[USCC] Fwd: Landfill

[hirschsys@aol.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: Ned Beecher, NEBRA <ned.beecher at nebiosolids.org>
To: hirschsys at aol.com
Sent: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 11:14 am
Subject: Re: Landfill


Myron:

I was unable to post to the compost digest listserv for some reason, so I am sending this directly to you.  Feel free to share it with others.....

We did a study here in New Hampshire of a small biosolids composting facility, comparing composting operations to potential landfill disposal of the wastewater solids.  While such an analysis requires making some assumptions, we researched all aspects quite thoroughly and calculated greenhouse gas emissions from the different steps in each process via more than one equation and set of assumptions.  While the final numbers we calculated include some uncertainty – which is typical of all greenhouse gas emissions estimates -  what was clear was that landfilling a highly putrescible material like biosolids will emit greater levels of greenhouse gas (measured as CO2 equivalent).  This is the case even though, in the NH example, landfilling required less energy use (the compost facility is an IPS, enclosed facility, with active turning and aeration).  You can download the report free at www.nebiosolids.org (see left side of page).

This is not an isolated finding.  The Chicago Climate Exchange is finalizing a protocol for calculating greenhouse gas emissions avoided by not landfilling biosolids and other organics.  This means that diversion from landfills will be given credits/offsets that ar
e worth money in carbon markets.

-- 
Ned Beecher
North East Biosolids and Residuals Association (NEBRA)
P. O. Box 422 / 85 Main Street
Tamworth, NH  03886
Phone 603-323-7654
Fax 603-323-7666
www.nebiosolids.org

On 12/31/08 1:00 PM, "compost-request at mailman.cloudnet.com" <compost-request at mailman.cloudnet.com> wrote:

From: <hirschsys at aol.com>
Reply-To: Compost Discussion List <compost at mailman.cloudnet.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:21:33 -0500
To: <compost at mailman.cloudnet.com>
Subject: [USCC] Landfill


For future discusions:

As active landfills put in gas collection systems they sometimes claim to now be a recycling option because they capture?some of the methane.? This has actually caused the closing of some good composting operations due to yard trimmings being diverted back into landfills.

Does someone have the?statistics on this subject?? Estimates of the carbon going into a landfill would be fairly?easy to calculate, the captured methane coming out is measureable.? An estimate of how long a landfill will continue to produce is? available so therefore an efficiency should?have been calculated.? I am sure it has , I just don't remember it.

Could someone from the compost?group help me on this.???

Thank you
Myron Hirschman
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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Landfill (hirschsys at aol.com)
>    2. Re: Landfill (Maureen Reilly)
>    3. Re: Landfill (hirschsys at aol.com)
>    4. Re: Landfill (Holcomb, Kelley)
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