Landfill gas is produced during the decomposition of organic materials in landfills. It is primarily methane and carbon dioxide and can be flammable and contribute to global warming. Modern landfills trap the gas and use it to generate electricity, power vehicles, create heat, or sell commercially.
Landfill gas is the gas produced during the breakdown of materials in a landfill. Gas evolution is a normal part of the decomposition process in landfills and presents a hazard and problem that needs to be addressed by waste management authorities. There are numerous options for landfill gas management in landfills and similar facilities, with very few modern landfills doing nothing with their landfill gas.
This gas is the byproduct of organic decay, which occurs when microorganisms attack organic materials such as food waste and paper within a landfill. Landfill gas is primarily methane and carbon dioxide, with mixtures of other gases that can vary depending on the organisms living in the landfill, its age, and the type of materials discharged into it.
One problem with landfill gas is that it is flammable and there have been documented cases of explosions caused by landfill gas buildups. As landfills heat up too, explosions and fires are a very real risk. Another problem is that the gas can be involved in global warming, making it imprudent to allow it to vent freely into the natural environment. Landfill gas can also have a rather strong odor which is a problem in some communities.
Historically, the risk of explosion was managed simply by venting a landfill. The pipes were used to allow the landfill gas to escape so it could not build up inside the landfill. Modern landfills can trap the gas after venting to avoid releasing it into the environment. Once trapped, the gas can be used in a variety of ways.
Some uses of this gas involve burning it to power vehicles, generate electricity, or create heat. The gas may need to be filtered to remove some components first, and sometimes it needs to be blended with other gases, but these uses can be very efficient. Landfill gas can also be used in fuel cells. All of these uses turn a waste product into energy, making them environmentally friendly options.
Landfill gas can also be processed, packaged and sold. There are some commercial uses for the gases produced in a landfill, and a large plant or plant families that can pool their gas may be able to find a market for this by-product of decay. These uses can be enticing because they can make a landfill more profitable, which can be a problem for some facilities.
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