Estimation of Methane Generation from Municipal Solid Waste of Mohali Landfill Site: Fid-Bau Portal

Estimation of Methane Generation from Municipal Solid Waste of Mohali Landfill Site

Rana, Rishi / Choudhary, Abhinav / Yangzom, Karma / Kumar, Kaushal

Municipal solid wastes (MSW) are mostly decomposable solid waste, which under aerobic and anaerobic decomposition produces green house gases and almost 50% of the green house gases consists of methane gas. The landfills used for waste disposal act as a source of methane (CH₄) gas. As methane has higher green house potential as compared to carbon dioxide (CO₂), it can significantly damage the environment as it becomes an important contributor of global warming, and it may lead to degradation of ecosystem. Therefore, to reduce the harmful effect of the methane, it is important to measure the methane generation from all the sources is important part to plan a contingency plan to tackle methane utilization in more appropriate ways which will ultimately lead to sustainable use of methane. Methodology includes (a) Study of waste generation and segregation in Mohali City, (b) Physical characterization of MSW, (c) Methane generation techniques adopted, and (d) Assessment of methane generation. Methane gas generated from the waste disposable into the city taken into consideration, i.e., Mohali city, we have taken two methods (i). The default method (DM) (given by IPCC) and (ii) Modified triangular method (MTM) for assessing the amount of methane generated. In this paper, the estimated amount of methane is 25.89 and 16.2 Gg respectively from the two methods, viz. DM and MTM.

Also, the deviations associated with the two methods of methane generation for calculating quantity of methane has also been discussed in this paper. Latest technologies for harnessing methane from landfills can significantly minimize the amount of methane released in the environment which can be judiciously utilize to produce energy, encourage strategic marketing of compost, and digestate.