Landfill gas and energy

Landfill gas, a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide is created in the landfill body through the breakdown of organic material in the waste. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 21 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.

Methane generation starts within six to twelve months, and then, depending on the composition of the landfill site, can continue to be produced for up to 30 years or more. It would be a major global climate development if the methane were flared off in as many landfill sites as possible.

We have several methods at our disposal to calculate how much methane is emitted from a particular landfill site: what is known as Landfill scan. This can serve as the starting point for introducing measures to recover the methane gas. In many cases ‘carbon credits’ can be acquired as a result. These certificates are marketable and have financial value.

We can advise regarding utilisation of the landfill gas. It can be converted into electricity and heat that can be used either at the site itself or in the vicinity. Landfill gas unsuitable for generating energy can be flared to prevent greenhouse gases from escaping into the atmosphere.