Landfill Gas Collection and Flaring

Overview:

Landfills produce Landfill Gas (LFG), which is a natural product of the breakdown of organic materials in the landfill – it is composed of roughly 50% carbon dioxide and 50% methane. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, some 25 times more so than carbon dioxide.

The Squamish Landfill currently generates approximately 677 tonnes of methane per year into the atmosphere is expected to peak between 712 and 859 tonnes per year by 2027.

The District is not mandated by Provincial regulations to address methane escape from the Landfill until emissions exceeds 1,000 tonnes.

The District of Squamish is committed to reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by implementing active gas collection and flaring for both the closed and open sections of the landfill. The District has engaged Sperling Hansen Associates for design, tendering and contract administration.

Project Objectives:

Active Landfill Gas (LFG) collection system will be implemented to achieve the following:

• Increased efficiency for methane destruction and increased GHG reduction;
• Ability to install an active system on both active and closed portions of the landfill;
• Scalability if a future lateral expansion of the landfill is implemented; and,
• Ability to function as a stand-alone system or as back-up component to support future management of LFG.

Approach:

A network of drilled vertical wells will capture gas in the closed portion of the landfill. Horizontal gas collectors (trenches) will be implemented to efficiently capture gas in the opened active part of the landfill, while landfill filling operations are still ongoing. This approach will achieve maximum gas capture in the active landfill, with minimum impact to operations.

Anticipated Project Timeline:

Design, construction and commissioning is expected to be complete in 2020.

• February 2020 - Preliminary Design Discussions 
• March 2020 -  Detailed Design and Construction Drawings 
• April/May 2020 - Tendering Award Process
• June - September 2020 - Construction
• September 2020 - Commissioning 

Project contact:

Jamie McCarthy, Municipal Engineer
604.389.8207
jmccarthy@squamish.ca