Leachate & Condensate Collection: Polyethylene Tank Solutions for Landfills

Leachates are liquids that migrate from the waste from landfills. Rainwater and moisture existing in landfill waste produces the leachates which carry dissolved or suspended contaminants. It’s essentially the waste from the landfill that can potentially seep into the surrounding ground and surface water. The landfill is responsible to control of this potential contamination.

A Challenging Issue

Cleanup of contaminated ground or surface water is extremely expensive and presents a substantial risk to the landfill operator. The solution to contain the contamination is a landfill liner to contain the waste. The waste is then drained or piped into containment tanks for discharge to municipal waste treatment or on-site treatment, and then recirculated back into the landfill.

The Polyethylene Solution

Polyethylene tanks offer a superior solution for the collection and treatment of leachates and condensates for landfills. Cross-linked Polyethylene (XLPE) provides superior tank strength, offering 20 times the stress crack resistance of high-density polyethylene. Cross-linked polyethylene is chemically compatible with and able to handle storage of most every dissolved and solid material found in landfill leachate and condensate, including acids, aldehydes, ammonia, pathogens and metals.

In addition, cross-linked polyethylene tanks are seamless in construction, without the weld or stress points found in steel and fiberglass tanks. Poly tanks thus reduce the potential for chemical attack of weak points of the tank, minimizing the risk of leaks and failure. The unpredictable composition of leachate and condensate does not impact cross-linked polyethylene, and the tanks require zero to very minimal maintenance. This translates into a long, cost-effective storage solution for leachates.

For over 25 years, Poly Processing has installed tank systems in landfills and hazardous waste sites.

Want to learn more about our leachate storage system solutions? Download our Leachate and Condensate Storage Guide.