SMALL LANDFILL OWNERS: IS LANDFILL GAS A LIABILITY OR ASSET?

摘要

The Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) defines a small landfill as one that services a community that disposes of less than 20 tons of municipal solid waste per day, averaged yearly. These landfills are often overlooked as regards the need for landfill gas emissions or migration control. In California, many of these landfill sites are now being considered for re-use and/or are experiencing construction of occupied facilities within 1000 feet, which requires at least monitoring of the potential for landfill gas migration from the landfill toward the facilities. SCS Engineers is involved in many such projects and routinely evaluates whether the landfill can generate enough landfill gas to use as an energy source for production of electricity or other uses on site or at adjacent industrial or commercial facilities. There are both regulatory and financial parameters to evaluate when considering methane gas recovery potential of a small landfill. Regardless of the economics of use of the resource, small landfill owners need to complete a review of their obligations for LFG monitoring, collection and destruction or treatment. This paper will present a summary of the process of review of small landfill conditions as regards LFG collection and control. Also, variables that could affect the economic viability of LFG use as an energy source or other alternative uses will be discussed.