At DSI and LSI we see the benefits of both disposal options- approximately 35% of our waste is being disposed of via incineration, however land filling isn’t like going to the old dump years ago. Today modern Technologies have come to the forefront in developing a environmentally sound disposal option. Today, all modern landfills are required to meet stringent Federal Sub title D standards.
What is Sub title D mean? Generally speaking it means they are lined and built with protections for the community, the environment and are regularly inspected to ensure all protection guidelines are in place and up to date. The have Leachate water collection to collect any residue water that filters through the garbage to protect the ground water and wetlands from being contaminated. This water is collected and sent to a water treatment facility to clean the water.
Even though energy recovery is higher on the Waste hierarchy chart – Modern Land filling can easily be seen on the same level as the landfill we use generates enough electricity to power 3600 homes per day.
The local landfill we use is privately operated and doesn’t rely on any public tax payer money to operate it in fact the local landfills we use contribute upwards to a half a million dollars back to the municipality for host fees to pay for general fund items
Modern Landfill Technology
Landfill Gas Collection and Monitoring
Just as leachate must be collected and processed to keep a landfill functioning properly, so must gases produced by organic decomposition — primarily methane and carbon dioxide — be collected and controlled.
To ensure the integrity of the surrounding environment, Burnsville
Final Covers Give Former Landfills Long-Term Life
Sooner or later, all landfills fill to capacity. But that doesn’t mean
Continuous, long-term monitoring of groundwater and leachate
Liners form the primary barrier between the landfill’s content and the
Modern Leachate Collection and Treatment Systems
Leachate is the term given to liquids that percolate through landfill waste. Modern leachate collection and treatment systems ensure leachate is captured, removed from the landfill and properly treated to prevent contamination of the surrounding environment. Each landfill has a custom-designed leachate control system that takes into account:
Leachate may be treated at community wastewater treatment plants, or site engineers may design on-site treatment facilities that use a combination of technologies.
Gas-To-Energy Live Green
Landfills are the principal depositories for North America’s solid wastes. Every day, thousands of tons of waste are sent to hundreds of landfills throughout the United States and Canada. But not all that waste goes to waste. In fact, naturally occurring gases are captured and converted into electricity, a renewable energy source that brings light and heat to thousands of nearby homes and businesses.
An Environmentally Friendly Renewable Energy Source
Landfill gas has proven itself to be a reliable and economical energy source. The Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has endorsed landfill-gas-to-energy systems as being environmentally friendly. In addition, landfill gas-to-energy provides many benefits and advantages compared to both traditional fossil fuels and other alternative energy sources. These benefits and advantages include:
These projects — whether traditional gas-to-energy, medium BTU or high BTU — benefit the environment by using a renewable form of energy to offset non-renewable resources such as coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy.
Landfill gas-to-energy is a vital and important part of North America’s drive to develop alternative energy sources and promote environmental sustainability.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. How long does a landfill produce landfill gas?