Dive summary:
- As the Spokane Southside Landfill in Indianapolis, Ind. is getting older it is releasing less methane, a positive development which is producing secondary problems for the landfill.
- The methane maintains a flame that not only destroys the methane but other, more harmful substances as well, the methane supply is getting so low the flame goes out two or three times a week, releasing harmful gasses.
- To find an alternative system for the gasses, the city has approved a $16,000 contract with HDR Engineering to study replacing the flame with a biofilter.
From the article:
“The alternative would be to add propane to keep the flame going,” Windsor said.
Windsor said the system essentially could be like pumping the landfill gas “through a box of wood chips.” Microbes in the organic matter would break down the landfill gas.
The biofilter concept is relatively new and isn’t used at any other Spokane County landfill.
“It’s a fairly innovative idea,” Krafft said. ...
