This research is oriented to evaluate the potential use of a waste industry manufactures of paper, in the state of Rio de Janeiro for capillary barrier systems for sanitary landfills. The use of waste paper industry (WPI) brings an environmental and economic benefit, because in actuality the cover materials have high costs. In this study, is made a characterization and a numerical simulation of WPI using the program VADOSE/W 2007. WPI is composed of one part mineral and other organic fiber. The mineral part is about 70%, composed mainly of calcite and aragonite, acting as cement and covering almost completely the fibers. RIP has high initial moisture content and high contraction but does not have cracks in the drying process. Laboratory tests show values of saturated permeability in the order of 10-8 m/s for samples in the wet side of compaction curve. Testing curve moisture retention using the filter paper method shows a substantial difference compared to other WPIs in the literature by the high Air Entry Value (AEV) of the order of 1000kPa. Numerical simulations based on the properties of saturated RIP show that it can be used as fine material for a capillary barrier, and the contrast of unsaturated permeability and suction initial key in the material selection. Numerical simulations based on unsaturated properties of WPI showed that it can be used as material for a capillary barrier, and was verified that the contrast of unsaturated permeability and suction initial are key in the material selection, and was verified that the program VADOSE/W 2007 is a useful tool for evaluating the operation of capillary barrier systems which include climatic conditions.