The BRILL project, led by AFBI, explored the use of a nature-based solution to landfill leachate management while simultaneously boosting indigenous biomass production in Northern Ireland. By irrigating Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow with landfill leachate, the project demonstrated how contaminated and marginal land can be remediated and repurposed for renewable energy generation.
Northern Ireland produces over 500,000m³ of landfill leachate annually, costing approximately £6.6 million to manage. BRILL demonstrated a low-energy, low-cost alternative: using willow’s phytoremediation capabilities to treat leachate on-site, reducing environmental harm and generating biomass for heating and power.
The project included lysimeter trials and a pilot-scale proof-of-concept platform to assess biomass yields, groundwater protection, nutrient uptake, and heavy metal bioaccumulation. Seven willow clones are being tested under automated irrigation systems. The results showed that leachate irrigation does not significantly hinder plant growth and may actually enhance biomass yields.
BRILL addressed key evidence gaps around regulatory requirements, environmental safety, and cost-effectiveness. It supports cross-departmental goals in energy, agriculture, environment, and waste management, aligning with EU Water Framework Directive and climate targets.
The project has attracted support from SMEs, councils, and regulators across Ireland and the UK, and is positioned to inform future licensing, policy, and commercialisation. It also contributed to CASE’s SUBB project by analysing biomass quality and air pollution risks when the produced willow is used as a fuel.
BRILL exemplifies circular economy principles—transforming waste into energy while restoring land and protecting water resources.