Guidance on gas treatment technologies for landfill gas engines

LFTGN 06

Lfd

Landfill directive

www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Guidance on gas treatment technologies for landfill gas engines

www.environment-agency.gov.uk

The Environment Agency is the leading public body protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. It’s our job to make sure that air, land and water are looked after by everyone in today’s society, so thattomorrow’s generations inherit a cleaner, healthier world. Our work includes tackling flooding and pollution incidents, reducing industry’s impacts on the environment, cleaning up rivers, coastal waters and contaminated land, and improving wildlife habitats.
Published by: Environment Agency Rio House, Waterside Drive, Aztec West Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4UD Tel: 08708 506506 © Environment AgencyAugust 2004
All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. This report is printed on Cyclus Print, a 100% recycled stock, which is 100% post consumer waste and is totally chlorine free. Water used is treated and in most cases returned to source in better condition than removed. Dissemination Status: Internal: Released to Regions External:Public Domain Research Contractor: This document was based on research undertaken as R&D Project P1-330 by: LQM Ltd, Berwick Manley Associates Ltd, Diesel Consult, Landfills + Inc and Golder Associate (UK) Ltd. Environment Agency’s Project Team: The following were involved in the production of this guidance: Chris Deed Jan Gronow Alan Rosevear Peter Braithwaite Richard Smith Peter Stanley Head Office(Project Manager) Head Office Thames Head Office Head Office Wales

Statement of Use
This guidance is one of a series of documents relating to the management of landfill gas. It is issued by the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to be used in the regulation of landfills. It is primarily targeted at regulatory officers and the waste industry. It will also beof interest to contractors, consultants and local authorities concerned with landfill gas emissions. Environment Agency and SEPA officers, servants or agents accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage arising from the interpretation or use of the information, or reliance on views contained herein. It does not constitute law, but officers may use it during their regulatory andenforcement activities. Any exemption from any of the requirements of legislation is not implied. Throughout this document, the term 'regulator' relates jointly to the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. SEPA does not necessarily support and is not bound by the terms of reference and recommendations of other documentation mentioned in this guidance, and reserves the right toadopt and interpret legislative requirements and appropriate guidance as it sees fit. The term 'Agency' should therefore be interpreted as appropriate.

Executive summary
The bulk of emissions from modern landfills are through the landfill gas management system and the landfill surface. The gas management system may include enclosed flares and/or utilisation plant, which destroy a significantproportion of the methane and volatile organic compounds within landfill gas, but can produce additional combustion products. The composition of landfill gas engine emissions depends on the gas supply, the design of the generating set and the engine management system.
This guidance explains the technical background for landfill gas clean-up methods and describes a consistent approach fordetermining the level of clean-up required. It sets out an assessment procedure that follows a cost benefit analysis approach to deciding whether gas clean-up is necessary or practicable. The assessment procedure has the following six steps:
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define the objective of the assessment and the options for pollution control; quantify the emissions from each option; quantify the environmental...