> “Seeding sustainability, harvesting future” <

The LIFE LEACHLESS project (LIFE15 ENV/ES/000530) will promote water resources management actions in accordance with the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC by enabling managers of landfills and waste treatment centres to achieve good qualitative and quantitative status of their effluents.

Large amounts of leachates are generated in Europe and, because of their composition, having a high pollution load. The LEACHLESS project proposes a treatment model that will be carried out “in-situ” using a cost-effective novel technology that combines solar evaporation/condensation plus forward osmosis. The prototype will be powered by renewable energies (solar energy, biomass and residual heat), which will minimise the carbon footprint of the process.

The final effluent quality will be very high, allowing reuse (preferred) or discharge into watercourses. In the particular case of this project, the final effluents will be reused for cleaning and gardening purposes. A minority semi-solid residual stream will be also generated in the process. Due to its special composition (rich in metals and inorganic elements), this stream will be valorised in ceramic industries to improve the final products characteristics.