A POLUIC?O CAUSADA POR ATERROS DE RESIDUOS SOLIDOS URBANOS SOBRE OS RECURSOS HIDRICOS

This study shows that Caturrita closed landfill site (Santa Maria, RS, Brazil)causes a large contamination of superficial water resources. There areproblems in the leachate collection system and the stabilization ponds areineffective in removing the pollutant load of the leachate collected. Sinceresidue decomposition may take several decades after landfill closure, the potential of environmental contamination may be even larger. Estimatesshow that until the complete stabilization of the landfill site it still may introduce14,5 Mg of soluble organic carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, sodium,potassium, calcium and iron ions directly in superficial water bodies.