Suitability of shredded tyres as a substitute for a landfill leachate collection medium

Waste Manag Res. 2003 Jun;21(3):278-89. doi: 10.1177/0734242X0302100311.

Abstract

A series of tests were conducted to investigate the fate of heavy metals and gasoline components in a simulated landfill, consisting of a 30 cm thick clay liner and a leachate collection layer containing tyres as well as in two test cells installed in a landfill. Arsenic, selenium, mercury, barium, and lead concentrations were lower while zinc concentration was higher in the tank containing tyre-chips than the tank without tyre-chips. When samples were filtered, however, concentrations of zinc as well as other inorganics were lower in the tank containing tyre-chips, indicating that metals in the leachate exposed to tyre-chips travel more slowly in a subsurface environment due to filtering effect. In a test cell study, arsenic, cobalt, lead and nickel concentrations were lower in the cell containing tyre-chips than in the cell without tyre-chips, except iron and zinc. Both tests indicate that some inorganic contaminants are sorbed to tyre-chips. Gasoline components were also significantly sorbed by tyre-chips in field cell tests. Although tyre-chips are known to leach organic and inorganic contaminants, concentrations in field conditions will be lower than the reported experimental results since the tests were performed under worst-case scenarios. If tyre-chips are used in areas where contamination levels are high, then they can be used as a sorbent for environmental clean-up.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Conservation of Natural Resources*
  • Environmental Pollutants / isolation & purification*
  • Filtration
  • Materials Testing
  • Motor Vehicles
  • Refuse Disposal / methods*
  • Rubber
  • Soil Pollutants / analysis
  • Water Movements
  • Water Pollution / prevention & control*

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Rubber