How about a peek into a place where waste management meets environmental responsibility? This is Deponie Vereinigte Ville. It is no ordinary landfill. It represents a crucial part of modern waste management.
Deponie Vereinigte Ville is located between Erftstadt, Brühl and Hürth. This location is in a region with a high density of industry and commerce. The site has been operated jointly for many years. RWE Power AG, AVG Köln GmbH, and REMONDIS Industrie Service GmbH work together here. Around 60 employees are working at the site.
The Vereinigte Ville has a long history. Brown coal was mined here in open-cast mining until the 1950s. The city of Cologne took over part of the area in 1970. They used it to deposit waste from the metropolis.
For almost three decades, the Vereinigte Ville was Cologne’s municipal waste landfill. Household, bulky and commercial waste were deposited here. This changed in 1998. The waste incineration plant in Cologne was commissioned. The operation of the landfill was transferred from the city of Cologne to AVG Köln.
Let’s talk numbers. Each year, around 1.7 million tons of waste from landfill classes I to III are stored here. The currently approved total volume is 90 million cubic meters. Vereinigte Ville covers a total area of approximately 313 hectares. RWE uses approximately 139 hectares for the disposal of power plant residues and mineral waste. AVG Köln uses around 99 hectares for the disposal of waste from landfill class II. REMONDIS Industrie Service GmbH uses approximately 60 hectares for waste from landfill class III.
Since 2005, organic waste has generally been pre-treated. Only inert materials arrive in Erftstadt. These are wastes with no or very low levels of organic matter. Examples include ash from industry and waste incineration and construction waste.
The Vereinigte Ville boasts favorable geological conditions. Beneath the landfill body is a layer of clay. It is approximately 30 meters thick and impermeable. This seals the landfill downwards and protects the groundwater. An 80-centimeter-thick bentonite cut-off wall separates the site. It separates it from the adjacent Kottenforst recreational area. This prevents seepage water from escaping.
Deponie Vereinigte Ville also has good infrastructure. The Werkstrasse connects to a state road and the A1 motorway. The site can be reached without driving through towns.
Rainwater seeps through the deposited waste layers. This contaminates it. The wastewater undergoes a two-stage cleaning process. Microorganisms perform the first step in the biological stage. Activated carbon serves as a filter material in the second stage. After intensive cleaning, the water passes through another cleaning cycle. This happens in a nearby industrial wastewater treatment plant. Only then is the water discharged.
Old storage areas are covered with a film. This minimizes the amount of rainwater entering the landfill. This ensures that rain can drain away without contacting the waste.
Gases are produced by the decomposition of organic components. These gases are captured via so-called gas wells. The gas flows are bundled in several gas collecting stations. They are transported to the gas pumping station. The gas is then compressed before being used to generate energy in a combined heat and power plant.
The collected landfill gas is converted directly into electricity and heat. This prevents the greenhouse gas methane from burdening the atmosphere. At the same time, energy is generated. This is considered renewable and climate-friendly.
The current free landfill capacities will last until the end of the 2020s. AVG Köln is striving to continue operating the landfills in the Ville. They are doing this together with their landfill neighbors. The aim is to increase the storage area. The existing facilities and transport links can continue to be used. New land consumption can be avoided.
Deponie Vereinigte Ville exemplifies how waste management can be both safe and environmentally conscious.