Leachate Pollution and Impact to Environment

Pollution prevention is a step towards obtaining a green environment, and no amount of effort in that direction should be considered too great. To this effect, the pollution by leachate and the resultant impact on the environment is discussed in this chapter. Types and sources of pollution, their transfer and effect have been discussed, so as to give a background understanding on pollution and hence provide a platform for its control. The age old waste disposal practice of open dumps and landfilling is discussed, highlighting the dangers of indiscriminate waste dumping and uncontrolled landfilling practices. Although other sources of leachate generation are highlighted, the chapter focuses on leachates from municipal landfills and the effect of its migration. Engineered landfills also known as sanitary landfills have performed better in curtailing the movement of leachates, hence the use of artificial liners or low permeability soils such as the well compacted clayey soils, to eliminate or minimize leachate migration.