Landfill Methane Outreach Program - 9/14/06

The largest source of methane emissions that are human related are found in municipal solid waste landfills.  They also are losing the opportunity to use this and turn it into an energy source.  This natural gas is created by solid waste that is decomposing.  Landfill gas (LFG) can be captured and changed into an energy source.  Most of the time this gas is taken with blowers and wells and then processed into a central point.  From this point the gas can be treated and released or it may be converted into energy.  It may “generate electricity, replace fossil fuels in industrial and manufacturing operations, fuel greenhouse operations, or be upgraded to pipeline quality gas.”  The are about 395 working LFG projects in the US.  There are also as many as 600 landfills that are candidates for these projects. 

Electricity generated from LFGs make up two thirds of the operational projects in the U.S. electricity for use on-site or for sale. 

Direct use of LFG may be within a boiler, dryer, kiln, greenhouse, or other thermal applications.  There are many significant uses such as powering a kiln, food processing, pharmaceutical, and cement and brick manufacturing. 

LFG can be used in many other applications such as cogeneration and alternate fuels.  Both would be a more efficient use of discarded gas.  Using LFG gas would involve the citizens and many other groups to help with community planning and create partnerships.  The environmental protection is a factor that supports use of LFG gas which inevitably would involve everyone.

http://www.epa.gov/landfill/overview.htm
US Environment Protection Agency

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