Estimation of the Methane Generation Potential of the Tamale Landfill Site Using LandGEM

Abstract

Though inevitable, waste generation due to man’s activities must be appropriately managed as a security measure to safeguard public health. This is seen in the efforts by many municipal assemblies to address sanitation issues. For a lower middle-income country such as Ghana, most of the waste generated ends up at the landfill. Disposing waste at landfill sites solves immediate public health concerns such as the foul odour; it provides the right conditions for generating methane anaerobically. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and a very rich energy source. The study was conducted to estimate the methane generation potential of landfills in Ghana. The waste was characterised according to ASTM D5231-92 and the various waste fractions were as follows; food 43.1%, plastics 17.8%, glass bottles 2.3%, paper and cardboards 9.0%, metals 3.3%, textiles7.3%, wood 0.8% and inert 16.6%. It also revealed negligible variation in the waste characteristics across the two major seasons in Temale, Ghana. The LandGEM model was used to estimate the methane generation potential of the landfill site based on the waste characterisation data. The study showed that 77% of the total waste disposed of at the Tamale landfill site could decompose to generate methane at an average rate of 921.95 m³/hr during the 30 years lifespan of the Tamale landfill site and would reach a peak of 2222 m³/h in 2036. This shows enough gas can be generated for any LFG emission project.