Phytoremediation use at landfills is one of the most field implemented kinds of planted buffers in the field of phytotechnologies. Plants can be used to remediate contaminated groundwater generated by landfill leachate. Deep rooted plants such as poplars and willow are often used to create phytobuffers to prevent contaminated plumes from spreading. There are over 100 landfill sites in the US that we can see phytoremediation at work, and students are learning how to implement plant-based strategies.
See this article to learn about how nearly sixty Riverton Middle School (RMS) students visited the University of Wyoming’s campus Monday, Oct. 7, to learn about phytoremediation, which is the ability of plants to clean up soil, air and water contaminated with hazardous pollutants. Arranged by the UW Science Initiative’s Learning Actively Mentoring Program (LAMP), the visit was part of a yearlong collaboration between Rachel Watson’s microbiology capstone course at UW and the seventh grade class at RMS. The two groups of students are researching a possible remediation solution for the city of Riverton’s former landfill, while working with city officials and Inberg-Miller Engineers (IME).
Landfill Phytoremediation Strategies
Landfill- Typical Site Contaminants