The objective of this study was to determine the CH4 oxidation factor (%) and the CH4 oxidation rate (g m−2 d−1) in landfill cover soil. To quantify in-situ rates of CH4 oxidation, CH4 and CO2 fluxes were measured on a landfill site using the static chamber technique. The CH4 oxidation factor obtained in this study through the mass balance method ranged between 41% and 61%, which is much higher than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) default value of 10%. The higher CH4 oxidation factor derived in this study can be explained by the CH4 bottom flux in addition to the soil texture. The CH4 oxidation factors were observed to increase with decreases in CH4 bottom flux. Therefore, when CH4 bottom fluxes are high in a landfill, using a gas collection system can enhance CH4 oxidation factor. The CH4 oxidation rates were estimated to range from 16.6 g m−2 d−1 to 20.8 g m−2 d−1. In addition, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of vegetation on the CH4 oxidation factor. The results showed that the CH4 oxidation factors for bare soil, vegetated soil, and soil adjacent to a gas well were 57%, 70%, and 44%, respectively. The results indicate that vegetation on landfill covers can increase the CH4 oxidation factor because of increasing soil porosity.

The objective of this research was to suggest the estimation method of air injection quantity for pre-stabilization of landfilled wastes in a sustainable landfill. A study on the determination of oxygen demand quantity of landfilled wastes, therefore, was conducted in two different experiments. Firstly, a batch test was performed in order to measure the oxygen quantity required to oxidize easily degradable organic matter under aerobic conditions. Secondly, a lysimeter experiment was carried out to assess the air injection period according to moisture content (20%, 30%, 40%, 50%) and to validate the oxygen demand quantity obtained by the batch test. This study assumed that landfilled wastes contain two different organic matters and two matters are sequentially utilized by microorganism. The first one provides the faster oxygen uptake rate that called the “easily degradable organics”. During the second phase of the aerobic decomposition, the other one provides the slower oxygen uptake rate that called the “moderately degradable organics”. Also, in this study, a modified logistic equation divided two terms (fractions of easily degradable organic and moderately degradable organic) was suggested to determine the oxygen demand quantity for easily degradable organic of landfilled solid waste. As a result, the oxygen demand quantity obtained by the batch test led to similar results compared with that of lysimeter experiment. Therefore, it showed that the modified logistic equation and batch test were appropriate for determination of oxygen demand quantity for decomposition of easily degradable organic matter. Also, air injection period for decomposition of easily degradable organic decreased with the increase of moisture content.

Characteristic of wastes in a unsanitary landfill at the residential development site in H city, Kyunggi-do was investigated for the disposal of huge amount of wastes. The total amount of wastes was estimated at 117,000 ton and construction solid wastes and municipal solid wastes were detected together. The portion of combustibles was very low and soils, concrete wastes, and pebbles were the major components in landfilled wastes. Because the site was the residential development site, the landfilled wastes should be removed immediately for the construction. Therefore the way that the unsanitary landfill was excavated and the wastes were sorted into three categories such as soils, noncombustibles and combustibles was selected as the best method. Soils and noncombustibles could be recycled and sorted combustibles could be re-landfilled in a smaller area or incinerated.