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E. C. Latocheski and J. C. P. Lofhagen
7 Conclusion and Perspectives for Future Research
Brazil is dependent on sanitary landfills for the final disposal of its municipal solid
waste (MSW). The National Policy on Solid Waste, created in 2010, recommends
sanitary landfills as the most appropriate method for MSW final disposal and requires
Brazilian municipalities to adopt these facilities. However, technical and financial
difficulties are still observed, making it impossible for many municipalities, especially the smallest ones, to comply with legislation and implement integrated solid
waste management. In this context, it is necessary to understand which are the main
current limitations in order to propose measures and develop technologies that favor
the installation and sustainable operation of landfills.
This research comprises two landfills located in Curitiba and its Metropolitan
Area, in the state of Paraná, Brazil. MSW management in Curitiba had an important
milestone in 1989, the inauguration of Curitiba’s Sanitary Landfill, one of the first
sanitary landfills in Brazil. Today, this unit no longer receives waste, but requires
constant maintenance and monitoring. After its deactivation, the MSW has been
sent to the landfill operated by a private company. Therefore, the choice of these
landfills as a case study allowed encompassing the entire current MSW management
of Curitiba and its Metropolitan Area.
When questioned, both landfill managers cited the treatment of leachate as the
major challenge regarding the management of these MSW disposal units. If the
treatment system fails, untreated leachate could be released in the environment
under improper conditions, causing pollution and leading to severe fines. One of the
employees also mentioned that another onerous management task is the geotechnical
monitoring of the landfill, necessary for the prevention of accidents.
As leachate treatment was pointed out by managers of the two landfills as one
of the most critical difficulties in the management of these facilities, operators of
the leachate treatment plants were also interviewed in order to know the specific
limitations of this stage. Both interviewed operators reported that, during their work
routine, what requires more attention is the monitoring of the equipment necessary
for the leachate treatment, so that there are no process failures which could lead to
the release of untreated leachate in the environment.
Based on the perception of the employees who work in the landfills responsible
for the final disposal of the MSW of Curitiba and its Metropolitan Area, it can
be concluded that the treatment of leachate is, in fact, the main challenge to the
management and operation of these units. Therefore, leachate treatment requires
constant monitoring and control, as well as the search for technologies capable of
avoiding negative environmental and social impacts associated with landfills. So,
from the analysis of this case study, the authors suggest that research and development
of technologies should prioritize the leachate treatment systems, aiming to increase
their efficiency and stability.
Finally, it is recommended that future analyses seek to assess the perception of
more landfill employees from different organizational levels for a more complete
analysis. The method used in this research can also be applied for other landfills and
E. C. Latocheski and J. C. P. Lofhagen
7 Conclusion and Perspectives for Future Research
Brazil is dependent on sanitary landfills for the final disposal of its municipal solid
waste (MSW). The National Policy on Solid Waste, created in 2010, recommends
sanitary landfills as the most appropriate method for MSW final disposal and requires
Brazilian municipalities to adopt these facilities. However, technical and financial
difficulties are still observed, making it impossible for many municipalities, especially the smallest ones, to comply with legislation and implement integrated solid
waste management. In this context, it is necessary to understand which are the main
current limitations in order to propose measures and develop technologies that favor
the installation and sustainable operation of landfills.
This research comprises two landfills located in Curitiba and its Metropolitan
Area, in the state of Paraná, Brazil. MSW management in Curitiba had an important
milestone in 1989, the inauguration of Curitiba’s Sanitary Landfill, one of the first
sanitary landfills in Brazil. Today, this unit no longer receives waste, but requires
constant maintenance and monitoring. After its deactivation, the MSW has been
sent to the landfill operated by a private company. Therefore, the choice of these
landfills as a case study allowed encompassing the entire current MSW management
of Curitiba and its Metropolitan Area.
When questioned, both landfill managers cited the treatment of leachate as the
major challenge regarding the management of these MSW disposal units. If the
treatment system fails, untreated leachate could be released in the environment
under improper conditions, causing pollution and leading to severe fines. One of the
employees also mentioned that another onerous management task is the geotechnical
monitoring of the landfill, necessary for the prevention of accidents.
As leachate treatment was pointed out by managers of the two landfills as one
of the most critical difficulties in the management of these facilities, operators of
the leachate treatment plants were also interviewed in order to know the specific
limitations of this stage. Both interviewed operators reported that, during their work
routine, what requires more attention is the monitoring of the equipment necessary
for the leachate treatment, so that there are no process failures which could lead to
the release of untreated leachate in the environment.
Based on the perception of the employees who work in the landfills responsible
for the final disposal of the MSW of Curitiba and its Metropolitan Area, it can
be concluded that the treatment of leachate is, in fact, the main challenge to the
management and operation of these units. Therefore, leachate treatment requires
constant monitoring and control, as well as the search for technologies capable of
avoiding negative environmental and social impacts associated with landfills. So,
from the analysis of this case study, the authors suggest that research and development
of technologies should prioritize the leachate treatment systems, aiming to increase
their efficiency and stability.
Finally, it is recommended that future analyses seek to assess the perception of
more landfill employees from different organizational levels for a more complete
analysis. The method used in this research can also be applied for other landfills and