Current World Environment

Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the effect of leachate on soil and groundwater sample. Collected leachate sample was passed through Test Cell-1 consisting of scrap-tire-shreds (200 mm) and gravel layer (300 mm) with total thickness 500 mm of leachate collection layer. The treatment method which adopted consisted of a combined bed of a scrap-tire-shreds and gravel, that was quite effective in the reduction of various physico-chemical parameters of leachate of environmental concern. The percentage improvement in terms of reduction in various parameters of leachate sample was as high as 68.8 % and 79.6 % reduction in case of BOD and COD values respectively. Thus scrap-tire-shreds can be used as a potential alternative to conventional gravel in the leachate collection layer and for the treatment of leachate and would definitely reduce the magnitude of the current tire disposal problem by converting one waste into a beneficial material. Further, both leachate sample and treated leachate sample were passed through Test Cell-2 having beds of soil of thickness about 150 mm and then further passing diluted leachate and treated diluted leachate (50 % and 20 % by volume of water) through Test Cell-3 having groundwater sample. By comparing various physico-chemical parameters it was inferred that the leachate generated from the landfill site was affecting the soil and groundwater quality of the adjacent areas through percolation in the subsoil