Strategies to reduce landfill greenhouse gas emissions in a semi-arid environment

A significant portion of municipal solid waste in North America is disposed in sanitary landfills. Landfills contribute atmospheric greenhouse gases during the degradation of solid waste and through vehicle emissions from solid waste transportation and landfill operations.; The trend toward regional landfills located considerable distance from the source of solid waste and often in arid climates exacerbates the greenhouse gas issue by increasing use of non-renewable fossil fuels and limiting potential landfill gas production which could offset fossil fuels as a non-greenhouse gas energy source.; The proposed development of a new landfill by the Greater Vancouver Regional District in a semi-arid region of British Columbia, Canada is examined to determine the potential to substantially reduce landfill greenhouse gas emissions. The study concludes that increasing landfill gas production and using it as a renewable energy source could offset the fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.