Proceedings

One of the most difficult waste waters to treat is leachate from a landfill. Leachate is water from
the degrading waste and rainfall which percolates through the waste. Leachate usually contains a
high concentration of ammonium, low concentrations of phosphor, high salinity, high alkalinity and
various concentrations of heavy metals. Combined with strongly fluctuating flows, a high pH and
ever decreasing ratio for BOD/COD leachate is very difficult to treat with conventional
technologies.

DMT, Dirkse environmental technology a Dutch based manufacture of Water Treatment, Odour
Control and Biogas Upgrading systems has designed the MemBioRex® technology to treat heavy
polluted industrial waste waters.

For the last three years DMT was involved in one of the worlds largest treatment projects
containing two leachate treatment plants in Istanbul using the MemBioRex® technology. It
combines a MembraneBioReactor (MBR) with NanoFiltration (NF) and optional activated carbon
(AC) to reach an effluent quality which can be discharged to the surrounding surface waters.
Not only is leachate difficult to treat, but the first 2 plants are built in Istanbul at two of the worlds
largest landfill sites. This makes it a challenge in both, design (biggest MBR leachate plant in the
world) and in operation. The plants are working above expectation, although during start up in
winter time some problems with ammonium toxification where encountered. Removal efficiency of
COD is 97-99% and ammonium is >99%.

KEY WORDS
Ammonium toxification, Leachate, MBR, Nano filtration, Surface aeration, Ultra filtration