Grantee Research Project Results

Integrating Measurements Across Platforms to Feasibly Assess Emissions and Mitigation of Methane and VOCs from Landfills

EPA Grant Number: R840626
Title: Integrating Measurements Across Platforms to Feasibly Assess Emissions and Mitigation of Methane and VOCs from Landfills
Investigators: Hannigan, Michael P. , Rieker, Greg , de Gouw, Joost , Henze, Daven K , Casey, Joanna
Current Investigators: Hannigan, Michael P. , Henze, Daven K , Rieker, Greg , de Gouw, Joost , Casey, Joanna
Institution: University of Colorado Boulder , Fort Lewis College
EPA Project Officer: Davey, Elisa
Project Period: September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2026
Project Amount: $1,000,000
RFA: Understanding and Control of Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Air Emissions Request for Applications (RFA) (2023) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air Toxics , Endocrine Disruptors , Environmental Engineering , Land and Waste Management , Landfill Emissions , Waste Reduction and Pollution Prevention , Watersheds

Objective:

Sanitary municipal solid waste landfills are a key piece of how humans are attempting to live with nature in harmony; the definition of sustainability. However, landfills are a significant GHG emission source. To reduce the impacts of climate change and improve sustainability, we need to reduce GHG emissions. Entities that own and operate these landfills are required to limit emissions of methane and hazardous air pollutants. This project’s main goal is to develop sets of cost-effective tools and approaches that industry can use to improve its sustainability. This goal will be accomplished by meeting the following objectives.

1. Assess the uncertainty in landfill methane emissions at a representative set of three landfills using a combination of ground-based, aircraft, and satellite tools.
2. Develop methane emissions data for three different landfills with temporal resolution from interannual down to an hourly, and use it to improve methane emissions models.
3. Develop a landfill volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions data set that can be used to estimate speciated emissions based on waste and environmental parameters.
4. Assess inexpensive ground-based systems to routinely monitor VOCs.
5. Assess the ability of various measurement systems to observe the performance of realworld emissions mitigations.

Approach:

To accomplish the objectives, we will employ an approach that includes measurements of methane and VOCs from several platforms as well as inverse modeling of emissions using those measurement datasets. The measurement platforms include an open path dual frequency comb laser spectrometer, dynamic flux chambers, surface emissions monitoring and a fixed ground-based sensor network. As no one platform is capable of feasibly quantifying emissions over scales of time and space that have been demonstrated to be variable at landfills, we are proposing to use a subset of all available approaches with the focus on complementary strengths and weaknesses, ability to be implemented by the waste management industry, and looking forward at the next steps in technology innovation.

Expected Results:

The project results will include (1) temporally and spatially resolved methane and VOC species concentration datasets that span 0.5-1.5 yrs for three landfills and (2) methane and VOC species emissions estimation with uncertainty for the same three landfills. Additional outputs include (1) an analysis of emissions uncertainty for various scenarios using specific combinations of measurement platforms, (2) an analysis of the feasibility of industry implementing those platform combinations, and (3) new technology that is assessed in this landscape.
 

Supplemental Keywords:

Waste Management, Mitigation implementation Assessment, Surface Emissions Monitoring, Autonomous Rover, Cost Effectiveness, Hot Spot Detection

Progress and Final Reports:

2024 Progress Report