Analysis of the occurrence of heavy metals in the landfills at the former dye industry plant "Boruta" in Zgierz

The paper aims to analyse the occurrence of heavy metals (HMs) in the vicinity of a post-production waste landfill. The detection of HMs was based on the analysis of soil samples collected around the waste landfill in the Zgierz municipality. The research included soil analysis for HMs content using the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) method. Samples were collected in summer and winter. Soil samples were tested for physico-chemical properties. All soil samples were collected from locations accessible to residents near the former "Boruta" Dye Industry Plant in Zgierz, currently located in the Zgierz Boruta Industrial Park. The plant's activities greatly impacted the current landscape, leaving behind landfills that were a ‘ticking bomb’ in Zgierz. Products manufactured include dyes, acids, chemicals for the military, textile, pharmaceutical and food industries, furniture and agriculture.