Microplastics in Landfill and Leachate

This chapter comprehensively examines the current literature on microplastics (MPs) in landfills and leachate, focusing on sources, occurrence, characteristics, fate, transport mechanisms, environmental implications, and removal techniques. Landfills serve as significant repositories for plastic waste globally, sourced from municipal and industrial activities. Plastic waste undergoes intricate degradation processes within landfills, yielding MPs through physical, biological, and chemical pathways. MPs are distributed throughout landfill bodies and leachate due to dynamic landfill conditions. Leachate, a byproduct of waste decomposition, serves as a critical pathway for MPs and other contaminants into surrounding ecosystems. Characterization studies reveal diverse MP compositions in landfill leachate, with variations in size, shape, color, and polymer types. Groundwater quality and ecological health are impacted by the destiny and transit of MPs, which are influenced by several environmental factors. The environmental implications of MPs in landfill leachate include physical and chemical effects, posing risks to terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Removal techniques face challenges due to MPs’ small size and diverse characteristics, with methods like filtration, oxidation, and membrane bioreactors showing varied efficacy. This chapter underscores the urgency of addressing MP pollution in landfills and leachate, advocating for continued research and advanced removal technologies to mitigate environmental risks.