Landfill Gas Monitoring

According to the EPA, landfill gas (LFG) is a natural byproduct of the decomposition of organic material in landfills. LFG is composed of roughly 50 percent methane (the primary component of natural gas), 50 percent carbon dioxide (CO2) and a small amount of non-methane organic compounds.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas 28 to 36 times more effective than CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year period, per the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment report (AR5).

The Importance of Monitoring Gas in Landfills

It is important to monitor IAQ parameters such as Temperature, Relative Humidity, Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Carbon Dioxide. According to the EPA, modern landfills are well-engineered and managed facilities for the disposal of solid waste. Landfills are located, designed, operated and monitored to ensure compliance with federal regulations. They are also designed to protect the environment from contaminants, which may be present in the waste stream. Landfills cannot be built in environmentally-sensitive areas, and are required to have on-site environmental monitoring systems. These monitoring systems check for any sign of groundwater contamination and  landfill gas, as well as provide additional safeguards. Today’s landfills must meet stringent design, operation and closure requirements established under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Disposing waste in landfills is one part of an integrated waste management system. EPA encourages communities to consider the waste management hierarchy – favoring source reduction to reduce both the volume and toxicity of waste and to increase the useful life of manufactured products – when designing waste management systems.

How to Monitor Landfill Gas

According to the EPA, “indoor air quality” refers to the quality of the air in a home, school, office, or other building environment. Landfill gas monitoring, and the equipment used to perform landfill gas monitoring, can be complicated. Eco-Rental Solutions  works with an extensive network of environmental engineers and consultants that can help you. Click here to request more information.