The monitoring of eight large test lysimeter cells has given information about the decomposition of, and leachate and gas production from, shredded and unprocessed refuse. Six of the cells were originally 4 to 5 feet deep and held 100 tons each of residential-light commercial municipal solid waste. Two cells were originally 8 to 10 feet deep and held 200 tons each. All cells were exposed to the climate at Madison, Wisconsin, for 5 to 7 years. Cell monitoring was designed to indicate changes in leachate quantity and composition and gas composition, as a result of: (1) shredding or not shredding the waste, (2) covering or not covering the waste with soil, (3) increasing the depth of a lift from 4 to 8 feet, and (4) building an 8-foot layer in a landfill in one or two lifts. Increased peak concentrations of contaminants in leachate were common with shredded refuse, in comparison with unprocessed refuse. The effect of soil cover on the cells was to prolong the period of production of leachate high in contaminant concentrations. The cells left uncovered produced initially a highly contaminated leachate, followed by rapid stabilization to consistently low concentrations of contaminants.

At head of title: "Prepublication issue for EPA libraries and State Solid Waste Management Agencies." "United States, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water & Waste Management"--Cover. Publisher location came from cover. "Contract number 68-03-0315"--T.p. "SW-190c"--T.p. "October 1980"--Cover. "This report was submitted in fulfillment of Contract 68-03-0315 by R.K. ham of the University of Wisconsin at Madison." Includes bibliographical references.