposed. These pollutants have endocrine disruptive capabilities and are considered as priority pollutants. Knowledge of their fate in the environment is of relevance to their management and the reduction of associated human and animal exposure risk. Several studies have profiled these pollutants in wastewater, but little information is available on their presence and fate in landfill environments and surrounding soils. Further to this, their degradation pathways have mostly been reported in laboratory simulated studies where the media may not be as complex and dynamic as landfills and surrounding soil environments. The factors and processes affecting their release from waste materials in landfills and their dispersal into surrounding environments has also not been reported, yet this knowledge is relevant for the design of any remediation measures. This article reviews the sources, occurrence, and degradation of phenols and phthalates in landfilled wastes and landfill leachate, and the factors influencing their fate in the landfill and surrounding soils contaminated with landfill leachates. We conclude with a discussion on the exposure pathways and exposure routes of these compounds from landfills to humans and the associated health risk and possible future research opportunities.