DOÑA JUANA LANDFILL IN BOGOTA

LOCATION

Doña Juana landfill is Bogotá's main garbage dump, located in Bolívar city between 2.715 y
2.800 m.a.s.l. The landfill began operations in1988 and the total area is 592 ha.

CLIMATE CHARACTERIZATION

Annual average Temperature: 14 degrees , with a minimum temperature of 9 ° C and a

maximum of 19 ° C.
Relative Humidity Dry and semi-dry (79%)
Total rainfall 600 to 800 mm per year
Average wind speed and direction: 4.5 m / s, with predominant direction towards the South and
Southeast.

This factors affect the gas migration in the following way:

 Wind speed and direction. Landfill gas naturally vented into the air at the landfill surface is
carried by the wind. The wind dilutes the gas with fresh air as it moves it to areas beyond the
landfill. Wind speed and direction determine the gas's concentration in the air, which can vary
greatly from day to day, even hour by hour. In the early morning, for example, winds tend to be
gentle and provide the least dilution and dispersion of the gas to other areas.
 Moisture. Wet surface soil conditions may prevent landfill gas from migrating through the top
of the landfill into the air above. Rain and moisture may also seep into the pore spaces in the
landfill and "push out" gases in these spaces.
 Temperature. Increases in temperature stimulate gas particle movement, tending also to
increase gas diffusion, so that landfill gas might spread more quickly in warmer conditions.
Although the landfill itself generally maintains a stable temperature, freezing and thawing cycles
can cause the soil's surface to crack, causing landfill gas to migrate upward or horizontally.
Frozen soil over the landfill may provide a physical barrier to upward landfill gas migration,
causing the gas to migrate further from the landfill horizontally through soil.

AIR QUALITY IN BOLIVAR

PM10 higher than the normal range

PM2.5 standard is 50 μg / m3 as limit of daily concentration and 25 μg / m3 for annual average
Sulphure dioxide ok 2,7 ppb y 36,8 ppb. Per hour
Nitrogen dioxide ok 27,9 ppb y 47,1 ppb. Per hour
Carbon oxide ok 3,0 ppb a 7,9 ppb
Ozone not ok normal is 61 ppb), it is 71 ppb

WASTE MANAGEMENT
In a black bag should be deposited the waste that can not be reused. In the white bag dry and
plastic products are deposited, paper, cardboard, textiles, glass, tetrapack and metals. After
the proper separation in the two bags, the recyclers collect the white bags and in the
compaction cart the black bags are taken to the landfill. Here two different processes begin, the
first one for the use of recyclable waste and the second the final disposal of organic matter and
non-recyclable materials. The recyclers or some collection trucks (not compactors) pick up the
white bags, the waste from these bags are taken to the collection centers, where the recyclable
products are separated according to their composition after the separation the different
materials are sent to the recycling parks, where they are washed, processed and ground for
the elaboration of new products.
We also find a special program for some organic waste, through a special route of collection of
organic waste in some market squares of the city, this waste is directed to a special area of
Doña Juana Landfill, where by means of technologies of composting and vermiculture the use
of these residues is achieved.
The remaining organic waste and the non-recyclable waste are taken to the Doña Juana
Landfill, where they are deposited in an optimization zone located between zones 7 and 8.

DOÑA JUANA LANDFILL

With a current occupied area of 592 ha; of which 32% or 190 h correspond to disposal zones;
100.3 corresponding to the environmental buffer area; 14.8 h to optimization zones 1 and 2;
and 302.1 h correspond to an area of future expansion

DESIGN OF DISPOSAL ZONES

The areas of operation were designed with the following physical elements of isolation and
control:
• A base made up of soils and synthetic materials with low permeability (Clay. The clay layer
must have a maximum permeability of 1x10-6 cm / s), to avoid the migration of the leachates
generated inside the landfill towards the deep aquifers.
• A drainage system at the bottom of the landfill, to lead leachates to storage sites.
• A system for treating of the recollected leaches.
• Layers or levels of waste formed during the operation of the landfill.
• Soil layers that are compacted on top of the waste, in order to avoid the adverse environmental
effects produced by the exposed garbage.
• A system for managing the gases generated inside the landfill, installing a series of vertical
chimneys with the purpose of driving the gases into the atmosphere (passive extraction). or
with more modern technologies such as forced extraction of gas and its subsequent thermal
destruction to control the effects of emissions.
• • Textured geomembrane. HDPE material with a thickness of 60 mm, joined by thermofusion.
• Non-woven geotextile. NT3500 or 350g / m
• Rajon 1-4 ". Crushed product. Thickness 25 cm.
• Gravel 1-4 ". Boulder. Thickness 10 cm solid waste.
The type of material used is a green plastic interwoven canvas covered on one side by a
polyethylene film that increases its waterproof properties
The final cover consists of a clay layer 80 cm thick that should have a maximum permeability
of 1x10-6 cm / s. Only selected material is used, a layer of Biosolid mixture (Black Earth of 40
cm thickness), and finally, an empradización. The control of rainwater is done through a system
of collection channels covered with stone (closed areas), and provisional at points of contact
between temporary roads and waste [21].

Areas VII and VIII have a leachate conduction system, with a main line of conduction of 12
inches in diameter, plus several secondary conduction systems connected to the main and four
ponds or storage pools.
Doña Juana has a leachate treatment plant that went into operation in February 2002, and
consists of physical, chemical and biological processes
WASTE DIPOSAL
It is done through the system of cells, formed by a system of terraces, where the waste disposed
on each work front, is spread in layers with a thickness no greater than 50cm and compacted
with heavy machinery. Then they are covered with plastic cloth or geomembrane, and finished
with a layer of 40 cm of earth to prevent the proliferation of vectors, the presence of animals,
the dispersion of volatile materials represented in dust and odors, product of the decomposition
of waste that are exposed in an area of 4,400 m before being buried, to comply with the
minimum admitted values of 10,000 m
The isolation of the cells is done to prevent leachates from migrating to aquifers and
contaminating them
Upon completion of the operation and reaching the expected level, the cell is covered with a
layer of earth, between 60 and 80 cm thick that allows its isolation and waterproofing,
conditioning the soil to start the restoration process
All current disposal areas have chimneys that allow the evaluation and capture of gases; the
gases captured in this stage are conducted to the biogas plant in the landfill. In this plant it is
possible to considerably reduce the CO2 emissions to the atmosphere, and the use of the
gases through the production of energy, at present 600 Kw / h of electrical energy is produced
which is used for the operation of the plant making it self sustainable.

WATER IMPACT

Leachates problem due to the load of organic matter, the high content of nitrogen and
phosphorus, toxic substances such as heavy metals and organic constituents, as well as
abundant presence of pathogens ; its volume depends on the climate conditions since it
presents increases in its flow in the rainy season. There was an unexpected production of these
substances that together with the ignorance of its polluting capacity, allowed its direct disposal
to Tunjuelo River and generated pollution. This phenomenon put at risk the nearby communities
that have been supplied with this resource for many years, and it is also a tributary of
importance of the Bogotá River that affects the environmental conditions and the ecosystem in
general.
The quality of leachates depends on their levels of contamination, which are associated with
the range of compounds that make up the mass of waste disposed
Until 2013, the loads were not selected or separated at the source, so the range of
contaminants is very large, according to Table 4-9, Serrano (2006). These leachates can
present three stages of maturation

TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN WATER

Besides the chemicals from household and industrial products, electronic wastes contain lead,
mercury and cadmium, that can infiltrate to groundwater

CONTAMINATION IN TUNJUELO RIVER

Zone II. It received waste from October 1995 until September 27, 1997, when it collapsed about
one million tons of waste of the three million that had been disposed. A useful life between 4
and 5 years had been calculated for this area, and nevertheless, it operated for 1.5 years. The
leachate was handled by recirculation inside the mass of garbage, so the process depended
on the proper functioning of the drainage system that maintained the balance between the
amount of liquid entering and leaving. The system failed and produced an increase in the
pressure of liquids and gases in the pores of the mass of garbage, which caused changes in
the characteristics of the material and given the geometrical configuration of the design, it
became unstable, it caused the collapse of the cell and went to the Tunjuelito river

The action plan of the emergency consisted of: monitoring the stability of the filled area and the
slipped area; surface water monitoring (leachates and Tunjuelito river); monitoring of odor-
producing gases (H2 S and NH3); methane gas monitoring; monitoring of radioactive elements;
attention to community consultations and attention to public order. The firm SCS Engineers
designed and put into operation a new zone - Zone IV. Its design included the management of
leachates through recirculation and gas management with PVC chimneys at all levels of
garbage.

Currently, the affected area was organized into three areas. Area 1, until July 1998: restored,
closed and revegetated. Area 2, disposed with part of the waste committed in the collapse,
closed, revegetated and with a forced gas extraction system. Area 3, disposed with a
percentage of waste committed in the collapse, closed and revegetated. Zone V. It was not
used for the final disposal of waste and in its place, the Leachate Treatment Plant was built.

LEACHATE MANAGEMENT

The hydraulic capacity of the leachate plant is between 8 and 13.9 l / s and an average of
organic load removal of 10.5 kg / day (image 4-7). According to technical data (Castillejo 2011,
UAESP 2011), the average flow of treated leachate is between 12.9 and 16 l / s, while the
average flow rate of leachate generation is 23 l / s, with peaks up to 35 l / s; which has required
the use of 4 pools for the storage of surplus
The sludge product from the leachate treatment plant (PTL) are arranged in a special cell where
they are confined and isolated without any type of management
Studies are carried out for its management and possible use as fertilizer in the same landfill
The treatment in the plant is constituted by processes of physical, chemical, decantation,
secondary sedimentation, neutralization, predesnitrification, filtration, chlorination and
biological treatment.

AIR IMPACT
The generation of gases is an inevitable process in the management of the filling since it
functions as a bioreactor where the empty spaces of the waste mass are filled with oxygen and
allow the aerobic microorganisms, the initial source of aerobic decomposition, to consume the
O that has remained in contact with the biodegradable MO, generating the release of CO2 and
water vapor together with the increase in temperature, product of microbial activity
Biogas has the characteristic of being a little lighter than air; it is composed of a percentage
mixture of methane CH4 in 60% and carbon dioxide CO in 40%, and contains a minimum
amount of other gases such as hydrogen sulfide H2S (Colmenares and Santos, 2007); in the
same way, the temperature of the flame can reach 870 ºC.
TOXIC GASES
CH4, EPA records that the methane expelled during the decomposition of organic matter in
unmanaged landfills has the potential of trapping solar radiation 20 times more effective than
carbon dioxide. bleach and ammonia can generate toxic gases
De la incineracion se emiten gases complejos de carácter peligroso, entre los que se
encuentran las dioxina y furanos como producto de la combustión de los Residuos solidos
urbanos

MANAGEMENT OF GASES

To use the biogas that it generates, in two ways:

1-as a fuel in its own processes, such as the evaporation of leachates or in industries
surrounding the landfill.
2-to generate electric power.

Biogas plant (CDM)

2010 (until 2013 certificates then energy production

Started in 2016 (1,7 MV)
Methane to carbonic gas
Annual Reduction: 700.000 t of CO2 eq
600 kilowatts of electric power per hour, which is used for self-consumption of the extraction,
treatment and utilization plant

SOIL AND PLANT IMPACT

P levels optimus
Ph Acidity level is not adequate (6-7)
Plants absorbs P from the soil solution in the form of phosphate ions, which, in turn, depends
on the amount of P and the pH.
If there is an excessive amount of potassium assimilable, the plants absorb more than they
need, which causes deficiencies of magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc
The mixture of toxic substances and decaying organic material can impact the soil quality of
the areas surrounding a landfill site. This can compound the effects on biodiversity as local
vegetation may cease to grow

SOLUTIONS
Recycle, Re-use, and reduce. Reduce functions by ensuring that the waste is not produced at
all. Reuse involves making use of once used products so that limited waste is thrown away. It
helps as it reduces environmental and economic waste in the process. Recycling on the other
hand is a complex process which involves taking used materials and re-manufacturing them
through some set processes then selling them as new.

Plastic, paper, cardboard, glass and metals make up 43% of what reaches Doña Juana. Almost
$ 1,000 million are buried daily. 800 grams of waste per day per citizen

Holland, Exploitation: 98%, recover raw materials and produce energy through the incineration
of waste, 80% of what is thrown is recycled and 18% is incinerated; only 2% reaches the
sanitary landfills.

Oslo (Norway) Exploitation: 99%.

Garbage is a source of energy in Oslo, so when it exceeds the capacity to process its waste it
has to import garbage. The Klemetsrud plant processes around 300,000 tons per year through
an optical reader that, depending on the color of the bags, sends the plastics back to recycling
and food waste for the creation of fertilizers and biogas that is used as fuel.

Sweden

Exploitation: 99% high taxes were included for citizens who do not recycle. Approximately 50%
of the waste is reused, while the rest goes to treatment plants to produce energy.

Composting
Composting is a biological, aerobic and thermophilic process of decomposition of organic waste
under controlled conditions that transforms organic waste biodegradable in a product known as
compost applicable to soils as fertilizer. In open or closed systems (Biodigesters)

Anaerobic digestion
The anaerobic digestion of waste (or biomethanization) consists of the decomposition of
organic matter in the absence of oxygen, obtaining two products:
• Biogas, rich in methane that can be used to produce electricity.
• Digest of organic matter, potentially usable in soil recovery by its high content of nutrients.
This type of treatment must be preceded by a classification treatment and followed of a
composting process for the stabilization of the digest.
This process is carried out in the digester, a sealed container without the presence of oxygen.
There are two types of anaerobic digestion:
Mesophilic: In which the residues remain in the digester for 15 – 30 days at a temperature of
about 30-35 ° C.
Thermophilic: in which the waste remains less time (12 - 14 days) temperature of 55ºC.
Mesophilic digestion tends to be a more robust and economical process, while The thermophilic
provides more methane, as well as greater elimination of pathogens.
Thermal processes
The thermal processes include gasification, pyrolysis and incineration. The use of the first two
technologies for the treatment waste is relatively recent since previously its use was limited to
the petrochemical industry.

Gasification

Raw material (usually solid) is converted by partial oxidation to elevated temperature, a in gas
with a moderate calorific power. Normally, work with 25-30% oxygen necessary for complete
oxidation. This characteristic distinguishes the gasification of other thermochemical processes
such as incineration (complete oxidation, generally with excess oxygen) and pyrolysis (thermal
decomposition in the absence of oxygen).

Pyrolysis
Thermal decomposition of organic matter such as that present in waste, in the absence of
oxygen, if the process is autothermal, something of oxygen is introduced in order to produce a
partial combustion that adds heat to the process.
The carbon-based compounds contained in the residue decompose giving gases, condensable
hydrocarbons and a carbonaceous. While this physicochemical phenomenon constitutes a
stage prior to combustion or gasification, it is also found as an industrial process

Incineration of Urban Solid Waste

The incineration of the RSU is a thermal treatment of a destructive nature of the input
components, is a controlled combustion in which the volume and you can take advantage of
the energy released in the process. The great concern is in environmental terms the emission
of complex gases of a character dangerous, among which are dioxin and furans as a product
of the combustion of the RSU (OEI, 2008).
Incineration is defined as "Process by which solid materials are subjected and liquids, whether
residual or not, at a medium temperature regime (850 - 1,200 ° C), due to the exothermic
oxidation reactions of the waste itself and, if precise, of fuel supplied, in the presence of excess
of sufficient oxygen to that almost all (> 99.99%) the organic fraction present passes to the
gaseous form, the oxidizable compounds at that temperature have been combined with oxygen,
and Inorganic fraction has been reduced to slag (glass, stones, metals) and ash "