Our July/August 2008 issue contained
an article in the SWANA section by Jeremy K. O’Brien, titled, “Landfill Gas
Collection System Efficiencies,” highlighting elements of a report conducted by
SWANA staff with SWANA’s Applied Research Foundation (ARF) with input and
guidance provided by ARF landfill gas project sponsors. (The article can be
found here). Based on the
findings of three field studies, the report concluded that LFG recovery was
significantly greater than the 75% postulated in EPA AP–42, going on to
recommend that the EPA consider revising AP–42 to reflect these
findings.
This last week I received a letter
from a reader taking exception to some of the methodology and conclusions
contained in the article, and I have to admit being somewhat surprised that this
took so long. While I am not going to detail all of the objections at this
juncture, the main
concern appears to be the overall LFG capture efficiency over the life cycle of
the landfill…a question of no small significance.
It
is not that I dispute the findings of the study; rather, I am profoundly
interested in facilitating dialog, even to the point of stirring the
pot.
As
I told the respondent, the reason I would like to see this subject take wings is
my belief that after we overcome a few of our disbeliefs, we are in for some
large changes in our waste management philosophies and practices, many of which
will impact what and how we dispose of and divert materials in the wastestream.
While it is still too early to predict the course consumption will take as the
economic situation ripens, it is not too soon to consider what challenges and
opportunities lie ahead...not just for understanding’s sake, but so we can
provide whatever slight guidance might be available to us.
If
you have not already done so, I encourage you to read (or reread) the subject
article, and if you see that you have a dog in what may prove to become a fight,
please wade in with both fists in the space below.