Landfill Gas Monitoring

The Subsurface Gas (SSG) monitoring program for SWMC was established to monitor the effectiveness of landfilling operations, particularly waste encapsulation and containment methods. This includes, but is not limited to, the clay capping and revegetation of completed landfill cells.

Landfill gas is the end product of the decomposition of biodegradable waste. Methane, a core component of landfill gas, is a highly potent greenhouse gas having between 21 and 25 times greater global warming potential effect than that of carbon dioxide. It is an odourless, flammable gas at normal atmospheric temperatures and pressures. Carbon dioxide forms the second major component of landfill gas. It is a well-known greenhouse gas, and is an odourless, non-flammable gas normally present in the atmosphere.

SWMC's Environmental Protection Licence requires monitoring of one SSG sampling location. SWMC has several SSG sampling locations which can be viewed on the Environmental Monitoring Location Map.