Utilisation of Organic Waste Materials as Biocover for Landfills

Brunei Darussalam is Asia's second-largest generator of municipal solid waste (MSW)(1.46 kg/capita/year). MSW in Brunei, ismainly disposed at the Sungai Paku landfill. The landfill receives about 0.189 million tonnes of waste per year. By 2025, the Sungai Paku landfill is estimated to have exceeded its design capacity. The current landfill uses clay as daily cover. The objective of this study is to look for potential daily cover by varying biocover mixtures as an alternative landfill cover and evaluate its geotechnical properties for landfill applications. Biocover is an effective method to minimise methane (CH4) emissions from landfills through natural processing of microbial oxidation of CH4. Experiments were carried out in accordance with BS 1377:1990 to study the organic content, liquid limit, compaction, consolidation and strength properties of biocovers. The biocovermixtures (compostclay, recycled soil-clay and crushed rice husk-clay mixtures) were investigated at percentage mixtures of biocovers at 25, 50 and 75%. These organic waste materials are abundant and inexpensive in Brunei Darussalam. The results had shown that using 25% mixtures of compost and crushed rice husk, and 50% mixture of recycled soil into the clay had significant effect on the compaction, consolidation and strength properties.

Automated summary

This study aims to explore potential biocovers as alternative landfill covers and evaluate their geotechnical properties for landfill applications. The results showed that adding 25% compost and crushed rice husk, as well as 50% recycled soil to the landfill cover had a significant effect on its compaction, consolidation, and strength properties.