Landfill gas is created by the action of micro-organisms within a landfill.
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Production
Landfill gas production results from chemical reactions and microbes acting upon the waste as the putrescible materials begins to break down[1] in the landfill. Due to the constant production of landfill gas, the increase in pressure within the landfill provokes the gas's release into the atmosphere. Such emissions lead to important environmental, hygiene and security problems in the landfill. [2][3] Several accidents have occurred, for example at Loscoe, England in 1986.[4] Migrating landfill gas was allowed to build up and destroyed the property. An accident causing two deaths occurred from an explosion in a house adjacent to Skellingsted landfill in Denmark in 1991.[5] Due to the risk presented by landfill gas there is a clear need to monitor gas produced by landfills. In addition to the risk of fire and explosion, landfill gas migration in the subsurface and result in contact of landfill gas with groundwater. This can result in contamination of groundwater by organic compounds present in nearly all landfill gas [6]
Monitoring
Some of the gases produced by are landfills are hazardous and electronic monitoring techniques have been developed. Surface monitoring and sub-surface monitoring as well as monitoring of the ambient air is carried out.
Landfill gas migration
Landfill gas migration due to diffusion can occur. This is a health hazard if the landfill gasses build up in high concentrations in adjacent buildings.
Landfill gas use
The gases produced within the landfill can be collected and flared off or used to produce heat or electricity. The City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota installed a landfill gas collection system which collects, cools, dries, and compresses the gas into an 11-mile pipeline. The gas is then used to power an ethanol plant operated by POET Biorefining.
Environmental effects
Landfill gases have an influence on climate change. The major component is methane which is a greenhouse gas.
See also
- Anaerobic digestion
- Biogas
- Biodegradability
- Relative cost of electricity generated by different sources
References
- ^ Burdekin, O. (2003) An investigation into the continuous monitoring of landfill gas and the commercial viability of the Intelysis landfill gas monitor, Manchester University, Unpublished thesis
- ^ Brosseau, J. (1994) Trace gas compound emissions from municipal landfill sanitary sites; Atmospheric-Environment 28 (2), 285-293
- ^ Christensen, T. H., Cossu, R. & Stegmann, R. (1999) Landfilling of waste: Biogas
- ^ Williams and Aitkenhead (1991) Lessons from Loscoe: The uncontrolled migration of landfill gas; The Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology 24 (2), 191-207
- ^ Danish EPA
- ^ Kerfoot, H.B., Chapter 3.5 In Christensen, T. H., Cossu, R. & Stegmann, R. (1999)Landfilling of waste: Biogas
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