Heavy Rain and Winds Cause Damage to Landfill Cap
Our temporary landfill cap, which covers approximately 30
acres of landfill space, was damaged last week when heavy rain and winds came
through the area.
Rips in the cap leave sections exposed to the elements, which causes various operational problems.
The cap keeps fugitive gas emissions under control by capturing
gas and pushing it towards collection wells. With the rips in the cap, gas can
now escape into the atmosphere and cause odors.
The cap also helps to keep the landfill structure in tact by
protecting it from rain. Without the cap, rain can cause soil erosion and further repairs at the landfill.
High levels of oxygen are being introduced into the gas
collection system, which can lead to engine shutdowns. The engines call for a
certain quality of methane gas to operate efficiently and at full load. A high
level of oxygen dilutes the quality of gas delivered to the engines resulting
in engines running on a reduced load or not at all. The oxygen levels have been
brought down to acceptable levels and we expect the engines to be on line
shortly.
A contractor has been selected to repair the tears in the
cap, and we expect the repairs to be completed within five work days once the
contractor arrives on site.
Estimated cost for repairs is $20-$30k.