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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #280031
Title: Improved methodology to assess modification and completion of landfill gas management in the aftercare period

Author
item MORRIS, JEREMY - Geosynthetic Consultants
item CREST, MARION - Suez Environment
item BARLAZ, MORTON - North Carolina State University
item Spokas, Kurt
item AKERMAN, ANNA - Sita France
item YUAN, LEI - Geosynthetic Consultants

Submitted to: Waste Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/12/2012
Publication Date: 8/10/2012
Citation: Morris, J., Crest, M., Barlaz, M., Spokas, K.A., Akerman, A., Yuan, L. 2012. Improved methodology to assess modification and completion of landfill gas management in the aftercare period. Waste Management. 32(2012):2364-2373.

Interpretive Summary: This paper describes a new method for estimating the development of cost-effective strategies for landfill aftercare to protect the environment and at the same time ensure the sustainability of financing for the necessary means of aftercare funding. This new methodlogy is called the Evaluation of Post-Closure Care (EPCC) Methodology. It is a performance-based approach in which landfills are assessed in four parts including leachate, gas, groundwater, and final cover. In the methodology, the objective is to evaluate landfill performance to determine when aftercare monitoring and maintenance is needed. This study in particular presents an improved gas module. While the original version of the module focused narrowly on regulatory requirements for control of methane migration, the improved gas module also considers the best available control technology for landfill gas in terms of greenhouse gas emissions by directly considering the methane oxidation capacity of the cover system. The module also allows for the installation of biologically active covers or other features designed to enhance methane oxidation. This was tool was developed through through field measurements as well as mathematical modeling. This research will contribute to improving annual greenhouse gas inventory guidelines where the soil processes need to be included in the assessment, such as soil methane oxidation. This research will lead to improved estimations of soil methane oxidation activity.

Technical Abstract: Municipal solid waste landfills represent the dominant option for waste disposal in many parts of the world. While some countries have greatly reduced their reliance on landfills, there remain thousands of landfills that require aftercare. The development of cost-effective strategies for landfill aftercare is in society’s interest to protect human health and the environment and the financial health of landfill owners, and to prevent the emergence of landfills with exhausted aftercare funding. The Evaluation of Post-Closure Care (EPCC) Methodology is a performance-based approach in which landfill performance is assessed in four modules including leachate, gas, groundwater, and final cover. In the methodology, the objective is to evaluate landfill performance to determine when aftercare monitoring and maintenance can be reduced or possibly eliminated. This study presents an improved gas module for the methodology. While the original version of the module focused narrowly on regulatory requirements for control of methane migration, the improved gas module also considers the best available control technology for landfill gas in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, and emissions of odoriferous compounds. In particular, the improved module emphasizes the reduction or elimination of fugitive methane by considering the methane oxidation capacity of the cover system. The module also allows for the installation of biologically active covers or other features designed to enhance methane oxidation.