Orange County Waste & Recycling (OCWR) hosted a landfill tour showcasing technologies used at the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill as part of the August California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) Conference & Trade Show. SCS’s Remote Monitoring & Control (SCS RMC) demonstrated advanced technology that protects neighboring communities, workers, and the environment from methane naturally produced as waste decomposes.
Landfills use complex systems to achieve the appropriate balance and tuning of the gas collection and control system (GCCS) at a sufficient extraction rate. The rate optimizes the effectiveness and efficiency of the GCCS to minimize fugitive LFG emissions while simultaneously preventing air intrusion caused by overdrawing wells. The collection and control process minimizes the migration of subsurface gas and odors while operating in accordance with federal, state, and local air quality regulations and air quality permit requirements.
Each landfill is unique, but these new technologies can also help protect a landfill’s bottom liner and final cover systems by controlling the accumulation of pressure due to the presence of LFG within the waste mass. Landfills collecting LFG as fuel for a landfill gas-to-energy facility or renewable natural gas plant can better maintain high gas quality. Where applicable, the technologies can help remove heat to contain and manage subsurface reactions in elevated-temperature landfills.
At the OCWR Landfill Tour, there was much to monitor and measure, including operational parameters such as pressure, temperature, gas composition, flow rate, and liquid levels at individual wells. Collecting this information at each well is time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes difficult to collect on foot. SCS RMC demonstrated the evolution of technologies enabling continuous and remote collection and measuring multiple parameters in real-time with automated wells.
Evelyn Martinez scanned the demonstration area for LFG using a drone, demonstrating how drones quickly collect methane data to detect anomalies. A monitor displayed real-time drone data collection, and a second monitor showed real-time flare station data and past methane drone scans of the landfill.
Omar Rodriguez and Marco Quen demonstrated handheld methane detection instruments using optical, thermal, and other sensors and how automated wellheads utilize in-line sensor technology and do not require pulling a gas sample into an analyzer sensor. There was also an odor monitoring and reporting station, and the technology guru Phil Carrillo brought his robodog.
About OCWR
OCWR manages one of the nation’s premier solid waste disposal systems, serving residents and businesses in the County’s 34 cities and unincorporated areas. The three active landfills, including the Frank R Bowerman Landfill, reflect environmental engineering at its best and are among the largest in the state – annually receiving more than 4 million tons of solid waste.
These state-of-the-art facilities take pride in being good neighbors. The landfills use sanitary and environmentally friendly operational methods and advanced technologies that have earned them multiple awards for their modern management techniques, regulatory compliance, and environmental practices, including noise reduction and visual screening techniques, natural habitat planting and re-seeding, the use of falcons and hawks to reduce the number of scavenger birds, and weed abatement provided by real goats.
OCWR currently operates greeneries in Irvine, San Juan Capistrano, and Brea. The full-circle recycling program starts with curbside residential collection of green and organic waste transformed into high-quality compost and mulch and returned to the community as a free resource to enrich gardens and landscaping. Composting helps reduce greenhouse gasses and preserves future landfill capacity.
OCWR’s Renewable Energy Program manages the beneficial reuse of landfill gas through power-generation partnerships that produce 380,000 megawatt-hours of electricity annually.
The SCS RMC team sends thanks to OCWR for helping to educate the public, agencies, and the waste management industry on the benefits and uses of modern landfill technology at work!
Landfill Technology Resources:
A big shout out to the President of the SWANA Region 6 Chapter, J. Morgan, for a week of informative sessions, valuable networking, and fun social activities at the SWANA Region 6 conference. Dancing and singing with DJ Pudding was a highlight, along with the river tour and Shoeless Joe Jackson search with Mr. Greene. Lucas Nachman and I presented on the topic of Climate Action Plans and what businesses and municipalities can expect.
With so much public attention on climate change, we presented five case studies to illustrate common measures and strategies currently in city, state, and municipal Climate Action Plans, including:
I was also lucky enough to moderate a panel on net zero waste by the city of Nashville. The speakers were very informative. Some of the findings showing the hurdles in the environmental arena are surprising. Three other SCS presenters, David Greene, David Walker, and Michael Stonecipher, spoke on the topics of RNG Permitting, Tier 2 Sampling, and RMC capabilities. For us, we were excited to share our expertise and knowledge that solve customer challenges.
While climate seems to be a growing concern for everyone, the waste industry is on the front lines of the environment and under tremendous regulation and public scrutiny. As an essential service, we’re always concerned about the cost of operations – since it passes to citizens. In my opinion, the waste industry is rightly focused on 1) budgets, 2) increasingly, more restrictive regulations regarding leachate, PFAS, etc. 3) manpower with experience, and 4) complaints such as odor and traffic. But, to be sustainable, we address the social and economic impacts into our technical solutions.
There are exciting new technologies, master planning-climate action plans, and economic support options available. While the challenges never stop, they spur us on to ever better solutions.
About the Author: Mr. Doug Latulippe is responsible for developing and supporting SCS’s nationwide energy management and renewable energy practice. This includes work related to SCS’s air quality, greenhouse gas (GHG), and sustainability initiatives for public and private commercial businesses, industrial facility owners, real estate clients, utilities, and renewable energy project developers. Prior to joining SCS, Doug managed energy portfolios including capital and operating budget development, power generation, demand-side project and program development, bill management and reporting, and utility incentive program management. He also performed energy audits and GHG reporting for Fortune 500 companies. As part of his power generation experience, he patented a solid-fuel gasification system designed for environmental mitigation and pollution control. Doug was also recognized by the EPA for his extensive work with the ENERGY STAR program. Reach Doug Latulippe at or via LinkedIn.
Landfill efficiency: every landfill owner or operator knows that landfills are distinctly unique. Consequently, landfill gas collection and control systems (GCCS) and leachate management systems with highly engineered components are configured precisely to tailor to each landfill’s needs. North American landfills have always tried to be good neighbors, but now are making greater strides toward reducing emissions and protecting groundwater with master planning and technology. These plans keep the effectiveness of these systems running as efficiently as possible and help prevent expensive and extensive repairs.
Today’s blog takes us out in the field examining how to plan for these flexible high-dollar infrastructure systems. These plans are taking landfill operations into the future and are adaptable to changing regulations around emissions and the evolving waste streams that affect gas production.
We’ll also provide resources to similar articles about leachate systems, remote monitoring systems, drones, and carbon sequestration that are helping to keep your carbon footprint even lower and support landfill efficiency.
In the April issue of WasteAdvantage Magazine, Professional Engineers Vidhya Viswanathan and Maura Dougherty discuss how operators with 5-year and master plans in place get a payoff with a system that serves them well and costs less. They can prepare early for capturing their gas, use the plan to install gas collection infrastructure on a timely basis, and help guide them through post-closure among the daily benefits. Read Master Plan to Lower Your Landfill GCCS Infrastructure Investments here.
Planning/Managing Leachate/PFAS
Remote Monitoring and Control and Drones
