ISO 24297:2022

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 24297
First edition
2022-07
Guidelines for treatment and reuse of
leachate from municipal solid waste
(MSW) incineration plants
Lignes directrices pour le traitement et la réutilisation du lixiviat
provenant des installations d'incinération des déchets ménagers
Reference number
© ISO 2022
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Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Abbreviated terms . 2
5 General principles . 3
5.1 General . 3
5.2 Safety. 3
5.3 Reliability . 4
5.4 Stability . 4
5.5 Economic sustainability . 4
5.6 Environment . 4
6 Quantity and quality of the MSW leachate . 4
6.1 Quantity . 4
6.2 Quality . 5
6.3 Influencing factors and considerations . 6
7 Treatment system design for the MSW leachate . 6
7.1 Treatment process . 6
7.2 Treatment system . 7
7.2.1 Preliminary treatment . 7
7.2.2 Biological treatment . 8
7.2.3 Advanced treatment for reuse . 9
7.3 M onitoring system . 10
7.4 Auxiliary treatment . 11
7.4.1 General . 11
7.4.2 Sludge . 11
7.4.3 Concentrate . 11
7.4.4 Biogas .12
7.4.5 Odour .12
7.4.6 Foam . 12
7.4.7 Noise .12
8 Reuse of treated leachate .12
8.1 Reuse application considerations .12
8.2 Reclaimed water quality considerations .12
9 Environmental and occupational health and safety .13
9.1 Identification of health and safety risks . 13
9.2 Establishment of health and safety programmes . 13
9.3 Safety considerations in system design . 13
9.4 Implementation of health and safety equipment . 14
9.5 Training . 14
9.6 Management of incidents and emergencies . 14
Annex A (informative) Process parameters for leachate treatment system design .15
Annex B (informative) Quantity generation of MSW leachate .17
Annex C (informative) Potential treatment options for MSW leachate .18
Annex D (informative) Overview of MSW composition and treatment .19
Bibliography .28
iii
Foreword
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 282, Water reuse, Subcommittee SC 2,
Water reuse in urban areas.
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iv
Introduction
Commonly used methods for disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) include landfilling, incineration
and composting (Annex D), and each of these methods generates leachate. Leachate is a kind of
wastewater containing highly concentrated organic contaminants that can pose a high risk to the
environment. It is necessary for leachate to have proper treatment before being discharged or reused
to avoid adverse impacts on the environment. Due to the differences in duration of waste stacking and
fermenting, leachate from different MSW disposal methods varies significantly in the concentration and
biodegradability of organic matter, which requires tailored treatment processes. Leachate generated
from MSW incineration plants has a higher concentration of biodegradable organic pollutants, and
thus degrades more easily than leachate from landfills and composting plants. Due to higher quality
requirements for water reuse in MSW incineration plants, this document focuses on leachate treatment
and reuse in MSW incineration plants.
In MSW incineration plants the MSW first enters the unloading platform and then goes to the MSW
pit, where stacking and fermentation occurs. The stacking and fermenting process aims to reduce
moisture content of the MSW before incineration. The MSW leachate has a strong odour and high
concentrations of organic and inorganic compounds; it includes stacking and fermenting wastewater
and unloading platform flushing water. Many kinds of wastewater, such as municipal wastewater,
industrial wastewater and stormwater, are used as sources of reclaimed water to address worldwide
water shortages caused by economic growth, increasing populations, climate change and other factors.
The quality and quantity of MSW leachate can vary based on climate, residents’ living habits,
composition of waste and waste collection and separation systems. Therefore, leachate treatment can
be more challenging than other kinds of wastewater treatment. Due to the complex composition of
leachate and the high concentrations of pollutants, a combined treatment process is usually necessary
for leachate treatment to meet environmental requirements and intended reuse applications. The
essential components of the leachate treatment and reuse system include pretreatment, biological
treatment and advanced treatment.
In consideration of the problems in the treatment of MSW leachat
...