Agenda - Council - 10/25/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

I I i I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 13 AIR POLLUTION Operations at sanitary landfills emit various substances into the air, including tailpipe gases and particles from trucks, dust, and odors and .methane gas from decomposing refuse. Emissions from trucks and heavy equipment probably will not reach any significant concentrations. Daily soil cover overlying the refuse and a suitably sized buffer zone will reduce potential odor impacts. Landfill operations do generate a great deal of dust--a major concern. However, dust can be controlled by the landfill operator. The MPCA requires landfill, operators to take reasonable measures, to prevent dust from becoming airborne, including paving roads, applying dust-free sur- faces or applying water. Sanitary landfills also generate gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane and other volatile organics as the refuse decomposes. These do not cause problems, except methane. The MPCA requires that methane and other decomposition gases be vented into the atmosphere directly through cover material, into cut-off trenches, by forced venti- lation, or by other means to prevent explosive concentrations. Cost of such measures are borne by the landfill owner. Methane explosions are rare, but can happen when the gas is allowed to collect in buildings. There are few known explosions caused by methane in Minnesota because the state's coarse glacial till soils generally allow for adequate dispersal of the gas. However, frozen ground can pre- vent the methane gas from rising and force it to move laterally under- neath the soil surface. If methane recovery systems are installed at sanitary landfills to col- lect and process methane gas, there may be emissions from the facility. Emissions from such facilities will be regulated by the MPCA. Generally, air pollution is a major concern from waste-to-energy incin- erators. The MPCA regulates emissions from incinerators; control§ such as electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers or baghouses may be required to meet standards.' Special studies may be necessary to address the poten- tial environmental and public health risks from nonregulated or trace emissions. The Council has begun an EIS on the Ramsey-Washington Counties' proposed waste-to-energy facility. The EIS will characterize the types of air pollutants that may be emitted from the facility and evaluate the public health and environmental risks associated with those emissions. However,. until researchers and the regulating agencies have more experience with monitoring and identifying the types of pollutants that may be emitted from these facilities, it is difficult for this report to recommend specific mitigation techniques for air pollution control other than the existing technology..