Have we started "harvesting" landfills yet?

[GreenPartyVoter]

Can you see us recovering plastic, metal, and glass from them one day?

[markdd]

1. In some ways we already are...

Isn't there a pilot plant in LA that is tapping a landfill for the natural gas (methane) from the decaying items in the pile? Also a few years back (mid 80's?), National Geographic sent an archaeological team to dig in a NJ landfill just like it was a historical dig. All I recall there was that they couldn't date anything past 1976 because a stream had flooded the pile and rotted out newspapers older than '76.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Welcome to DU, and thanks

I hadn't heard of either of those situations before. Very interesting.

[aldebaran]

5. Landfill gas

There are actually numerous opportunities to capture landfill gas. It is an extremely clean burning fuel, and can be a very effective replacement for diesel fuel, particluclarly in tethered fleets, such as municipal garbage haulers.

The problem with this in the past has not been the capturing of the gases, but the cost of purifying them. As technology improves, and fuel costs go up, this is becoming a much more viable alternative, and should be heartily embraced as means of both reducing greenhouse emissions, and becoming more self sufficient energy consumers.

I have to go to work, but will be glad to continue this discussion later in the day.

[Kali]

4. but hotdogs were still intact!

Was it back east? Thought it was in AZ. The famous garbologist, William Rathje was at U of A.

[cally]

3. Several sites use the methane

The problem with modern landfills is that the items don't break down in them. You can actually find 25 year old meat in them that hasn't decomposed. The larger problem is the toxic wastes in them. The old oil, paint, cleaners, etc. make a dangerous soup. Harvesting them would be dangerous.

[aldebaran]

6. Not true

Harvesting the landfill gases is anything but dangerous. They are currently being flared off as raw gas, with all of the pollutants. By purifying the gas to pipeline quality, the pollutants can be captured and disposed of properly.

By the way, that the gas is currently collected and flared is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of said raw gas exponentially.

[Rob in B_more]

7. methane for fuel cells

I heard something about Methane being used instead of hydrogen for fuel cells. Some company has the idea of building fuel cell generators on top of landfills.

[aldebaran]

9. No reason why not

Fuel cells burn hydrogen. Methane, being a simple hydrocarbon of four parts H to one part C would be a natural source of hydrogen fuel.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I need to go to work, even more so now than earlier, and will be glad to continue with this later today.

[cally]

8. I wasn't indicating that harvesting the methane is dangerous

but actually excavating into the landfills would be. Do you know of any sites that are harvesting the metals or other materials? The methane is coming from older sites. The sites are different in other states, though.

[aldebaran]

10. Agreed

Excavating landfills is not the same as collecting the gases.

Please see my earlier post regarding my need to get some work done, back later.

[markdd]

11. Water is the problem....

Since most regulations are intended to prevent toxins from the landfill entering groundwater, operators put their efforts into keeping water out of the pile. The National Geographic article noted that water in the pile was causing the paper to disintegrate. It also noted that the pile was "unusual" in that the water was there.

My limited understanding is that the gas is a waste product of the tiny critters that eat garbage. So I assume no water -- no critters -- no decomposition. I also expect that the layers of clay pressed down over the garbage reduces access of said critters.

I assume the gasses are Methane (natural gas) and Hydrogen Sulfide (rotten egg smell). The Methane should be easy enough to extract, the H2S would be burned off (that's the flame you see at an oil refinery)

[BiggJawn]

12. They waste the gas from our landfill.

Little burner machines dotting the landscape. Cool to look at in the night, but I can't help but get pissed every month when I open my NIPSCO bill.....