Abstract
Bioreactor landfills are a new and emerging trend in waste management in the US. Now a routine practice, adding moisture to landfilled wastes has multiple benefits, including an increase in waste degradation, which can lead to a reduction in risk. Although in the early stages of application in the US, the addition of air along with moisture holds further promise, for it has been demonstrated in laboratory, pilot and field-scale projects that this approach can increase waste settlement, lower leachate treatment costs, reduce methane and odor production. Based on these studies as well as aerobic landfill applications overseas, a number of full-scale projects and several patents have been established. This paper reports on the current status of aerobic landfills in the US, including the history and future of aerobic landfilling in the US, the challenges ahead, and a summary of current aerobic landfill studies and full-scale projects.