INFLUENCE OF LANDFILL METHANE EMISSIONS ON ENVIRONMENT – DISTRIBUTION MODELLING AND ASSESSMENT

Abstract

Landfilling practice in countries with waste management in transition is associated with non-controlled landfill gas and leachate emission. This practice requires sanitary landfill operations and remediation of unsanitary landfills as a prerequisite to join European Union. In order to get first insights on methane distributions for subsequent risk assessment model, this research, assess methane behavior patterns after emissions in the ambient air on environment from the controlled landfill site in Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia. Methane emission rate was assessed and crosschecked using landfill gas emissions model (LandGEM). The ADMS Mapper was used for the 3D simulation of the real environment of research field, including the complex structure of the landfill body and surrounding area. For simulation of methane dispersion into atmosphere, advanced Gaussian dispersion model ADMS Urban was applied. After processing and synthesis of the meteorological data, and defining the emission potential, simulations of the methane dispersion under different meteorological conditions (wind speed and direction, atmospheric temperature, humidity, pressure and cloud cover) were performed. As a result, methane distribution pattern was noted, several most unfavorable meteorological conditions and scenarios of methane distribution were assessed, and most vulnerable zones and locations influenced by the landfill methane emissions were identified.