Emissions to be slashed at Cooma Landfill with biogas flaring

Published on 26 July 2024

Snowy Monaro Regional Council is set to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions with the upcoming introduction of biogas flaring at Cooma Landfill.

Following a competitive tender process, Council has selected a contractor to install and operate a biogas flaring system at the landfill site.

Biogas flaring is a process that captures and burns off harmful greenhouse gases produced by decomposing waste in landfills. As waste breaks down, it releases methane – a greenhouse gas 33 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its warming effect on the atmosphere.

‘Methane from landfills is a major contributor to climate change,’ said Senior Project Manager Tyron Bicknell.

‘By implementing biogas flaring at Cooma Landfill, we expect to reduce Council's overall greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50%.’

The flaring process involves boring holes and laying perforated pipes throughout the landfill. A vacuum pump extracts the gas, which is then burned in an enclosed system, converting the methane into water and carbon dioxide.

‘While carbon dioxide is still a greenhouse gas, it's 33 time less harmful than methane. This process significantly reduces the climate impact of our landfill operations,’ said Mr Bicknell.

The project comes at no cost to ratepayers. The selected contractor will bear all expenses for installation, operation, and maintenance of the flaring system. Council stands to benefit financially through a profit-sharing arrangement for Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) generated by the flaring process.

This initiative is a win-win for the region, with Council taking meaningful action on climate change while also creating a new revenue stream to further improve our bottom line.

Initial gas mapping work for the new biogas flaring system at Cooma Landfill gets underway from September 2024, with the project team liaising closely with landfill staff to ensure minimal disruption to operations.

Investigations into the potential for biogas flaring at Jindabyne Landfill will also be conducted in September, with any determination on the feasibility of expanding operations to this facility pending further analysis of gas production levels at the site.

For more information about Council's waste management and sustainability initiatives, visit https://qrco.de/wasteinfoSMRC

Please note that image used is an example of a landfill biogas flare, and is not indicative of the design for the future Cooma Landfill installation.

Image credit: Wastexpi, dreamstime.com