Landfill Gas Emissions Modeling

Q: I’m writing to see if you are aware of any research on landfill gas (LFG) emissions modeling through various geomembranes, particularly for temporary covers? 

A: Landfill gas modeling is the practice of forecasting gas generation and recovery based on past and future waste disposal histories and estimates of collection system efficiency. It is an important step in the project development process because it provides an estimate of the amount of recoverable LFG that will be generated over time. LFG modeling is performed for regulatory and non-regulatory purposes. Regulatory applications of LFG models are conducted for landfills in the United States to establish the requirements for installation and operation of the gas collection and control system. In short, geomembranes work well as major components of these control systems. There are many references for LFG control using geomembranes, even as temporary covers. I strongly recommend the 2020 paper by Y. Feng, M. Mausavi and J. Eun “Field Monitoring of Landfill Gas Emissions through Intermediate Cover with Co-Extruded EVOH Geomembrane in an Operating Landfill,” presented at ASCE’s GeoCongress held in Minneapolis, Minn.