The LIFE GREEN ADAPT project, led by AIMEN Centro Tecnológico, is a pioneering European initiative aimed at increasing the climate resilience of waste management infrastructure, with a particular focus on landfills. With a total budget of €3 million, co-funded by the EU LIFE Programme, the project is demonstrating the potential of Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) and ecosystem-based approaches to adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change.
Tackling Climate Risks in Waste Infrastructure
Even under controlled conditions, burying solid waste in landfills has a significant environmental impact. These sites become especially vulnerable during extreme weather events, acting as potential sources of serious pollution.
In response, LIFE GREEN ADAPT aims to demonstrate how BGI solutions—which integrate natural elements like vegetation and water systems into engineered environments—can effectively manage flooding, runoff, and even prevent fires and explosions caused by droughts and heatwaves, which are increasingly common across Europe.
Innovative and Replicable Solutions
The project applies a highly innovative and scalable approach through the use of biotechnosoils and large-scale constructed wetlands. These solutions are being implemented at the Xiloga landfill site in As Somozas, Galicia, where they are being validated under real-life conditions.
Biotechnosoils, made from recycled waste materials, are used to stabilize and enrich soil, preventing landslides and enhancing vegetation on landfill surfaces. This supports circular economy principles while improving water retention and reducing runof
Constructed wetlands are designed to store and treat contaminated landfill leachate and stormwater runoff. Once treated, the water can be reused for irrigation within the site, helping to cool infrastructure during heatwaves and reducing fire risk. Alternatively, it can be safely discharged into nearby natural water bodies.
By treating leachate and runoff on-site, the project also reduces the need for external treatment, supporting water reuse and alleviating water scarcity in drought-prone regions.
Supporting EU Climate and Environmental Policies
The LIFE GREEN ADAPT project is aligned with multiple EU strategies and directives, including the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, the European Green Deal, and the Circular Economy Action Plan. By improving knowledge, developing common methodologies, and testing solutions across four EU climate risk zones (Atlantic, Continental, Mountain, and Mediterranean), the project supports wider policy integration and knowledge transfer.
Over the next four years, the project will continue to test and refine these technologies, with the goal of replicating them across waste management facilities throughout Europe.
This article has been published in several press releases (in Spanish), helping to raise awareness of the project’s innovative approach to climate adaptation in the waste sector
- Be Energy (here)
- Xornal 21 (here)
- PorrinoDigital (here)
- Residuos Profesional ( here)
- Interempresas (here)
- Faro de Vigo (here)
- RevistadeInnovacion.com (here)
- Cope (here)
- Construible.es (here)
