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Best Management Practices to Prevent and Control Hydrogen Sulfide and Reduced Sulfur Compound Emissions at Landfills That Dispose of Gypsum Drywall
Citation:
Tolaymat, T. AND D. Carson. Best Management Practices to Prevent and Control Hydrogen Sulfide and Reduced Sulfur Compound Emissions at Landfills That Dispose of Gypsum Drywall. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-14/039, 2015.
Impact/Purpose:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Office of Research and Development, in coordination with U.S. EPA Region 5, commissioned the development of a document designed to provide landfill owners and operators with guidance on pertinent subject matter associated with H2S production, emissions, prevention, and control at landfill sites. A previous effort (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [U.S. EPA], 2006b) focused on practices to prevent and control H2S emissions from C&D landfills that accept pulverized gypsum debris in Ohio. This document expands the scope of this previously developed guidance by consolidating additional landfill operational and research information from a broader knowledge base (both C&D and MSW landfills), including additional information regarding the science of H2S formation and control, the results of case studies with field and laboratory measurement of H2S, and updated best management practices (BMPs).
Description:
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas can be emitted from both construction and demolition (C&D) debris and municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. H2S emissions may be problematic at a landfill as they can cause odor, impact surrounding communities, cause wear or damage to landfill gas (LFG) collection and energy utilization components, or contribute to the formation of explosive conditions. H2S emissions at landfills have often been attributed to the disposal of gypsum drywall, though other sources such as sulfur-containing industrial wastes and biosolids from municipal wastewater treatment facilities can also contribute to H2S production. Addressing problems from H2S emissions at landfills can be costly and time consuming for landfill owners and operators. Several years of operational experience and research efforts have identified several key pieces of information regarding the conditions that can cause H2S production, factors that result in H2S production at landfills, and strategies to prevent these conditions from occurring and to minimize the release of H2S to the surrounding environment when it is produced. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Office of Research and Development, in coordination with U.S. EPA Region 5, commissioned the development of a document designed to provide landfill owners and operators with guidance on pertinent subject matter associated with H2S production, emissions, prevention, and control at landfill sites. A previous effort (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [U.S. EPA], 2006b) focused on practices to prevent and control H2S emissions from C&D landfills that accept pulverized gypsum debris in Ohio. This document expands the scope of this previously developed guidance by consolidating additional landfill operational and research information from a broader knowledge base (both C&D and MSW landfills), including additional information regarding the science of H2S formation and control, the results of case studies with field and laboratory measurement of H2S, and updated best management practices (BMPs).