Printer-friendlyLandfill Gas
The anaerobic decomposition of organic materials in a municipal solid waste landfill will generate a combination of gases (collectively called landfill gas) at a rate of approximately 0.15 cubic feet per pound of waste per year. Predominantly methane and carbon dioxide, the underground migration of landfill gas can pose serious safety risks in nearby structures when the gas accumulates at concentrated levels. At smaller landfills, the gas venting layer allows for the effective collection and dispersion of landfill gas which is passively released through cane-like vents installed in a landfill's cover system. At larger landfills, the gas venting layer is often eliminated and the gas is actively collected via horizontal trenches and gas collection wells and burned in flares or utilized in projects that make use of the energy value of the methane component of the landfill gas.
