Investigating combustion derived runoff from solid waste dumpyard fire suppression activities: chemical profile and...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecotoxicology
• Waste Management

Background:

• Developing countries face challenges with waste fires at unlined dumpsites.
• Firefighting generates toxic combustion derived runoff (CDR), similar to landfill leachate.
• CDR's environmental impact on soil and water remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive field assessment of CDR from a municipal solid waste (MSW) fire in a tropical region.
• To analyze the ecotoxicological impact and spatial distribution of CDR.
• To evaluate the risks posed by CDR to soil and water resources.

Main Methods:

• Case study of the Brahmapuram dumpyard fire in Southern India.
• Analysis of fire residues, CDR, soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater.
• Application of ecotoxicological indicators, spatial modeling, and risk assessment tools.

Main Results:

• CDR exhibited characteristics of stabilized landfill leachate with low biodegradability and high toxicity.
• Soils showed extreme heavy metal contamination (Pollution Load Index > 100).
• Despite dilution, large CDR volumes increased downstream trace metal mass, with potential for long-term metal leaching.

Conclusions:

• CDR poses significant long-term risks to soil and water quality due to its toxicity and heavy metal content.
• Current firefighting methods exacerbate environmental damage through large CDR volumes.
• Urgent need for improved fire suppression strategies, containment, monitoring, and leachate management is highlighted.