Gestione Innovativa dei Progetti di Bonifica delle Discariche con il Raggiungimento della Qualità dello Stoccaggio Finale

This research, co-financed by the PON REACT-EU program, explores sustainable waste management strategies for landfill remediation to achieve Final Storage Quality. Using the Villadose landfill in Rovigo, Italy, as a case study, the investigation analysed the management of old and fresh waste fractions through landfill mining and subsequent waste disposal practices. Laboratory-scale experiments characterised waste emissions under anaerobic conditions and assessed the impact of flushing and aeration on the removal of key contaminants such as organic carbon, ammonia, and chlorides. Results revealed that mixing old and fresh waste accelerated stabilisation, with aeration enhancing organic carbon degradation and reducing ammonia levels. Chlorides were removed solely through flushing. Aeration was shown to remove 7–8% of initial organic carbon within 163 days, significantly reducing emissions compared to traditional anaerobic conditions. Intermittent aeration proved sufficient to optimise degradation, supporting the use of hybrid bioreactor landfills. The study highlights landfill mining as a strategy to create additional disposal space and enhance the degradation of fresh waste, potentially reducing aftercare durations. Flushing, coupled with aeration, emerged as essential for inorganic contaminant removal, while tailored in situ treatments based on biodegradation progress optimise landfill sustainability. A proposed passive aftercare phase incorporating natural flushing and low-energy treatments could further mitigate environmental risks, advancing progress toward Final Storage Quality.