Management of municipal solid waste landfill leachate: A global environmental issue

Landfills are one of the most historical and ordinary methods of waste disposal and still remain in many parts of the world. Landfill leachate from open dumpsites has become a crucial environmental issue. Still, the predominant waste disposal method in many developing countries is open dumping, which leads to the generation of significant amounts of leachate mostly to nearby water bodies. Landfill leachate treatment is not an easy task, specifically because of its uniqueness depending on climate, culture, age of the dumpsite, and waste characteristics. Acetogenic leachate characteristics are extremely variable and difficult to predict. However, landfill leachate in the methanogenic phase possesses quite stable characteristics. Herein, we report qualitative and quantitative data on landfill leachate from different parts of the world and discuss the best management practices. In addition, we provide a case study on assessing the physiochemical characteristics of landfill leachate generated from a municipal solid waste dumpsite in Sri Lanka. Overall, landfill leachate poses a risk to the environment and effective leachate management is vital to avoid environmental deterioration.