Dwomoh, Andrews, “A Case Study of Monitoring Methane Emissions and Mitigation Efforts at a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: Insights from Mining Field Data and Laboratory-Based Column Experiments on the Effectiveness of Soil Cover Amendments.” Thesis, Georgia State University, 2024. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/geosciences_theses/190

Landfills are a major source of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas with 28 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide over 100 years. A recent study focused on a South Carolina municipal landfill revealed both the challenges and potential solutions for CH4 mitigation.

The study monitored CH4 emissions quarterly over two years, identifying “hotspot” areas with emissions exceeding 500 ppm. Applying soil covers reduced emissions within 10–30 days, but the results varied depending on location. While some areas showed complete mitigation, others required further interventions, suggesting the need for improved monitoring and optimized soil covers.

In the lab, researchers tested the effectiveness of various soil cover amendments—biochar, compost, woodchips, and unamended landfill soil—using controlled column experiments. BiocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More emerged as the most effective amendment, significantly enhancing CH4 retention and removal due to its high porosityPorosity of biochar is a key factor in its effectiveness as a soil amendment and its ability to retain water and nutrients. Biochar’s porosity is influenced by feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature, and it plays a crucial role in microbial activity and overall soil health. Biochar More and large surface area. Compost also showed promise, fostering methanotrophic bacteria that consume CH4. Woodchips, however, offered little improvement over unamended soil.

These findings highlight the potential of biochar and compost as cost-effective solutions to improve landfill CH4 mitigation. Field-scale applications and long-term studies are necessary to validate their efficiency and understand their behavior under varying environmental conditions.

This research underscores the importance of continuous monitoring, high-resolution data collection, and tailored soil cover amendments to reduce landfill methane emissions, contributing to sustainable waste management and climate change mitigation.