Utilization of stabilized and solidified sewage sludge as a daily landfill cover material

Abstract

To evaluate the effectiveness of stabilized and solidified sewage sludge for use as a daily landfill cover material, unconfined compressive strength, CBR (California Bearing Ratio), hydraulic conductivity, rainfall drainage ability, and erosion resistance were examined. In addition, material segregation of the solidified sewage sludge was investigated. The experiment results showed that the solidified sewage sludge material had enough equipment transportability. The measured hydraulic conductivity was similar to the hydraulic conductivity of typical clayey soil. The solidified sewage sludge samples were not significantly segregated during the 28-day-submerged periods. Moreover, the stabilized sewage sludge materials were environmentally safe according to the results of heavy metal leaching andE. coli. detection experiments. The permeability of ammonia, methane, and carbon dioxide gas through the sewage material was determined. Our results indicate that the stabilized and solidified sewage sludge materials may provide an alternative daily landfill cover material that is cost-effective and environmentally friendly.