Toxic waste contaminates soil and drinking water with a shocking 70 percent  of the
waste stemming from electronics.

Landfill gas is consisted of approxiamtely 40-60% methane leaving the remainder being mostly carbon dioxide (CO2). Landfill gas also contains varying amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, sulfur and a hundreds of other contaminants. Both mercury and tritium, a radioactive gas, are present in landfills.

• Fact: Gases can cause explosions.
• Fact: The release of the methane creates some global warming problems.
• Fact: Release of toxic contaminants can cause cancer and other health problems.

Options for eliminating gas after collection:

• Flare it
• Boiler – makes heat
• Internal combustion engine – makes electricity
• Gas turbine – makes electricity
• Fuel cell – makes electricity
• Convert the methane to methyl alcohol
• Clean it up enough to pipe it to other industries or into the natural gas lines

 

For a comprehensive list of options visit:

EMISSIONS OF GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE U. S.