Human health risk in relation to landfill leachate …

1 British Geological Survey TECHNICAL REPORT WC/99/17. Overseas Geology Series DFID Project No. R6532. Human health risk in relation to landfill leachate quality B A Klinck and M E Stuart BGS International . British Geological Survey Keyworth Nottingham NG12 5GG. United Kingdom British Geological Survey TECHNICAL REPORT WC/99/17. Overseas Geology Series DFID Project No. R6532. Human health risk in relation to landfill leachate quality B A Klinck & M E Stuart This report is produced under a project funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) as part of the UK provision of technical assistance to developing countries. The views expressed are not necessarily those of DFID.

2 DFID classification: Subsector: Water and sanitation Theme: Increase protection of water resources, water quality and aquatic systems Project title: Human risk in relation to landfill leachate quality Project reference: R6532. Bibliographic reference: Klinck B A & Stuart M E (1999). Human risk in relation to landfill leachate quality BGS Technical Report WC/99/17. Keywords: landfill , leachate , groundwater contamination, risk assessment, Thailand, Mexico Front cover illustration: Groundwater sampling from a shallow, hand dug well: M rida, Mexico NERC 1999 Keyworth, Nottingham, British Geological Survey, 1999. BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. The full range of Survey publications is available from Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG.

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5 Survey of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the latter 028-9066 6595 Fax 028-9066 2835. as an agency service for the government of Northern Ireland), and of the surrounding continental shelf, as well as its basic research projects. It also undertakes Parent Body programmes of British technical aid in geology in Natural Environment Research Council developing countries as arranged by the Department for Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire International Development and other agencies. SN2 1EU. 01793-411500 Fax 01793-411501. The British Geological Survey is a component body of the Natural Environment Research Council. CONTENTS. LIST OF FIGURES ii LIST OF TABLES ii LIST OF BOXES iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iv 1 INTRODUCTION 1.

6 Scope of Report 1. Project Background 2. Objectives 5. Collaborating Institutions 5. 2 leachate CHEMISTRY AND GROUNDWATER IMPACT 7. Study Sites 7. landfill leachate Chemistry 8. Impact on Groundwater 11. 3 landfill IMPACT ASSESSMENT 15. Simple Analytical Models 15. LandSim 19. The HELP Model 23. 4 health RISK ASSESSMENT 29. Risk Assessment Model 29. Toxic and Carcinogenic Risks 30. Microbiological Contamination 33. 5 RELEVANCE OF PROJECT FINDINGS TO OTHER landfill . SETTINGS 35. Summary of Findings and Discussion 35. A Generic Approach to landfill leachate Impact Assessment 37. Risk Management Options 38. 6 REFERENCES 42. WC/99/17 i Version 1, Revision 1.

7 LIST OF FIGURES. Figure Stiff plots showing seasonal variation in leachate composition from M rida 10. Figure Oxidation of ammonium to nitrate during recharge flushing, Mae Hia, Chiang Mai, Thailand 12. Figure Sketch map of the Tha Muang landfill site 17. Figure Concentration with distance away from the landfill 19. Figure The Mae Hia landfill site 22. Figure Modelled output for LandSim for chloride at Well 12 at the Mae Hia site 23. Figure Location map M rida municipal waste site showing the shallow sampling points 25. Figure TOC plume from the M rida landfill 27. Figure Relationship between leachate flow (flujo de lix.) and precipitation during the period of simulation 27.

8 Figure A Source-Pathway-Receptor conceptual model for environmental exposure adjacent to a landfill 30. Figure Growth of thermotolerant coliforms in a leachate -clean groundwater mixture 34. Figure Flow diagram of stages in completing a health risk assessment 39. LIST OF TABLES. Table Summary of study sites 7. Table Summary of selected incidents of groundwater pollution from waste disposal in newly industrialised countries 11. Table Sensitivity analysis for groundwater consumption risk assessment at the Mae Hia site 33. Table Data requirements checklist for risk assessment 38. WC/99/17 ii Version 1, Revision 1. LIST OF BOXES. Impact of waste burning 4. Waste composition 9.

9 Mobilisation by rainfall 13. Formation of trihalomethanes in contaminated groundwater 14. Advection dispersion equation 15. Toxic and carcinogenic risks 32. WC/99/17 iii Version 1, Revision 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. This report summarises the findings and conclusions of the research project R6523 Human Risk in relation to landfill leachate Quality' aimed at assessing the risks to Human health associated with the impact of landfill leachate on vulnerable groundwater systems. The study was funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) under its Knowledge and Research programme (KAR) which is focused on increasing protection of groundwater resources, water quality and aquatic ecosystems.

10 The overall purpose of the project was to encourage healthy and improved practices in waste disposal. Within this aim were the following specific objectives: To design and implement a sampling and analysis programme for leachate and contaminated groundwater at contrasting case study sites;. To produce a catalogue of leachate quality documented in terms of waste type, climate and presence of hazardous compounds to enable hydrogeologists to carry out productive modelling of contaminant migration in groundwater;. To identify commonly occurring components of leachate which pose a Human health risk and carry out risk assessments for selected case study sites.