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.