ADBU-Journal of Engineering Technology Shah, AJET, ISSN: 2348-7305, Volume10, Issue2, July, 2021 0100200231(9PP) 1 Performance Evaluation of Phytocapping As Covering For Sanitary Landfill Sites Bhavya D. Shah 1 , Dr. Mehali J. Mehta 2 , Abhishek Khapre 3 1 Deputy General Manager (Process Design), GREEN Design & Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd., Surat, India, bhavyashah.2708@gmail.com 2 Post Graduation In-charge, Masters of Engineering (Environmental Engineering), Assistant Professor. Civil Engineering Department Sarvajanik College of Engineering & Technology, Surat, India, mehali.mehta@scet.ac.in 3 Senior Research Fellow CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute Nagpur, Maharashtra, India, abhishek.khapre@yahoo.in Abstract: Commonly adopted method for discarding of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is disposal on landfill sites. The practice involves treatment of MSW before disposal, which is infrequent in most of the places in India. With the disposal of untreated waste, the biodegradation of MSW triggers the formation of Landfill Gases (LFG). Moreover, the closer of aged landfill must be practiced with application of soil over the layer of last dumped waste, which is also infrequent, in turn the landfills are used until management thinks they can. This unplanned and haphazard use of landfill creates countless environmental hazard. To overcome this approach, the present paper focuses on a novel idea of closure of landfill by the application of vegetation (phytocaps) on its top. In the experiment three planters were used each depicting solid waste disposal site. Two planter P1 and P2 depicts MSW landfill sites with application of phytocaps and planter P3 portrays conventional MSW landfill sites. Five Indian species of plants, commonly named as Basil, Lemon grass, Indian Mustard, Sunflower and Lily with locally available soil were taken in experiment for evaluation of phytocaps for covering of landfill sites. The implementation of plants decreases the amount of nutrients and heavy metals in leachate, thereby decrease in threat of groundwater pollution. They also enhance the methane oxidation in soil. Roots of plants absorbs the essential nutrients from the soil leading to the bio-availability of oxygen for the methanotrops to oxidize the CH4. The leachate characteristics, plant height, root depth, heavy metal uptake by roots, chlorophyll analysis and methane emission analysis from each planter were studied. The experiment resulted in 60-63% of reduction in methane emission in planter 1 and 2 while the emission in planter 3 increased with the course of time. Similarly, leachate samples from planter 1 and 2 showed reduction of 99% COD, 95-99% heavy metals, 75-82% nutrients and pH was found to be alkaline. Keywords: Phytocap, Methane, MSW, Landfill gases. (Article history: Received: 6 th February 2021 and accepted 20 th March 2021) I. INTRODUCTION Due to rapid industrialization, urbanization, population, and economic growth, the generation rate of municipal solid waste is increased significantly. According to a survey conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 59 cities (35 metro cities and 24 state capitals) through the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), 59 cities generated 39,031 ton / day (TPD) of municipal solid Waste [26,31] . According to the available data from the State Pollution Control Board / Pollution Control committee (2009 to 2012) 1,27,486 tones TPD municipal solid waste was generated during the 2012-13 period. MSW management (MSWM) is one of the major environmental problems of Indian cities. The disposal of waste without any processing causes an unfavorable effect on all the factors of the environment and human health. Among all available options for MSWM, landfill disposal is the most commonly employed waste management option in India, although waste disposal is the least preferred option in the waste management hierarchy theoretically. The survey conducted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) reveals MSW disposal at dumpsite varies from 16 to 100%, like in Kozhikode (Kerala) it is 16%. Ludhiana (Punjab) and Greater Mumbai (Maharashtra) have 100% waste disposal and in Delhi and Surat (Gujarat) around 95% of MSW reached to landfill sites, and in the rest of the cities/town less than 90% waste disposed to dumpsites (CPCB, 2013; FICCI, 2009). Annually, India produces around 70 million tons of municipal solid waste, of which only 5% of waste is processed scientifically. The FICCI survey reveals MSW discharge at landfill sites varies from 16 to 100%, like in Kozhikode district of Kerala, it is 16% and in Greater Mumbai it is 100%. 100% waste disposal was found in Greater Mumbai (Maharashtra) and Ludhiana (Punjab), MSW of about 95% reached respective landfill sites in Delhi and Surat (Gujarat), and less than 90% waste reached dumpsites in the rest of the regions (CPCB, 2013; FICCI, 2009). Adverse Effects of Landfilling consist of groundwater contamination and surface water contamination due to infiltration and runoff, bad odour, fly nuisance, fires due to methane gas burning, soil stability and soil erosion, acidity in soil in nearby areas of landfill and majorly Green-house gases emission such as Methane (CH 4 ), Nitrous oxide (N 2 O), Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ).