Six lysimeters with a height of 3 m and 1.3 m in diameter were
constructed using reinforced concrete rings (Fig. 1). Coarse gravel
layer of 0.2 m thickness was used at the bottom as the drainage
layer and a PVC pipe was provided for leachate collection in all
the six lysimeters. Manually segregated biodegradable fraction of
fresh MSW from a residential area of Chennai and the partially degraded
MSW (three years old) mined from the MSW Dumping
Ground in Chennai at Kodungaiyur (KDG) were used as substrates
in the lysimeters. Lysimeter loading details are summarized in Table
1. A composite cover consisting of compost, sand and partially
stabilized waste from an open dumpsite, respectively were placed