The revised ASTM D6826-23 Standard Specification for Sprayed Slurries, Foams, and Indigenous Materials Used As Alternative Daily Cover for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills was published last week. Daily covers are an essential issue in managing odor release in landfills. This specification has been around for around 15 years, and this is the fifth revision of the text. 

   This specification defines procedures for determining the performance of certain landfill daily cover materials such as sprayed slurries, foams, and other materials generally described as an alternative daily cover (ADC) for municipal solid waste landfills. This standard specification does not apply to other types of landfills. Also, the text does not apply to geosynthetics used as ADC such as this one.

   Transporting liquid waste is a continuously growing activity in several industries. This transportation is made in trucks and sea containers. Often, the liquid transported contains Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and odours. The process of washing and cleaning the truck tanks usually involves the emission of odours and VOCs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the odour abatement efficiency of a multistage hybrid approach consisting of alkaline scrubbing, condenser, adsorption with impregnated Al₂O₃ + active carbon (AC), and the injection of a deodorizing product to abate odour and VOC emission. In addition, the second aim of this study was to show that the use of these sequential technologies reduce VOC emissions below the limit of 100 mg/m³ set in the environmental authorisation.

   Before the abatement system was installed, VOC concentration was measured over a week averaging 200 mg/Nm³. After the installation of the abatement system, the results showed that the average VOC concentration was always well below the legal limit. In addition, when washing activities took place, the odour concentration measured at the inlet, and outlet of the abatement system was 5000 ou_E/m³ and 150 ou_E/m³, respectively. This was a 97% odour abatement efficiency.