United Statas
              Environmental Protection
              Agency
                 Office of Solid Waste
                 and Emergency Response
                 Washington, DC 20460
EPA.530-SW-87-028C
October 1987
r/EPA
              Solid Waste
Characterization  of MWC Ashes
and Leachates from MSW Landfills,
Monofills, and Co-Disposal  Sites
              Volume III  of VII
              Addendum to Characterization
              of Municipal Landfill Leachates
             —A Literature Review

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                                                        D-33-3-7-10
                               FINAL


                 ADDENDUM TO CHARACTERIZATION OF
          MUNICIPAL LANDFILL LEACHATES - A LITERATURE REVIEW

                          VOLUME III OF VII

                            Prepared for

               U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
                       OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE
                         WASHINGTON, D.C
                      CONTRACT NO. 68-01-7310
                      WORK ASSIGNMENT NO. 04
EPA Contract Officer                                   EPA Project Officer
Jon R. Perry                                  .        Gerry Dorian
                            Prepared by

                         NUS CORPORATION

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                        TABLE OF CONTENTS


SECTION                                                      PAGE

1.0  INTRODUCTION	  1-1

2.0  FACTORS AFFECTING LEACHATE VOLUME 	  2-1

3.0  FACTORS AFFECTING LEACHATE COMPOSITION 	  3-1
    3.1   REFUSE COMPOSITION 	  3-1
    3.2   LANDFILL AGE OR DEGREE OF STABILIZATION 	  3-3
    3.3   RATE OF WATER APPLICATION AND REFUSE DEPTH 	  3-6

4.0  LEACHATE COMPOSITION DATA 	  4-1
    4.1   CODISPOSAL OF INDUSTRIAL WASTES AND MUNICIPAL SOLID
         WASTES  	  4-1
    4.2   CODISPOSAL OF MUNICIPAL WASTE COMBUSTION ASH
         AND MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTES  	  4-6

5.0  CONCLUSIONS  	  5-1

6.0  REFERENCES 	  6-1

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                                 TABLES
NUMBER                                                             PAGE

3-1       Range of Composition of Municipal Solid Waste  	  3-2
3-2       Landfill Leachate Concentration Ranges and their  	  3-7
         Relative Significance to the Degree of Landfill Stabilization
4-1       Range of Constituent Concentrations in Leachate from 	  4-2
         Municipal Waste Landfills
4-2       Preliminary Data on Concentrations of Organic Constituents	  4-4
         in Leachate from Municipal Waste Landfills
4-3       MWC Solid Residue Inorganic Composition	  4-7
4-4       MWC Solid Residue Organic Composition  	  4-9
4-5       MWC Residue MonofillLeachate Chemical Analysis  	  4-10
4-6       EP Toxicity Results on MWC Residues  	  4-11
                                    in

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ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS
BNA
BOO
CAS
CB
CERCLA
COD
Codisposal
CP
DWE
EP
EPA
ESP
HSWA
HWC
LF
MCL
Monofill
MSW
MW
MWC
MWEP
ND
NPDES
PAHs
PCBs
Base-neutral and Acid Extractables
Biological Oxygen Demand
Chemical Abstract Service
Chlorobiphenyl
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act
Chemical Oxygen Demand
Disposal together of municipal solid wastes and municipal solid waste
combustion ashes
Chlorinated Phenols
Deionized Water Extraction Test Method
Extraction Procedure
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Electrostatic Precipitator
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments
Hazardous Waste Combustion
Landfill
Maximum Contaminant Level
A landfill that contains only solid waste combustion ashes and
residues
Municipal Solid Waste
Monitoring Well
Municipal Waste Combustion
Monofilled Waste Extraction Procedure, also known as SW-924
Not Detected
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
           IV

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ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS
PAGE TWO
PCDDs
PCDFs
POTW
RCRA
RDF
RPD
SS
SW-924
TCLP
TDS
TEF
TNK
TOC
TSCA
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins
Polychlorinated dibenzofurans
Publically Owned Treatment Works
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Refuse Derived Fuel
Relative Percent Difference
Suspended Solids
Deionized Water Extraction Test Method
Toxic Characteristics Leaching Procedure Test Method
Total Dissolved Solids
Toxic Equivalency Factors
Total Nitrogen Kjeldahl
Total Organic Carbon
Toxic Substances Control Act

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 1.0  INTRODUCTION

 The purpose of this report is to summarize the findings of literature focused on the
 assessment of leachate production at municipal solid waste  landfills.   This is
 undertaken in support of the USEPA study of the RCRA Subtitle D Program. The EPA
 is mandated to assess the potential impacts of solid waste municipal landfills on
 human health and the  environment and to make recommendations concerning
 possible changes to  the Subtitle D Program.  This study  is one of a series of
 investigations designed by EPA to aid EPA in this task.

 This report summarizes information found  on factors influencing  both the quantity
 and quality of leachates generated at Subtitle D  municipal landfills and presents
 data generated  on the  composition  of real leachates and leachates formulated
 under test conditions (extracts).

 The NUS report Determination of Municipal Landfill Leachate Characteristics was
 the first literature review report issued for this  purpose.-  It reviewed only the
 following three documents.

     •  McGinley, P.  M., and P.  Kmet. Formation. Characteristics. Treatment, and
        Disposal  of Leachate from  Municipal Solid Waste  Landfills.  Wisconsin
        Department of Natural Resources Special Report, August 1,1984.

     •  Sobotka & Co., Inc. Case history data compiled and reported in a July 1986
        report to the U.S. EPA's Economic Analysis Branch  of the Office of Solid
        Waste.

     •  Brown, K. W., and K. C. Donnelly. The Occurrence and  Concentration of
        Organic  Chemicals in Hazardous and Municipal Waste Landfill  Leachate.
        Texas A&M University, Soil and Crop Sciences Department, College Station,
        Texas.

This report summarizes additional reports and published papers on the subject. This
literature was searched by EPA  and NUS.  The list of  references reviewed  in the
course of this study is provided in the Reference section (6.0).
                                    1-1

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2.0  FACTORS AFFECTING LEACH ATE VOLUME

Leachate volume generation is dependent on numerous factors that generally can
be grouped into the following four categories:

     1.  Availability of water
     2.  Landfill surface conditions
     3.  Refuse conditions
     4.  Underlying soil conditions

Some of these factors are directly related to the waste and to the geographic and
climatic locations of the landfill  whereas  others can  be  controlled by  landfill
operators and designers.

Factors  affecting  water  availability  include  precipitation,  surface  run-on,
groundwater intrusion, irrigation, refuse decomposition, and co-disposal of liquid
waste or sludge with refuse.  Of these, precipitation in the form of both rain and
snow should be the largest contributor of liquid to the landfill.

Water reaching the landfill surface may either evaporate or transpire, run off, or
infiltrate the  soil  surface, depending  on landfill surface conditions.   These
conditions include topography, temperature,  humidity, wind speed, vegetation,
and  cover material (type, dimensions, water  content, compaction, permeability,
etc.).

After the surface cover  material has been  fully saturated,  refuse retention  and
transmission characteristics determine the rate of percolation of leachate through
the refuse.  Theoretically, water does not move through a compacted refuse cell
until the field capacity of the  waste has been exceeded.   Realistically though,
because of the heterogeneous nature of most wastes, the channeling of some water
through the waste  does occur prior to the attainment of field capacity. Once field
capacity has been reached, any additional moisture will cause leachate movement.

Ultimately, underlying soil conditions can modify the rate and amount of leachate
generation.  Soils underlying  and surrounding the refuse cell, which have lower
permeabilities than the cover soil and refuse, can determine the rate of infiltration
                                    2-1

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and percolation and thus the volume of leachate generated. Where underlying
layers are unsaturated, the infiltration rate is determined by the permeability of the
upper  layers.   Where  underlying  layers  are  saturated, the  layer with  least
permeability will control infiltration. When fine-grained  underlying soils control
infiltration and percolation, the upper layers will become saturated or the water
will flow laterally.

Landfill design, management or operating procedures can influence factors such as
water availability, surface conditions, and refuse conditions and thus influence the
volume of  leachate generated.   These procedures include handling  of cover
material, watering  prior to  compaction, variation   in compaction  and  cell
construction, and variation in waste composition.
                                    2-2

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3.0  FACTORS AFFECTING LEACHATE COMPOSITION

Leachate composition, like volume generation, is a function of several variables that
are both inherent in the refuse mass and landfill location, and created by landfill
operators and designers. These factors include,  but are  not limited to, refuse
composition and processing, landfill age or stage of maturation,  rate of water
application, and the depth of the leached bed (or thickness of waste layers).

3.1  Refuse Composition

Wastes reach ing municipal solid waste landfills can be grouped into five categories:

     •  Residential
     •  Agricultural
     •  Commercial
     •  Municipal
     •  Industrial

Residential and  commercial wastes are composed  primarily  of rubbish  (paper,
plastics and glass), food wastes,  and ashes from waste incineration. Agricultural
waste includes, in addition to wastes similar to residential wastes, organic materials
from crops and animals.  Industrial  wastes contain materials characteristic of the
industry from  which they were  generated and may include sludges, ashes, and
industrial  residues.   Presently, municipal landfills are  not permitted to accept
hazardous industrial  wastes  except  those  generated   from  small-quantity
generators.  Municipal wastes consist of a diverse list  of wastes.   The  relative
composition of municipal solid waste, as determined by several investigators, is
presented in Table 3-1 (Pohland and Harper, 1984).

The  codisposal  of   industrial sludges,  ashes, and residues with  residential,
commercial, municipal, and  other solid wastes can  contribute toxic compounds,
both organic and inorganic,  to leachates and subsequently to groundwater.  The
small generator  exclusion rule under RCRA has  allowed  the disposal of  small
quantities of these hazardous materials  in sanitary  landfills.  Additionally,  small
quantities of hazardous constituents are disposed from households and businesses
                                    3-1

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                                     TABLE 3-1

                  RANGE OF COMPOSITION OF MUNICIPAL SOUD WASTE*
Component
Food Wastes
Garden Wastes
Paper
Cardboard
Plastics
Rubber
Leather
Textiles
Plastic File
Wood
Glass
Metallic
Tin Cans
Non-Ferous
Metals
Ferrous Metals
Dirt , Ashes,
Brick, etc.
Moisture
Average
12

39
7

2

3
2
7
10
8



10

Average
<25.1

44.5

>22


1.1


11.3
8.7



7.1

Average
25.0
0
50.0

>3.0


5.0

1.0
7.0
4.0



5.0

Range
8.8-12.8
5.8-17.0
>35.2-25.3

>4.2-5.2


1.1-2.5

0.4-1.3
9.1-12.4
8.0-8.6



1.0-3.6

Average
10.7
10.4
>40.6

>4.5


1.7

1.0
10.9
9.0



2.3

Range
4-9
1-10
45-57


4-9

2-5

1-2
.9-17
6-15



3-15
21-35
Average
7
5
50


6

3

1
12
10



7
27
Range
6-26
0-20
25-45
3-15
2-8
0-2
0-2
0-4

1-4
4-16

2-8
0-1
1-4
0-10
15-40
Typical
15
12
40
4
3
1
1
2

2
8

6
1
2
4
20
'Percent by weight, wet weight basis
Source: Portland and Harper, 1984
                                        3-2

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and reach the sanitary landfill as residential, commercial, agricultural, or municipal
wastes.

Several municipal solid waste landfills throughout the country serve as co-disposal
sites where, along with refuse,  ash from municipal waste incinerators is disposed.
Several studies have been conducted  on the characteristics of municipal waste
combustion (MWC) leachates and codisposal leachates. Results for these studies are
discussed in Section 4.0 of this report.

3.2  Landfill Age or Degree of Stabilization

According to Pohland and Harper, 1984, the coupling of landfill age with leachate
production has been one of the most elusive challenges  for  landfill  operators,
designers and regulators.  Most municipal waste landfills proceed through  a series
of predictable phases whose significance and  longevity are determined  by the
previously  mentioned  inherent and  controlled climatological  and operational
factors.

A  municipal  landfill exists throughout much of its active life as an  anaerobic
microbial  unit that  experiences an  initial lag period that lasts  until sufficient
moisture has accumulated to sustain a viable microbial community. Thereafter,
further manifestations of waste conversion and stabilization occur in more or less
distinct  phases.   These phases are described by Pohland  and Harper (1984) as
follows.
•                                                              .    •

Phase I:  Initial Adjustment

    •  Initial waste placement and preliminary moisture accumulation.
    •  Initial subsidence and closure of each landfill area.
    •  Changes in environmental parameters first detected to reflect the onset of
       stabilization processes, which are trending in a logical fashion.
                                    3-3

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 Phase II: Transition

      •  Field capacity is exceeded and leachate is formed.

      •  A transition from initial aerobic to anaerobic microbial stabilization occurs.

      •  The primary electron acceptor shifts from oxygen to nitrates and sulfates
        with the displacement of oxygen by carbon dioxide in the gas.

      •  A trend toward reducing conditions is established.

      •  Measurable intermediates  such  as the volatile organic fatty  acids first
        appear in the leachate.

 Phase III:  Acid Formulation

      •  Intermediary volatile  organic fatty acids become predominant with the
        continuing  hydrolysis  and  fermentation  of  waste  and   leachate
        constituents.

      •  A precipitous decrease in pH occurs with a concomitant mobilization and
        possible complexation of metal species.

      •  Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are released and  utilized in
i    •
        support of the growth of biomass  commensurate with the  prevailing
        substrate conversion rates.

      •  Hydrogen may be detected and affect the nature and type of intermediary
        products being formed.
                                     3-4

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Phase IV: Methane Fermentation

     •  Intermediary products appearing  during  the acid  formation  phase are
        converted to methane and excess carbon dioxide.

     •  The pH returns from a buffer level controlled by the volatile organic fatty
        acids to one characteristic of the bicarbonate buffering system.

     •  Oxidation-reduction potentials are at their lowest values.

     •  Nutrients continue to be consumed.

     •  Complexation and precipitation of metal species proceed.

     •  Leachate organic  strength is dramatically decreased in  correspondence
        with increases in gas production.
                                                                       •
Phase V: Final Maturation

     •  Relative dormancy following active biological stabilization of the readily
        available organic constituents in the waste and leachate.

     •  Nutrients may become limiting.
                                         •    •
     •  Measurable gas production all but ceases.

     •  Natural environmental conditions become reinstated.

     •  Oxygen and oxidized species may slowly reappear with a corresponding
        increase in oxidation-reduction potential.

     •  More microbially-resistant organic materials may be slowly converted with
        the  possible production of humic-like substances  capable of complexing
        with and re-mobilizing heavy metals.
                                    3-5

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Table 3-2 illustrates the variation in leachate composition caused by the progression
of the landfill through the stabilization phases.

The rate of progress through these phases is dependent on the physical, chemical,
and microbiological conditions developed within each landfill cell.  For example,
acidic  conditions  established  during  acid  formation may  preclude  methane
fermentation; high  compaction may  restrict the movement of moisture  and
nutrients through the waste;  and microbial  inhibition may  be induced by the
presence of toxic substances. This last example means that in-situ stabilization  may
occur at reduced rates as the leachate  becomes more concentrated  and  the
extended  stabilization period  increases the  opportunity  for  ieachate migration
from the landfill.  In  addition, this leachate is likely to be carrying  some of the
microbe-inhibiting toxic constituents with it.

3.3   Rate of Water Application and Refuse Depth

As mentioned earlier, the rate of water application and  refuse depth have an effect
         •
on  the  leachate composition.  Once  the soil  has been saturated with  moisture,
leaching closely follows the rate of moisture input. Because of this input-output
leaching pattern , it is found that higher  rates of water application to a landfill will
produce a more dilute leachate than lower rates of water applications.

A comparison of  refuse test cells with  and without continuous flow-through of
water showed that continuous flushing brought about a marked trend toward
reduced levels of dissolved materials.  This proved true for both inorganic  and
organic solutes, and demonstrates the  important effect of dilution on  leachate
quality.

Refuse depth works in conjunction with water application  rates in affecting the
composition of the leachate. Water travels from the top of the refuse mass, moving
from  one void space to the next  until it reaches the bottom of the  fill.   The
percolating water will accumulate  contaminants until the solubility limit of the
leaching solution  is attained. Thus, for a deeper landfill, the probability of the
leachate reaching its solubility limit is greater than for a shallower landfill, because
of greater contact time between refuse and percolate.  However, much depends on
the  rate at which  the water percolates  through the landfill.  Higher infiltration
                                    3-6

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                                TABLE 3-2
LANDFILL LEACHATE CONCENTRATION RANGES AND THEIR RELATIVE SIGNIFICANCE TO THE
                     DEGREE OF LANDFILL STABILIZATION

Leachate
Constituent

Biochemical Oxygen
Demand (BOD,)
mg/l (ppm)




Chemical Oxygen
Demand (COD)
mg/l (ppm)


Total Volatile Acids
(TVA), mg/l (ppm) as
Acetic Acid



Total Organic
Carbon (TOO, mg/l
(ppm)




BOD,/COD Ratio




COD/TOC Ratio



Phase of Biological Stabilization

Transition

100-10,900
Influence of
dilution and
aerobic solubil-
ization of waste
organic*

480-18.000
Trending in a
similar fash ion to
BOD,

100-3,000
Beginning to
appear as a result
of aerobic
solubilization

100-3,000
Beginning to
appear as a result ,
of solubilization



0.23-0.87
Increasing bio-
degradabilityof
organic* due to
solubilization
4.3-4.8
Low oxidation
state of organ ics


Acid
Formation
Phase
1,000-57,700
Accumulation of
biodegradable
organic acids due
to methanogenic
lag

1,500-71,100
Trending in a
similar fashion to
BOD,

500-27,700
Increasing rapidly;
accumulation due
to methanogenic
lag

3,000-18,800
Solubilization of
organic polymers
to monomers;
beta oxidation to
volatile acids

0.44.8
High biodegrad-
ability


2.1-3.4
Low to moderate
oxidation state of
organic*

Methane
Fermentation
Phase
600-3,400
Conversion of
biodegradable
organ ics to
gaseous end
products (CH4 and
C02) '
580-9,760
Trending in a
similar fashion to
BOD,

300-2,230
Conversion of
volatile acids to
methane;
decrease in
aqueous carbon
250-4,000
Conversion of
fatty acids to
acetic acid;
fermentation of
acetic acid to
methane
0.17-0.64
Decreasing bio-
degradability due
to methanation

2.0-3.0
Moderate to high
oxidation of
organic*

Final
Maturation
Phase
4-120
Influence of high
molecular weight
organic residuals
(humics, fulvics)


31-900
Higher influence
of residual
organic* than in
BOD, assay
70-260
Influence of high
molecular weight
organic*


Essentially absent;
methanogenic
system under-
saturated



0.02-0.13
Low degree of
biodegradabiiity


0.4-2.0




Overall
Range

4-57,7000






31-71,100




70-27,700





0-18,800






0.02-0.87




0.4-4.8



                                  3-7

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TABLE 3-2
LANDFILL LEACHATE CONCENTRATION RANGES AND THEIR RELATIVE SIGNIFICANCE TO THE
DEGREE OF LANDFILL STABILIZATION
PAGE TWO

Leachate
Constituent

Total Kjeldahl
Nitrogen (TKN), mg/l
(ppm)



Nitrate Nitrogen
(NO3-N), mg/l (ppm)



Ammonia Nitrogen
(NH3-N), mg/l (ppm)



NH3-NHXN Ratio




Total Phosphate
(PO4-P),mg/l (ppm)



Total Alkalinity, mg/l
(ppm)asCaCOj




Phase of Biological Stabilization

Transition
Phase
180-360





0.1-51
Increasing due to
oxidation of
ammonia

120-225




0.1-0.9




0.6-1.7




200-2,050






Acid
Formation
Phase
14-1,970
May be low due to
microbial assimi-
lation of nitro-
genous
compounds
0.05-19
Decreasing due to
reduction to
ammonia or
nitrogen gas
2-1.030
Increasing due to
nitrate reduction
and protein
breakdown
0-0.98
Protein
breakdown;
biological
assimilation
0.2-120
Biological
assimilation and
metal
complexation
140-9,650
Increasing due to
volatile acid
formation and
bicarbonate
dissolution

Methane
Fermentation
Phase
25-82
Low due to
microbial assimi-
lation of nitro-
genous
compounds
Absent
Complete
conversion to
ammonia or
nitrogen gas
6-430
Decreasing due to
biological
assimilation

0.1-0.84




0.7-14
Low due to
biological
assimilation

760-5,050
Decreasing due to
volatile acid
removal



Final
Maturation
Phase
7-490





0.3-0.6









0.3-0.97




0.2-14




200-3,520






Overall
Range

7-1,970





0-51









0-0.98




0.2-120




140-9,650





                                    3-8

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TABLE 3-2
LANDRLL LEACHATE CONCENTRATION RANGES AND THEIR RELATIVE SIGNIFICANCE TO THE
DEGREE OF LANDFILL STABILIZATION
PAGE THREE

Leachate
Constituent
Solids (TS), mg/l
(ppm)




PH (pH units)





Oxidation-Reduction
Potential (ORP), mV


Copper, mg/l (ppm)


Iron, mg/l (ppm)


Lead, mg/l (ppm)


Magnesium, mg/l
(ppm)

Manganese, mg/l
(ppm)

Phase of Biological Stabilization

Transition
Phase
a
2,450-2,960





6-7





+ 40 to -40



0.085-0.39


68-312


0.0001-0.004

.
66-96


0.6



Acid
Formation
Phase
4,120-65,300
increasing due to
solubiiization of
organicsand
mobilization of
metals
4.7-7.7
Low due to
volatile acid
accumulation


+ 40 to -240
Decreasing due to
the depletion of
oxygen
0.005-2.2


90-2,200


0.01-1.44


3-1,410


0.6-41



Methane
Fermentation
Phase
2,050-6,410





6.3-6.8
increasing due to
volatile acid
removal and
bicarbonate
dissolution
-70 to -240



0.03-0.18
Decreasing
(complexation)
115-336
Decreasing
(complexation)
0.01-0.1
Decreasing
(complexation)
81-505
Decreasing
(complexation)
0.6
Decreasing
(complexation)

Final
Maturation
Phase
1,460-4,640





7.1-8.8





-97 to +163



0.02-0.56


4-20


0.01-0.1


31-190


0.6



Overall
Range
1 ,460-65.300





4.7-8.8





-240 to + 1 63



O.OOS-2.2


4-2,200


0.001-1.44


3-1,140


0.6-41


                                    3-9

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TABLE 3-2
LANDRLL LEACHATE CONCENTRATION RANGES AND THEIR RELATIVE SIGNIFICANCE TO THE
DEGREE OF LANDFILL STABILIZATION
PAGE FOUR
Leachate
Constituent
Nickel, mg/l (ppm)
Potassium,mg/l
(ppm)
Sodium, mg/l (ppm)
Zinc, mg/l (ppm)
Total Coliform,
CFU/100ml
Fecal Coliform,
CFU/100 ml
Fecal Streptococci,
CFU/IOOml
Viruses, PFU/1 00 ml
Conductivity,
u mhos/cm
Chloride mg/l (ppm)
Sulfate mg/l (ppm)
Phase of Biological Stabilization
Transition
Phase
0.02-1.55
35-2,300
20-7,600
0.06-21
' 10°- 10«
10"- 10s
10°-10«
•
2,450-3,310
30-5,000
Biologically stable;
good indicator of
washout
10-458
Increasing due to
aerobic oxidation
Acid
Formation
Phase
0.03-79
35-2.300

065-220
10°- 10s
100-105
10°-106
Essentially absent
1,600-17,100
Increasing due to
mobilization of
metals
30-5,000
Stable; good
hydraulic tracer
10-3,240
Increasing initially
due to aerobic
solubilization then
decreasing as
anaerobic
conditions are
established
Methane
Fermentation
Phase
0.01-1.0
Decreasing
(complexation)
35-2,300

0.4-6.0
Essentially absent
Essentially absent
Essentially absent
Essentially absent
2,900-7,700
Decreasing due to
metals
complexation with
sulfides
30-5.000
Stable; good
hydraulic tracer
Absent
Complete
conversion to
sulfides
Final
Maturation
Phase
0.07
35-2.300

0.4
Absent
Absent
Absent
Essentially absent
1 ,400-4,500
30-5,000
Stable; good
hydraulic tracer
5-40
Reappearing due
to aerobic
oxidation
Overall
Range
0.02-79
35-2.300
20-7,600
0.06-220
0-1 0s
0-10'
0-1 0«
Absent
1,400-17,100
30-5,000
0-3,240
                                    3-10

-------
TABLE 3-2
LANDRLL LEACHATE CONCENTRATION RANGES AND THEIR RELATIVE SIGNIFICANCE TO THE
DEGREE OF LANDFILL STABILIZATION
PAGE FIVE

Leachate
Constituent

Sulfide mg/l (ppm)






Cadmium, mg/l
(ppm)

Calcium, mg/l (ppm)



Chromium, mg/l
(ppm)



Phase of Biological Stabilization
Transition
Phase
Essentially absent







-------
rates increase the percolation rate and reduce the contact time between percolate
and refuse. Thus, a more dilute leachate can be expected.
                                   3-12

-------
 4.0  LEACHATE COMPOSITION DATA

 As discussed in the previous section, a large number of variables determine the
 composition of a municipal landfill leachate.  Table 4-1 presents literature values
 demonstrating the  concentration ranges for the chemical composition of municipal
 landfill leachates.  From this table  and the references indicated, the following
 observations can be made: leachates are highly variable with respect to constituent
 concentration;  leachates are generally high  in total  organic carbon and  total
 dissolved solids; and leachates tend to be acidic, though the leachate final pH will
' be influenced  by the buffering capacity of the geologic formation the landfill is
 placed in.

 Table 4-2 demonstrates the wide range in types and  concentrations of organic
 constituents detected in municipal leachate. Most of these compounds do not occur
 naturally and are a  result of the wastes placed in the landfill.

 4.1   Codisposal of  Industrial Wastes and Municipal Solid Wastes

 One  EPA-sponsored study conducted by Jones etal. (1985) simulated the effects of
 co-disposal  of  industrial waste with municipal solid waste (MSW).  In  this study,
 MSW leachate was shown to be acidic (pH = 5.3) and to  have very high organic and
 ionic loadings. Early samples in the test exceeded Federal Primary Drinking Water
 Standards for all constituents with established standards except copper. When
 untreated industrial wastes, including a glass-electronics etching sludge, a chlorine
 production  brine, and an electroplating waste were added individually to test cells,
 the leachate pH rose from about 5.3 to 6.3.  Also, biological activity was reduced,
 especially by the glass-electronics etching sludge (COD and  BOD values averaged
 only 28 percent of the values for MSW-only leachates). This illustrates the effect of
 toxics on  biological activity and the stabilization process.  Metals in the industrial
 wastes were generally not  readily  leached from  the test cells.  Though  the
 electroplating waste produced significantly increased levels of metals, the increases
 were small  relative to the total metal content in the  waste.  Soluble  salts were
 readily leached from all of the industrial wastes codisposed with the MSW. Sodium
 and chlorine concentrations were elevated for all  codisposed industrial wastes,
 especially the chlorine production brine.
                                     4-1

-------
                   TABLE 4-1
RANGE OF CONSTITUENT CONCENTRATIONS IN LEACHATE
        FROM MUNICIPAL WASTE LANDFILLS
            (in mg/l (ppm) unless noted)
Constituent
COD
BOD
Total organic carbon (TOO
Total sol ids (TS)
TDS
Total suspended solids (TSS)
Volatile suspended solids (VSS)
Total volatile solids (TVS)
Fixed Sol ids (FS)
Alkalinity (as CaCO3)
Total coliform (CFU/1 00 ml)
Iron
Zinc
Sulfate
Nickel
Total volatile acids (TV A)
Manganese
Fecal coliform (CFU/1 ,000 ml)
Specific conductance (mhg/cm)
Ammonium nitrogen (NHa-N)
Hardness (as CaCOa)
Total phosphorus
Organic phosphorus
Nitrate nitrogen
Phosphate (inorganic)
Ammonia nitrogen (NHs-N)
Concentration Range
50-90,000
5-75,000
50-45,000
1-75,000
725-55,000
10-45,000
20-750
90-50,000
800-50,000
0.1-20,350
0-105
200-5-.500
0.6-220
25-500
0.2-79
70-27,700
0.6-41
0-105
960-16,300
0-1.106
0.1-36,000
0.1-150
0.4-100
0.1-45
0.4-150
0.1-2,000
                     4-2

-------
TABLE 4-1
RANGE OF CONSTITUENT CONCENTRATIONS IN LEACHATE
FROM MUNICIPAL WASTE LANDFILLS
(in mg/l (ppm) unless noted)
PAGE TWO
Constituent
Organic nitrogen
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN)
Acidity
Turbidity (Jackson units)
Chlorine
pH (dimensionless)
Sodium
Copper
Lead
Magnesium
Potassium
Cadmium
Mercury
Selenium
Chromium
Concentration Range
0.1-1,000
7-1,970
2,700-6,000
30-450
30-5,000
3.5-8.5
20-7,600
0.1-9
0.001-1.44
3-15,600
35-2,300
0-0.375
0-0.16
0-2.7
0.02-18
Source: Sobotka, 1986.
                       4-3

-------
                         TABLE 4-2
PREUMINARY DATA ON CONCENTRATIONS OF ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS
   IN LEACHATE FROM MUNICIPAL WASTE LANDFILLS (units in ppb)«
Constituent
Acetone
Benzene
Bromomethane
1-Butanol
Carbon tetrachloride
Chlorobenzene
Chioroethane
Bis(2-chloroethoxy)methane
Chloroform
Chloromethane
Delta BHC
Dibromomethane
1 ,4-Dichlorobenzene
Dichlorodifluoromethane
1,1-Dichloroethane
1 ,2-Dichloroethane
Gs 1,2-Dichloroethene
Trans 1,2-Dichloroethene
Dichloromethane
1,2-Dichlorbpropane
Diethyl phthalate
Dimethyl phthalate
Di-n-butyl phthalate
Endrin
Ethyl acetate
Ethyl benzene
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
Minimum
140
2
10
50
2
2
5
2
2
10
0
5
2
10
2
0
4
4
2
2
2
4
4
0
5
5
6
Maximum
11,000
410
170
360
398
237
170
14
1,300
170
5
25
20
369
6,300
11,000
190
1,300
3,300
100
45
55
12
1
50
580
110
Median
7,500
17
55
220
10
10
7.5
10
10
55
0
10
7.7
95
65.5
7.5
97
10
230
10
31.5
15
10
0.1
42
38
22
                           4-4

-------
TABLE 4-2
PRELIMINARY DATA ON CONCENTRATIONS OF ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS
IN LEACHATE FROM MUNICIPAL WASTE LANDFILLS (units in ppb)«
PAGE TWO
Constituent
Isophorene
Methyl ethyl ketone
Methyl isobutyl ketone
Naphthalene
Nitrobenzene
4-Nitrophenol
Pentachlorophenol
Phenol
2-Propanol
1 , 1 ,2,2-Tetrachloroethene
Tetrachloroethene
Tetrahydrofuran
Toluene
Toxaphene
1,1,1 -Trichloroethane
1 , 1 ,2-Trichloroethane
Trichloroethene
Trichlorofluoromethane
Vinyl chloride
m-Xylene •
p-Xylene + o-Xylene
Minimum
10
110
10
4
2
17
3
10
94
7
2
5
2
0
0
2
1
4
0
21
12
Maximum
85
28,000
660
19
40
40
25
28,800
10,000
210
100
260
1,600
5
2,400
500
43
100
100
79
50
Median
10
8,300
270
8
15
25
3
257
6,900
20
40
18
166
1
10
10
3.5
12.5
10
26
18
a  The  table was provided by U.S. EPA, Office of Waste, Economic Analysis
   Branch. It includes data from 15 municipal landfill case studies performed by
   OSW12;  data  from  landfill  leachate  sampling  studies  performed by
   Wisconsin and Minnesota; and data  from NPDES discharge permits for
   leachates from landfills in New Jersey. These studies provided reliable data,
   albeit on a relatively small number of facilities.

Source:  Sobotka, 1986.
                                 4-5

-------
4.2  Codisposai of Municipal Waste Combustion Ash and Municipal Solid Wastes

One codisposal practice currently  common in the United States and potentially
affecting leachate quality is the codisposal of municipal waste combustion (MWC)
ash with other municipal solid wastes. A study by GCA Corporation (1986) reports
that by the end of 1986, 61 MWC facilities would be in operation and would
produce 9,781 tons per day of residue.  Eighty-eight percent of these residues would
be  land disposed, including codisposal  with municipal solid  wastes.  Thus, the
composition of these ashes  and the effect they may have on  the composition of
municipal waste leachates must come under scrutiny.

Varying incineration options and fuel composition vary the characteristics of the
MWC  residues.   Tables 4-3 and 4-4  present data on  inorganic  and   organic
compositions, respectively, for both MWC fly ash and bottom ash. Table 4-4 shows
that polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans
(PCDFs) are present in ash and are more abundant in fly ash than bottom ash. The
2,3,7,8-TCDD dioxin isomer exceeds the EPA standard of 1 part  per billion (ppb) for
most fly ash data.  These data  are corroborated  by a study done  in Japan on
municipal incinerator ashes (Wakimoto and Tatsukawa, 1985).

Data presented by GCA Corporation (1986) for MWC  residue monofill leachates
indicate that lead and  chromium  values exceed Federal Primary Drinking Water
Standards.  These results are presented in Table 4-5. Also, EP Toxicity  leach testing
on various MWC residues resulted in lead and cadmium values above the maximum
allowable limits. These data are presented in Table 4-6. These results compare well
with results obtained in tests conducted by C.W. Francis (1984) from the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory.  The author found that a simulated  codisposal  leachate was
more  acidic than an  ash-only leachate and  that a  municipal waste leachate
extracted metals more aggressively than water.  Several of the municipal-waste-
leachate ash leachates exceeded Federal  Drinking Water Standards, particularly for
cadmium and lead during initial leaching.
                                   4-6

-------
               TABLE 4-3
MWC SOLID RESIDUE INORGANIC COMPOSITION (UNITS IN pp» UNLESS NOTED)

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-------
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-------
u>
                                                                                   TABLE  4-4

                                                             MWC SOLID  RESIDUE ORGANIC COMPOSITION  (UNITS  IN  PPb)
                                             • t |l|          Ullt.l.1.1 |»|    >MIMi«l»l ll»|«       RlkU till*             lMU.IM.1 I*)*              *..!...» Ill)       tl| ttl. 41..» |U)   »..-;..>•
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                                                                          ill Juk    i«f     lir *.k    t+        xr.      «.»      uk
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                                          1J                                 U     •'

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  •it .t -:.  i.'ki
I  ;i.^l. .                   VMM       »•                                                          M'      :>»       •»
... .,!!,,..:..               >.)M       >K                                                           II        t        t
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t .ut>il.»                 '.»00       U*                                                          >«•       II       II
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lh.-i.in. .                 >.SW       >U          II


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•..•4.|.,il.,:.,il~>.             .»     tOI.IOJI
              Source:    CCA  Corp.,  1986
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               'till*". ll~ .1.1.--IJ. J-l.

-------
                                              TABLE
                   NUC  RIISIDUE HONOF1LL  I. E AC HATE CHEMICAL  ANALYSIS  (All Units rag/1)
C«nuny
fataaeter |2I|
COO 3*
tss
TDS
Cl
Ma
rb« .012
Cd* »DL
CB 24
HI IDL
Za .02)
BH
Ho
r*
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H|*
N 
-------
                                                                  TABLE  4-6

                                            LP  TOXICiTY RESULTS  ON MWC RESIDUES  (Units  in mg/l)
                                                           Ml.  IC                                     ill.  4 k.11,11*      ill*  i*
                                                             I.-I               »ll. <•* |lt|               )/<.)           I.', |
                               ••I*11*           kollim          *•((«•   flM    Ca.r»«   CfMpu.ll.           Co*^«>Hlld                     ftolluw
                       rty 4*k   A.k    My'A.k   A«K    fly A.k   A«h    fly Uk  fly A.k     Atk     fly  A|h     A«li     kol.liu   riy A.k   A.k
*•           ..0011     ..0011   <.001i  ..OM    «.M«   ..Odli   <..BOJJ  <.0021   <.0011   ..OUli    .  00*    ..00*      ..UUli    ..-Ml    ..OOI        .01*     l.MQ    |>.4Q1   .211       I0.**q   .Ui        .010       LL-liS    •*<    ' '•

Ci            .ubk      ,00k     .0)1    .Oil    ..02     Oik      .021     .012     .01*     .01*     ..02     -.ul         .011       .Hi

fk            .III      11.10    .10)   1.141     .420    .01*      .IkO   .  12.M    4>.IO    .117       |1.4ii 1.14i        .140       il.liO

h,           . .8001      .OM1   ,.0001  ..OOOJ   <.0001   .0001   <.0001    .OOB*    .OOM   ..OOOI      .0011  . .UOU1       .OOki      .OOOI.     .000)  u)

»«           ..0011      .011    ..OOli   .041    <  010   ..0011   ..OOli  ..OOli   ..OOli   ..0011       Oil    . .OIU        .0.1/1      .0*1      .010   I C

»4           .  OOI       001    <.001    .01}     .Oil   -.001    .001   -.001    ..OOI    ..00|      • .010      .Oli       ..OUI     -.041    ..010   i  i

i.Jii*       ..oo)     ..oo)    ..001   . .ooj    <..oo>   ..oo)    ..oo)   <.ooi    «.ooi    ..oo)      ..oo)    ..oo)         001     -.001    ..oo)   . .>:

llLd.M      ..OOOI     ..0001   ..UOOl  ..OOOI   (.OOOI  ..01)01   .  OOOI  ..OOOI   ..OOOI   -.OOOI     -.OOOI  ..00l>l      -.00111    ..0001   ..OOOI  u 4

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                                                                                                     TABLE  <-6
                                                                                                       Continued
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              »r       ML     Ouni   .Olt    COU                          .OMW    MOO    Ml      Ml      Ml      IN           «OO        Mt                                           * '
•*^                                                                                                                                                     AA«      QAl       MB      M)      I •
 '             V.       Ml     0| •     (10    .*!•                           Ml     Ml.     Ml      HI      ML      Ml          Ml           OOI         W'

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              l*frl*                                                           §
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              ••••I*-  Hf> filMi 4rarflMl*«« 4nr(*^»lr4 »ir»ff Oilr«ii* HI  (•••  laklr I Milviil.
              Source:    OCA  Corp.,   1986

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5.0  CONCLUSIONS

Municipal solid waste landfill leachate production volume and leachate chemical
composition are dependent on  many variables; some of which are related  to
climatology, geography, geology, and hydrology and others of which are related to
landfill engineering design and operating procedures.  Thus, some variables are
uncontrollable because they are inherent to the location and can only be controlled
via a proper site selection process; others are controllable. The controllable and
noncontrollable variables include the following:

     •  Availability of water
     •  Surface conditions
     •  Refuse composition, condition, and depth
     •  Underlying soil conditions
     •  Landfill age or degree of stabilization

The hazardous small-quantity-generator exclusion rule under RCRA has allowed the
disposal of small quantities of hazardous materials in municipal landfills. Codisposal
of industrial wastes can cause leachates to contain elevated levels of toxic inorganic
and organic materials. Some of  these contaminants, particularly the metals, can
inhibit the biological activity needed to decompose the solid wastes. Thus they can
interfere with  the  natural stabilization  phases  of the landfill  and create a more
concentrated, contaminant-carrying leachate. At the same time, organic solvents
may increase the solubility of organics present in the  solid waste and thus also
increase the contaminant loading of the leachate.

Codisposal of municipal waste combustion ashes with  other municipal wastes is
practiced in the United States.  These ashes have  been shown to contain dioxins and
chlorinated dibenzofurans and to leach  elevated levels of metals under both
codisposal and monofill conditions.

Selective and careful  sampling of leachates generated from  newer solid waste
disposal sites and  analyses of these  leachates  for both hazardous organic and
inorganic  constituents (RCRA,  Appendix IX) may  provide important information
regarding the chemical composition of these leachates.  Such information could
                                    5-1

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serve as a data base to be used for making decisions concerning changes to the
Subtitle D Program.
                                    5-2

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6.0   REFERENCES

Francis, C. W., 1984. Leaching Characteristics of Resource Ash in Municipal Waste
Landfills. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Tennessee, December 31.

GCA Corporation, 1986.   Evaluation of the Land Disposal of Solid Residues from
Municipal Waste Combustion. Report 1:  Data Summary. Bedford, Massachusetts,
August.

Jones, L. W., T. E. Meyers, and R. J. Larson, 1985. Study of Codisoosed Municipal and
Treated/Untreated   Industrial  Wastes.     EPA/600/S2-85/091,   United  States
Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, December.

Lu,  James C.  S., Bert  Eichenberger, and R. J.  Stearns, 1982.   Production and
Management of Leachate from  Municipal  Landfills:   Summary and Assessment.
Contract No. 68-03-2861, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Pohland, Frederick G., and S.  R. Harper, 1984.  Critical Review and Summary of
Leachate  and   Gas   Production  from  Landfills.    Cooperative Agreement
No. CR809997, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Wakimoto,Tadaaki, and Ryo Tatsukawa,-1985. "Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins
and  Dibenzofurans in Fly Ash  and Cinders Collected from Several  Municipal
Incinerators in Japan."  Environmental Health Perspectives. Vol. 59, February.

The following references have been reviewed but not cited:

1.   Boyle, W. C., R. K. Ham, and F. J. Blake, 1978.  Foundry Landfill-Leachate from
     Solid Wastes. American Foundrymen's Society, Inc.

2.   Bramlett, J., C. Furman, A. Johnson, W. D. Ellis, H. Nelson, and W. H. Vick, 1986.
     Composition of  Leachates  from Actual Hazardous  Waste Sites.   Contract
     No. 68-03-3113, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

3.   Brown, K. W., and H. E. Murray, 1984. To Evaluate the Mutaqenic Potential of
     Municipal Landfill Leachate. Texas A&M Research Foundation.
                                   6-1

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4.    Christensen, T. H., 1984. "Leaching from Land Disposal Municipal Composts:
     Three Inorganic Ions." Waste Management & Research. Vol. 2.

5.    Cdte, P. L., and T. W. Constable, 1984. Development of a Canadian Data Base
     on Waste teachability. Special Technical Publication 805, American Society for
     Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

6.    Cundari, K. L., and Jeffrey M. Lauria, 1986.  The Laboratory Evaluation  of
     Expected  Leachate Quality from a Resource Recovery Ashfill.  Malcolm Pirnie,
     Inc., White Plains, New York.

7.    Fero, R. L, R. K. Ham, and C. W. Boyle, 1986. An Investigation of Groundwater
     Contamination  by Organic Compounds Leached  from Iron  Foundry Solid
     Wastes. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, September.

8.    Ham,.R. K., W. C. B.oyle, and F. J. Blaha, 1985.  Leachate  and Groundwater
     Quality in and Around Ferrous Foundry Landfills and Comparison to Leach Test
     Results. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, January.

9.    Landreth, R. E., 1986. Long-Term "Effects of Municipal Solid Waste Leachate on
     Landfill Liners. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, June.

10.*  Patel, V. P., and  R. L. Hoye, and R. 0. Toftner, no date.  Gas and Leachate:
     Summary.  PEDCo Environmental, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio.

11.   Plumb, R. H., Jr., 1985. "Volatile Organic Scans: Implications for Groundwater
     Monitoring."* Proceedings  of the  Petroleum  Hydrocarbons and  Organic
     Chemicals   in   Groundwater-Prevention.   Detection,   and   Restoration-
     Conference. Lockheed Engineering and Management Services Company, Inc.,
     Las Vegas, Nevada.

12.   Plumb, R. H., Jr.,  and C. K.  Fitzsimmons, 1984..   "Performance Evaluation  of
     RCRA  Indicator  Parameters."    Proceedings  -  First  Canadian/American
     Conference on Hydroqeoloqy.
                                   6-2

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13.  Plumb, R. H., Jr., 1985. "Disposal Site Monitoring Data:  Observations and
     Strategy Implications." Proceedings - Second Canadian/American Conference
     on Hvdroqeoloqy.

14.  Plumb, R. H., and J. R. Parolini, 1986. Organic Contamination of Groundwater
     Near Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites:  A  Synoptic  Overview.   Lockheed
     Engineering and Management Services Co., Las Vegas, Nevada.

15.  Surgi, Rene,  1986.   Residues from  Resource Recovery Facilities:   Current
     Research. Signal Environmental Systems, May 23.

16.  Wigh, R. J., and D. R. Brunner, no date. Leachate Production from Landfill
     Municipal Waste,  Boone County Field Site.  Regional Services Corporation,
     Columbus, Indiana, and  U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati,
     Ohio.

17.  Wigh, R. J., no date.  Comparison of  Leachate Characteristics from Selected
     Municipal Solid  Waste Test Calls. Order No. C2652NAST, U.S. Environmental
     Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio.
                                      U S  Environmental Protection Agency
                                      Region 5, Library (PL-12J)
                                      77 West, Jackson Boulevard, 12th
                                      Chicago^H/60604-3590
                                    6-3

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