Meru Waste Management Facility Gas Flaring Project

Net zero carbon for City operations by 2030 remains on track as the City will soon commence work to begin gas flaring at Meru Waste Management Facility. 

The project will help reduce emissions from landfill by abating the potent greenhouse gas, methane.

Gas Flaring FAQs

What is landfill gas flaring?

Gas flaring is the controlled burning of collected landfill gas that is produced by decomposing waste in landfills. A series of gas collection wells linked via a network of pipes captures landfill gases and channels it to a high-temperature gas flare. The flare converts potent methane gas (CH4) and other gases into less harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapour.

What is the purpose of gas flaring at Meru?

Meru produces more than 80% of the City’s corporate greenhouse emissions. Collecting the harmful methane gas produced by waste decomposing in the landfill and flaring it will reduce Meru’s estimated greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50%.

 

Key Functions and Benefits

  1. Climate Protection: It converts methane, a potent greenhouse gas into carbon dioxide and water vapour. Since methane’s atmospheric (or global) warming potential is roughly 25-80 times higher the CO2, flaring will reduce the overall greenhouse impact of emissions of the City’s waste management services.
  2. Safety and Odour Control: Flaring helps the City manage and control the build-up of gas within landfill cells – avoiding migration off site. The landfill gas collection system not only captures gases for potential energy use but also significantly reduces the emission of odorous compounds generated in landfill cells and potential health issues.
  3. Climate Change Mitigation Targets: Reducing the release of methane gas at Meru is a top priority in the City’s Achieving Net Zero Corporate Climate Change Mitigation Plan that proposes a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

How the Process Works

  1. Extraction: Gas is drawn out of the landfill through a network of vertical and/or horizontal perforated pipes (wells) using a blower that creates a vacuum.
  2. Treatment: The collected gas passes through a knockout tank to remove moisture (condensate) and a flame arrestor to prevent fire from travelling back into the well field.
  3. Combustion: The gas is ignited at a burner. Effective destruction requires high temperatures (typically exceeding 816˚C) to ensure complete oxidation.