Dive summary:

• About 150,000 cubic yards of trash has been moved in the Hopkins Landfill in Minnesota after concerns arose about methane leaks so close to neighborhoods.
• Only 1/3 of the project has been completed so far, the project is to be finished in winter to reduce excessive methane releases during transport.
• The landfill will be reduced from 26 acres to 16 acres with a new cover and active gas extraction system that meet current safety standards.

From the article:

The Hopkins Landfill cover system does not meet today’s standards and the active gas-extraction system, which was installed in 1996, will be improved to better control the migration of methane gas from the landfill.

Due to the potential of methane gas migration and the close proximity of a rather large number of homes to the landfill, the Hopkins Landfill ranks number 1 out of 112 on the MPCA Closed Landfill Program’s risk priority list for remedial response. ...