Phytocapping as a sustainable cover for waste containment systems: Experience of the A-ACAP study

Abstract

Phytocaps offer a natural soil-plant alternative to the conventional engineered “barrier” landfill covers. They are often appropriately called evapotranspiration or store-andrelease covers. They require less engineering input and are less costly to construct as they commonly utilise locally available recourses (soil and plant). By planting native species, they also enhance the ecological value of closed landfill sites and allow a more sustainable approach compared with conventional covers. This paper introduces the phytocapping concept, provides a brief description of a 5 year national research program conducted in Australia, presents a summary of the study findings, and discusses the performance of phytocaps in comparison with conventional compacted clay covers under a wide range of Australian bioclimatic conditions.