1. Controlling Methane Emissions from Landfills in the Developing Countries Seminar on Climate Change Impacts on Bangladesh: Global Responsibilities Vancouver, BC December 9, 2009 Dr. Tony Sperling, P.Eng. Sperling Hansen Associates

2. The Sperling Family

3. As in Bangladesh, we are very concerned about global warming and sea level rise

4. Bangladesh, 150 million people Most densely populated country in world Sea Level Rise Flooding Droughts Food Production

5. Slide 5 of 38 The Carbon Bathtub Current CO 2 concentration is 385 ppm Equivalent to 745 billion tonnes of Carbon 450 ppm will be reached by 2050 Bathtub is filling fast We must shut off the carbon tap Must read: National Geographic December, 2009

6. GHGs of Concern The current concentrations of key greenhouse gases, and their rates of change, are unprecedented. Carbon dioxideMethane Nitrous Oxide Source: Assessing the Physical Science of Climate Change: IPCC Working Group 1 (2007), Presented by Susan Solomon

7. CO 2 Concentrations and Temperature 380 ppm It is CO 2 that really matters, Nature does not differentiate between Biogenic and Non-Biogenic carbon.

8. Slide 8 of 38 Chemistry 101 Methane, CH 4 Atomic Mass 16 50% of LFG by volume 27% of LFG by Mass 25 x more potent GHG than CO 2 * Carbon Dioxide, CO 2 Atomic Mass 44 50% of LFG by volume 73% of LFG by mass Most common GHG C H H H H C H H C H H C H H C H O C O *Source: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-chapter2.pdf

9. Slide 9 of 38 Mission Flats Landfill Generates more thanGenerates more than 1,000 Tonnes of CH4 1,000 Tonnes of CH4 Methane production will peak at 4,000 tonnes at year of landfill closureMethane production will peak at 4,000 tonnes at year of landfill closure

10. Slide 10 of 38 Modelling Methane GWP Wikepedia says: –Methane has average GWP of 72 over 20 years –Methane has average GWP of 25 over 100 years –Half life of 7 years

11. Slide 11 of 38 Actual GHG Emissions from Prince Rupert Using actual GWP and tracking decay of CH4

12. Slide 12 of 38 Methane control is way more important than we are told Actual GWP of a typical landfill. In first 10 years it is above 150. Steps we take now have profound impact PCT should encourage methane capture

13. Slide 13 of 38 BC’s GHG Emissions – 67 Million Tonnes/Yr

14. Slide 14 of 38 Metro Vancouver Waste Composition Study 2004

15. Slide 15 of 38 Average Composition of Urban Solid Waste in Bangladesh http://www.wasteconcern.org/

16. Slide 16 of 38 MSW Disposal Methods Practiced in Asia Source:http://www.swlf.ait.ac.th/data/Kasetsart%20University%20National%20Seminar%20on%20Solid%20Waste%20Landfill%20Ma/MSWM%20in%20Asia-final.pdf

17. Waste Disposal in Bangladesh http://www.wasteconcern.org/ Chittagong, Bangladesh Chennai, India

18. Slide 18 of 38 Projection of Future Landfill Requirement in Bangladesh Experts warn that dumps like Matuail account for up to 30 percent of a country's emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.”

19. Slide 19 of 38 GHG Reduction Opportunities in Solid Waste Organics Diversion Enhanced LFG Collection Biocover Carbon Sequestration of Plastics Flaring Utilization (energy, pipeline quality gas, truck fuel)

20. Slide 20 of 38 1. Organics Diversion and Composting Organic diversion can limit methane production Composed material can be used to create biocover to treat fugitive emissions

21. LFG that is not collected has potential to create significant GHG emissions Elements of system include: –Gas collection laterals –Vertical extraction wells –Control works –Cleanouts/blown downs –Condensate handling system 2A. LFG Collection Systems

22. Slide 22 of 38 Thermal destruction of methane through flaring converts methane into CO 2 GHG emissions drop from 1.72 tonnes GHG per tonne of MSW landfilled to 0.37 tonnes at 80% thermal destruction efficiency 2B. Thermal Destruction

23. Slide 23 of 38 Ideal for both small and large landfills where –Economically feasible –Combined with active collection at large scale landfills to treat fugitive emissions Fugitive methane oxidized by methanotrophic bacteria living in biocover Biocover 0.3 m thick can oxidize 80%+ of fugitive methane emissions given the right conditions Used in place of or added to intermediate cover Used in final closure systems 3. Biocover

24. Biocover Trial – Nanaimo Landfill Methane emissions were monitored before construction and about 30 days after with Flux Chamber from U. of C. Second round of monitoring completed on May 2 nd, 2008. Application of biocover was successful in reducing GHG emissions by 90%.

25. Slide 25 of 38 4. Carbon Sequestration into Plants and Soils Promoting fast growing vegetation on landfill surface can sequester carbon from atmosphere. Final cover has to be designed to accommodate trees.

26. Slide 26 of 38 Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Opportunities in Bangladesh

27. Slide 27 of 38 CDM Opportunities in Bangladesh

28. Slide 28 of 38 CDM Opportunities in Bangladesh Waste Handling represents 18.16% of GHG emissions Source: http://cdm.unfccc.int/Statistics/Registration/RegisteredProjByScopePieChart.html

29. Slide 29 of 38 CDM Opportunities in Bangladesh

30. Slide 30 of 38 CDM Opportunities in Bangladesh

31. Slide 31 of 38Conclusions Climate change is impacting the lives of people around the world We need to be aggressive on reducing carbon emissions Methane is a potent GHG, with an initial GWP of 200 times that of CO 2 Landfills without LFG control produce upwards of 1.8 tonnes of GHG per tonne of MSW landfilled With huge organics content, Bangladesh needs to compost organic waste, avoid landfilling LFG controls including thermal destruction, energy recovery, biocover and sequestration can reduce GHG emissions to less than 200 Kg per tonne Bangladesh provides tremendous opportunities for CDM projects, especially for organics diversion and methane emission control from existing landfills and dump sites