Landfill Gas – an Overview

Landfill gas is formed whenever waste material is put into holes in the ground.

Landfill gas will still be produced whether waste is simply dumped in large quantities and not burnt in surface fires, or it is deposited into a fully engineered modern (sanitary) landfill.

It will be produced almost regardless of the kind of waste as long as the waste contains organic matter.

Few waste materials are so inert that no gas at all will be produced though in many cases the amounts are so small that no risks are posed.

Put most simply, it is the type of waste and the amounts involved that govern the amount and composition of the gas that is produced while it is the conditions in the landfill that govern the rate at which it is produced.

At a properly engineered landfill the gas is collected and managed so that it does not cause a hazard. But, at an uncontrolled dump, landfill gas is allowed to escape risking damage to the environment and may put human health and property at risk.