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| A Synthetic cap has been placed over all uncapped areas of the landfill |
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced the completion of a project at Imperial Landfill, Pittsburgh, U.S. which will eliminate odours that have generated complaints from the parents of students and staff at nearby Wilson Elementary School.
At a public meeting about the odor concerns in May, DEP ordered a number of changes at the landfill, including placing a synthetic cap over all areas of the landfill that were not yet capped.
As directed, Imperial Landfill has completed placement of the synthetic cap and extended its gas extraction system at the landfill before the first day of classes at Wilson.
In March, DEP levied a $650,000 fine against the landfill's parent company, Republic Services, for violations between December 2005 and November 2009. In April 2010, DEP issued an administrative order that required the company to take steps to address the odour issues.
Republic proposed to completely cap the existing landfill with a synthetic liner and upgrade its gas extraction system to improve collection of gas that would otherwise vent to the air.
As part of the facility's compliance efforts over the summer, Republic mobilized an additional workforce of 80 to 100 people to upgrade the gas extraction system and place a temporary geo-membrane cap over the 40 acre (16.1 hectare) disposal area that was believed to be primarily responsible for odours.
Landfill staff installed approximately five miles of horizontal gas collection pipes beneath the temporary cap and connected them to the facility's extraction system, and installed 28 vertical extraction wells and nearly 14,000 feet (4260 metres) of associated piping.
"We have seen marked improvement in the landfill's operations and applaud their efforts to eliminate odours, steps that have made a measurable difference for area residents," said DEP Southwest Regional Director George Jugovic Jr. "Through frequent inspections, escalated enforcement actions, numerous meetings, public forums and a common goal of doing what is best for those at the school and in the neighbourhood, DEP has worked with local government, citizens and landfill management to ensure that this project was completed in a timely manner."
Initial measurements indicate that as a result of the project, the landfill is collecting 800- to 1200 cubic feet (22.6 cubic metres) per minute more landfill gas than before the project. As the new system is fine-tuned and brought into equilibrium, greater gas collection rates can be expected.
"We anticipate that this will substantially reduce or eliminate the ongoing odour problems,' Jugovic added. "DEP and the Allegheny County Health Department will continue to closely monitor the landfill's day-to-day operations to ensure ongoing compliance and the success of this new system, and we will continue to meet with all involved parties."
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