Sustainable municipal landfill leachate management: Current practices, challenges, and future directions

Landfill leachate, a complex and hazardous liquid waste, poses significant environmental and public health challenges due to its diverse composition and potential for contamination. This review examines the difficulties in landfill leachate management (LLM), focusing on its impact on water, soil, and air quality. Advanced leachate treatment technologies were evaluated for their effectiveness in mitigating leachate's effects. Sustainable development and circular economy principles are critical in addressing these challenges. Effective waste reduction and recycling can significantly decrease landfill volume and leachate production, with potential savings of up to 57.7 % in maintenance costs. Composting not only converts organic waste into valuable compost but also generates methane for energy, enhancing waste management efficiency. Energy recovery technologies, including gasification/pyrolysis, effectively convert waste into usable energy, reducing reliance on landfills and minimizing environmental impact. Advanced treatment technologies, including integrated advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) with biological processes and adsorbent-enhanced constructed wetlands, demonstrated promising cost-effectiveness and high treatment efficiency, with savings of up to 32 % in treatment costs. Future research should focus on emerging technologies like nanotechnology and artificial intelligence for process optimization, and the impact of municipal leachate on air quality. Continued innovation in leachate treatment and sustainable practices are essential for effective waste management. • The complex composition and related environmental risks of leachate were addressed. • The long-term effects of leachate on air quality were emphasized. • The role of efficient waste management within the circular economy was emphasized. • Energy recovery reduces reliance on landfills and minimizes environmental impact. • Emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and AI require further research.