Last update
2025
Summary
The project applied an eco-remediation methodology at the Dobrava landfill (Municipality of Ormož, Slovenia) in the Pannonian lowlands. It aimed to demonstrate a green technology that reduces landfill impacts through a closed hydrological and pollution cycle, complementing and exceeding legislation. The Limnotop approach combines a dense, high-evapotranspiration woodland cover as a water barrier with recirculation and a constructed wetland for leachate treatment, to protect surface and groundwater.
Since project completion, the landfill has been permanently closed to additional landfilling and reconstructed; the constructed wetland remains in operation for leachate treatment (as confirmed by site managers). Post-LIFE, the site has been under operational monitoring by the authorities. In 2019 the environmental permit required additional leachate treatment, and a 2020 municipal plan considered routing leachate to the Ormož wastewater treatment plant to complement the wetland. A separate collection/transfer center now operates adjacent to the closed landfill. Overall, the case shows long-term use of nature-based treatment integrated with closure works, with upgrades pursued to meet current standards.
Since project completion, the landfill has been permanently closed to additional landfilling and reconstructed; the constructed wetland remains in operation for leachate treatment (as confirmed by site managers). Post-LIFE, the site has been under operational monitoring by the authorities. In 2019 the environmental permit required additional leachate treatment, and a 2020 municipal plan considered routing leachate to the Ormož wastewater treatment plant to complement the wetland. A separate collection/transfer center now operates adjacent to the closed landfill. Overall, the case shows long-term use of nature-based treatment integrated with closure works, with upgrades pursued to meet current standards.
Position
Latitude
46.4127
Longitude
16.146
Project
NWRM
National Id
Slovenia_05
Installation date
2006-10
Implementation Status
Contact
REC
RBD code
SI_RBD_1
Transboundary
0
Photo gallery
Location of the project
At Dobrava, NW of Ormož. The site lies north of the state road G1-2 (Ormož western bypass), west of local road LC 302-021 Ormož–Koračice, and south of local road JP 804-391 Dobrava; the Lešnica stream runs along the western edge.
NUTS Code
SI01 - Vzhodna Slovenija
Project's objectives
The demonstrated approach allows a landfill site to become a bioreactor by permitting controlled infiltration and consequently further decomposition of the degradable part of the waste. This results in a quicker stabilization of a landfill site as the water in the bioreactor stimulates anaerobic microbes to mineralise organic waste. Fast growing trees with high evapotranspiration are used, which additionally contributes to leachate treatment and evapotranspiration of excess water to the atmosphere. Due to the closed hydrological and pollution cycle, the negative impact on the environment is reduced and the landfill site is lastingly rehabilitated.
Involved Partners
| Authority type | Authority name | Role | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Climate zone
cool temperate dry
Temperature
10
Precipitation
800
Elevation range
223
Slope range
gentle slope
Vegetation class
Surroundings are mapped as agricultural land (kmetijska zemljišča); within the rehabilitated landfill cover the dominant plantings were willow (Salix sp.), grasses, and white clover.
Water bodies: Ecological Status
Moderate
Water bodies: Chemical Status
Failing to achieve good
Project scale
Micro
Project scale specification
A single landfill site (Dobrava, Ormož) with a localized eco-remediation system (constructed wetland and evapotranspiration cover) and site-specific monitoring network.
Performance timescale
1 - 4 years
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
4
Size
4
Size unit
ha
Lifespan
50
Design capacity description
The construction of the prototype of the landfill site rehabilitation comprised complete reconstruction of 4 ha of the landfill with the leachate recirculation to the landfill vegetative cover, with soil layers permitting infiltration of water into the landfill body. The pre-treatment of the leachate took place in a constructed wetland of 1,000 m2, from where water was pumped through an underground irrigation system to the covered part of the landfill.
The LIMNOTOP project demonstrates an innovative technique of landfill rehabilitation which enables further waste degradation after the landfill closure, thus attaining stabilization of waste before the end of the useful life of liner materials. A closed hydraulic and pollution cycle was applied in the system of the landfill. The rehabilitation process includes natural systems which enable leachate treatment with stabilization and detoxification of pollutants, as well as extraction of residual nutrients in leachate for the growth of the wood biomass.
Total cost
594721
Costs total information
Total budget for the project.
Financing authorities
Type of funding
EU-funds: LIFE+
Comments
€267,624
Type of funding
National funds
Comments
€327,097
Type of funding
Local funds
Comments
In 2020, the Municipality approved an upgrade of the Dobrava collection centre and leachate conveyance. Estimated value €969,309.22 (with VAT); financing source: entirely the municipal budget (€887,198.01 excluding refundable VAT).
Compensations
0
Policy context
Land-filling is still the most common form of final waste disposal. The permanent control of emission of leachate and biogas presents a major environmental problem of the landfills. The common approach toward elimination of the negative emissions from landfills on the environment is the use of physical barriers (mineral, synthetic liners), which prevents the formation of landfill leachate and gasses. Surface isolation of the deposited wastes at the same time prevents their further degradation and disables their final stabilization. As the duration of the isolation materials is limited, in spite of their high quality, the long-term solution of these existing techniques is environmentally questionable.
Land ownership
Municipality of Ormož
Community involvment
No
Design consultation activity
| Activity stage | Name | Key issues | Comments |
|---|
Policy target
| Target purpose |
|---|
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Pollutants Removal
|
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Oher Societal Benefits
|
Policy pressure
| Pressure directive | Relevant pressure |
|---|
Policy impact
| Impact directive | Relevant impact |
|---|
Requirement directive
| Requirement directive | Specification |
|---|
Contractual arrangements
0
| Arrangement type | Responsibility | Role | Name | Comments |
|---|
Part of wider plan
1
Wider plan type
| Wider plan type | Wider plan focus | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The need for the reclamation of landfill sites to avoid long-term contamination is widely recognized in the EU countries. According to Slovene and EU Directives, old landfill sites have to be rehabilitated and there is a strong need for the protection of drinking water sources near landfill sites.
|
Groundwater operational monitoring is mandated under the amended permit (2023) at five observation wells plus two dug wells, with Lešnica stream water level measurements and an exceedance-response plan.
The performance of a prototype was monitored throughout a two and a half year period. Monitoring of leachate composition was performed and the contribution of constructed wetland to leachate purification was evaluated. The accumulation of leachate contaminants was followed in all of the subunits of the remediation system; in plant and soil material.
Maintenance
The operator maintains the monitoring network and site through routine inspections, periodic cleaning/reactivation of wells, and other upkeep required by the environmental permit.
Edge of Field/Plot
Laboratory analyses of the samples, Soil samples preparation, BOD analysis of leachate, ICP-MS analiysis of leachate and soil samples
The project results suggest savings are as high as 51% compared to leachate treatment systems and 31% for the final cover of landfill sites with synthetic layers.
Revenue potential from biomass: Establishment of woodland/energy crops was intended to generate income to offset maintenance & construction costs (target: ~25%); the Layman report also lists “renewable energy (wood biomass) 10–25%” among direct benefits.
Operational efficiencies: The approach reduces the need to maintain airtight caps and shortens the time needed for after-care and for required environmental monitoring, Public acceptance & secondary use: Rehabilitation with vegetated cover improves landscape acceptance and enables secondary/public uses of revitalised landfill land; the project also included guided site visits for dissemination.due to faster waste stabilisation.
Revenue potential from biomass: Establishment of woodland/energy crops was intended to generate income to offset maintenance & construction costs (target: ~25%); the Layman report also lists “renewable energy (wood biomass) 10–25%” among direct benefits.
Operational efficiencies: The approach reduces the need to maintain airtight caps and shortens the time needed for after-care and for required environmental monitoring, Public acceptance & secondary use: Rehabilitation with vegetated cover improves landscape acceptance and enables secondary/public uses of revitalised landfill land; the project also included guided site visits for dissemination.due to faster waste stabilisation.
Water quality overall improvements
Positive impact-WQ improvement
Information on Water quality overall improvements
Reduction of the contamination of surrounding waters with nutrients and toxic compounds, elimination of offensive odors, reduction of uncontrolled emission of gasses, final degradation of wastes with controlled infiltration of water into the landfill body.
No accumulation of heavy metals found in the landfill cover material; metals largely retained in the anaerobic landfill body, with part removed via plant uptake (notably Cd, Zn).
Boron (site study on leachate reuse): Leachate B = 0.8–3.83 mg/L; bioavailable B in soil increased over the 10-month study; leaf B (mean) clover 23.9 mg/kg, grasses 4.5 mg/kg, willow (new cover) 41.3 mg/kg, willow (old cover) 81.8 mg/kg; vegetation showed no visible toxicity in the monitoring period. (Notes that continued inputs could risk accumulation over longer terms.)
No accumulation of heavy metals found in the landfill cover material; metals largely retained in the anaerobic landfill body, with part removed via plant uptake (notably Cd, Zn).
Boron (site study on leachate reuse): Leachate B = 0.8–3.83 mg/L; bioavailable B in soil increased over the 10-month study; leaf B (mean) clover 23.9 mg/kg, grasses 4.5 mg/kg, willow (new cover) 41.3 mg/kg, willow (old cover) 81.8 mg/kg; vegetation showed no visible toxicity in the monitoring period. (Notes that continued inputs could risk accumulation over longer terms.)
Water quality Improvements Phosphorus (P)
80
Water quality Improvements (P) unit
% reduction pf pollutant
Water quality Improvements Nitrogen (N)
80
Wq Improvements n unit
% reduction pf pollutant
This new method of landfill management enables the secondary use of revitalized landfill sites improving biodiversity and increasing their public acceptance.
Information on Other biophysical impacts
Odour elimination and reduced GHG emissions cited for the system (gas drainage + CO₂ assimilation and CH₄ oxidation by vegetation).
Ecosystem impact climate regulation
Not relevant for the specific application
Information on Ecosystem impact GHG soil carbon
Offensive odors are eliminated and the emission of greenhouse gases reduced through a gas drainage system and the increased assimilation of CO2 and the oxidation of methane by the vegetative growth.
Key lessons
The “closed loop” concept—constructed wetland pre-treatment + recirculation under a high-ET vegetated cover; works as a landfill bio-reactor: monitoring during the LIFE project showed effective leachate pre-treatment, vigorous plant growth on the cover, no heavy-metal build-up in cover soils, and faster waste stabilisation signals (high leachate temperature/flows).
Nature-based treatment can remain part of after-care but may need to be complemented. After the landfill closed (end-2015), the 2023 permit records that leachate is now routed to the public sewer and treated at Ormož WWTP, with the constructed wetland kept as pre-treatment; a 2020 municipal investment paper had already noted the wetland alone was not sufficient.
Long-term performance depends on structured monitoring and maintenance. The 2023 decision sets 30-year after-care obligations (groundwater status monitoring, leachate monitoring at the outlet to sewer, gas/air checks, regular site inspections) and quantifies the associated monitoring/O&M cost items.
Where leachate is reused for irrigation, some constituents (e.g., boron) can accumulate in soil/plant tissue - even without short-term phytotoxicity - so targeted parameters must be tracked over time.
The eco-remediation elements are durable: managers confirm the constructed wetland remains in operation post-closure, illustrating persistence of NBS infrastructure alongside conventional upgrades. (Site managers, 2025, pers. comm.) See also the operator’s listing of the Dobrava constructed wetland.
Nature-based treatment can remain part of after-care but may need to be complemented. After the landfill closed (end-2015), the 2023 permit records that leachate is now routed to the public sewer and treated at Ormož WWTP, with the constructed wetland kept as pre-treatment; a 2020 municipal investment paper had already noted the wetland alone was not sufficient.
Long-term performance depends on structured monitoring and maintenance. The 2023 decision sets 30-year after-care obligations (groundwater status monitoring, leachate monitoring at the outlet to sewer, gas/air checks, regular site inspections) and quantifies the associated monitoring/O&M cost items.
Where leachate is reused for irrigation, some constituents (e.g., boron) can accumulate in soil/plant tissue - even without short-term phytotoxicity - so targeted parameters must be tracked over time.
The eco-remediation elements are durable: managers confirm the constructed wetland remains in operation post-closure, illustrating persistence of NBS infrastructure alongside conventional upgrades. (Site managers, 2025, pers. comm.) See also the operator’s listing of the Dobrava constructed wetland.
Success factor(s)
| Success factor type | Success factor role | Comments | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Existing staff and consultant knowledge
|
main factor
|
1
|
|
|
Attitude of decision makers
|
main factor
|
Strong local ownership and operator capacity (Municipality of Ormož; Komunalno podjetje Ormož) with clear permit responsibilities. |
|
|
Other
|
main factor
|
Appropriate plant choices and demonstrated cover performance enabling nutrient uptake and ET. |
Driver
| Driver type | Driver role | Comments | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Legal obligations
|
main driver
|
1
|
Transferability
Highly transferable to small closed landfills needing leachate control: the Limnotop combo (evapotranspiration cover + recirculation + constructed wetland) works and can persist post-closure. But check leachate loads/variability, groundwater setting, and permit after-care. Expect CW alone may be insufficient (as in Ormož: sewer/WWTP back-up), and plan long-term monitoring (e.g., NH4, AOX, boron) plus regular upkeep of wells and wetland.
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