Special Research Projects

Bioreactor Monitoring in Polk County

Dr. Timothy Townsend, University of Florida

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has contracted with the Center to manage leachate sample collection and analysis to learn more about the performance of bioreactor technologies. The contract also provides additional support for the development and maintenance of the bioreactor demonstration web page, www.bioreactor.org. The web page is also supported by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection through the Florida Bioreactor Demonstration project.

Development of Sustainable Groundwater Iron Remediation Techniques

John Schert, Executive Director
Dr. Timothy Townsend, University of Florida

Environmental concern over high levels of iron in the groundwater and surface water seeps (small seasonal springs) near some north Florida landfills prompted local governments to seek assistance from the Center. Research to develop low cost sustainable remediation technologies is being conducted.

Florida Bioreactor Demonstration Project

Dr. Timothy Townsend, University of Florida
Dr. Debra Reinhart, University of Central Florida

To move Florida into the 21st century in solid waste management, further reductions in landfilling are needed. One promising approach is the mass processing of municipal solid waste in "bioreactor" landfills. Under this model, landfills become facilities where the waste is actively digested, rather than "dry tombs" where the waste decomposes slowly, if at all. Using this approach, the life of landfills can be greatly extended. The proposed project will develop and demonstrate a scaled-up, fully instrumented landfill cell, engineered from the start as a bioreactor facility. The bioreactor is located at the New River Regional Landfill. (New River is a joint program of Baker, Bradford and Union Counties.) Related work is being conducted at the Polk County Solid Waste Facility. The work at the Polk County facility is being funded by Polk County, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

More can be learned about the project at www.bioreactor.org.

Miami-Dade Assistance Project

John Schert, Executive Director

The Center is assisting Miami-Dade County solid waste staff in the development of a scope for an upcoming request for proposals/notice to professional consultants to develop a new Miami-Dade County solid waste comprehensive plan.