EPA/600/R-21/285 Innovative Science for a Sustainable Future What is an Elevated Temperature Landfill? The generation of heat in a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill is normal as microorganisms break down waste11 2]. Elevated temperature landfills (ETLFs) are MSW landfills that exhibit temperatures above regulatory thresholds (131 or 145 °F) due to abnormal chemical reactions within the waste mass13"61. These reactions can cause changes in landfill gas composition, noxious odors, rapid and severe waste settlement, leachate seeps and outbreaks, and generate strong leachate, all of which add to operator costs for facility management. ETLFs are NOT landfills that have experienced a fire. Landfill fires typically occur at or near the surface where oxygen is available, usually affect only a small area, and can be quickly managed. ETLFs require different conditions and corrective actions than fires. Common Indicators of an ETLF - Temperature and Gas Composition at the Well • Elevated gas temperatures (>131 °F)[6"101 Above 145 °F, methane generation slows. Above 162 °F, minimal landfill biological activity'2,3I. 131-145 °F suggests heat- generating chemical reactions may be occurring'2,3I. 90-131 °F indicates normal operating landfills'2,31. Decreased methane (CH4 <40%) along with increased concentrations of C02 (> 50%)[6"101 Increased carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), and ammonia (NH3) gases16,10,111 Contributing Factors ETLFs likely result from a combination of reactive waste streams and landfill management practices. One common observation at ETLFs is that the affected area is wet, which suggests poor drainage through waste131. Moisture management is always an important consideration for landfill designers and operators. Accepted Waste Streams Examples of waste streams that are known or suspected of causing ele- vated temperatures in landfills: • Ashes and dusts (e.g., waste-to- energy ash, baghouse dust)112"151 • Aluminum, iron, and steel pro- duction by-products and wastes (e.g., dross, slag)16,7,10,11,13,16-18] rA Combination of Factors Contribute to Elevated Temperatures Heat and Odor Management Strategies • Apply geomembrane cover • Add additional gas extraction wells • Excavate gaps in waste mass • Install and operate closed-loop heat exchanger Management Practices Internal moisture content can be affected by: • Solidification, liquids addition, or leachate recirculation • Type and hydraulic properties of cover or alternative cover materials • Management of special wastes (i.e., co- disposal or waste segregation) • Removal of liquids from gas extraction wells If you suspect an ETLF, determine the information that needs to be gathered to develop an appropriate management and mitigation strategy. Connect with us Online ¥ You in in ------- v>EPA Examples of Strategies to Manage and Mitigate ETLFs Bridgeton Landfill - Bridgeton, Missouri Site Description'191: Closed MSW landfill, operated 1976-2004, 52 acres, 320 ft deep, 8.7 million metric tons (MMT) waste in place Dates of ETLF Status'20,211: 2011-present Indicators: >200 °F gas 2009-2020; noxious odors; sudden differential waste settlement; strong leachate; CO in gas Potential Contributing Factors: Unknown industrial wastes Management & Mitigation Strategy: Exposed geomembrane cap installed, 2013- 2014. Subsurface barrier with heat exchanger loop installed to limit reaction from spreading to a second section of the landfill, 2015-2016. Enhanced monitoring of gas wells and landfill elevations. Countywide Landfill - East Sparta, Ohio Site Description'191: Active MSW landfill, 175 acres, 184 ft deep, 22.0 MMT waste in place Dates of ETLF Status'22,231: 2006-present Indicators: 230 °F gas 2009, >300 °F waste 2009; sudden waste settlement; noxious odors; strong leachate; NH3, H2, and CO in gas Potential Contributing Factors: Aluminum dross disposal and leachate recirculation over the co-disposal area Management & Mitigation Strategy: Excavated a portion of the landfill to physically separate impacted and non- impacted areas. Installed geomembrane cap. Enhanced monitoring of gas wells and landfill elevations. Waimanalo Gulch Landfill - Oahu, Hawaii Site Description'191: Active MSW landfill, 101 acres, 135 ft deep, 8.9 MMT waste in place Dates of ETLF Status'241: 2005-2008 Indicators: 188 °F gas; H2 and CO in gas Potential Contributing Factors: Co- disposal of municipal waste incineration ash with municipal waste Management & Mitigation Strategy: Installed gas collection system. Enhanced monitoring of gas extraction wells. Noble Road Landfill Shiloh, Ohio Site Description'191: Active MSW landfill, 91 acres, 213 ft deep, 6.6 MMT waste in place Dates of ETLF Status'251: 2007-present Indicators: >131 °F gas Potential Contributing Factors: Reaction of steel slag, which was accepted and used as daily cover Management & Mitigation Strategy: Installed new gas extraction wells. Enhanced monitoring and reporting for wells of interest. Middle Point Landfill - Middle Point, Tennessee Site Description'191: Active MSW landfill, 193 acres, 210 ft deep, 26.2 MMT waste in place Dates of ETLF Status'261: 2011-present Indicators: >131 °F gas; noxious odors Potential Contributing Factors: Aluminum dross disposal Impacts: Management & Mitigation Strategy: Installed geomembrane cap. Installed new gas extraction wells. Enhanced monitoring and reporting for wells of interest. Rumpke Landfill Cincinnati, Ohio Site Description'191: Active MSW landfill, 315 acres, 197 ft deep, 55.3 MMT waste in place Dates of ETLF Status'271: 2009-present Indicators: >131 °F gas; sudden waste settlement; destroyed gas extraction wells, strong leachate; noxious odors Potential Contributing Factors: Unknown industrial waste Management & Mitigation Strategy: Installed geomembrane cap. Installed steel gas extraction wells. Enhanced monitoring and reporting for wells of interest. EPA/600/R-21/285 D Connect with us i^) # Online • • You i mm ------- v>EPA When Does a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Become an Elevated Temperature Landfill (ETLF)? References 1. Ye§iller, N., J.L. Hanson, and E.H. Yee. Waste heat generation: A comprehensive review. Waste Manage- ment, 42, 166-179. 2015. 2. Schupp, S., et al. Evaluation of the temperature range for biological activity in landfills experiencing elevated temperatures. ACS ES&T Engineering, 1(2). 2021. 3. Yafrate, N. and S. Luettich. Elevated temperature landfills (ETLFs). EM Magazine, A&WMA. 2017. 4. US EPA. National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Subpart AAAA Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 40 CFR 63, Code of Federal Regulations. 2020. 5. US EPA. New Source Performance Standards: Sub- part Cf- Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. 40 CFR 60, Code of Federal Regulations. 2020. 6. Jafari, N.H., T.D. Stark, and T. Thalhamer. Progres- sion of elevated temperatures in municipal solid waste landfills. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmen- tal Engineering, 143(8), 05017004. 2017. 7. Jafari, N.H., T.D. Stark, and T. Thalhamer. Spatial and temporal characteristics of elevated temperatures in municipal solid waste landfills. Waste Management, 59, 286-301. 2017. 8. Stark, T.D. and N.H. Jafari. Landfill operational tech- niques in the presence of elevated temperatures. Ge- otechnical Frontiers, 289-297. 2017. 9. Benson, C.H. Characteristics of gas and leachate at an elevated temperature landfill. Geotechnical Fron- tiers, 313-322. 2017. 10. Martin, J.W., et al. Detection of aluminum waste reac- tions and waste fires. Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste, 17(3), 164-174. 2013. 11. Stark, T.D., et al. Aluminum waste reaction indicators in a municipal solid waste landfill. Journal of Geotech- nical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 138(3), 252- 261.2012. 12. Reinhart, D., R. Joslyn, and C.T. Emrich. Characteri- zation of Florida, US landfills with elevated tempera- tures. Waste Management, 118, 55-61. 2020. 13. Hao, Z., et al. Heat generation and accumulation in municipal solid waste landfills. Environmental Science & Technology, 51(21), 12434-12442.2017. 14. Narode, A., et al. Measurement of heat release during hydration and carbonation of ash disposed in landfills using an isothermal calorimeter. Waste Management, 124, 348-355. 2021. 15. Klein, R., et al. Temperature development in a modern municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash landfill with regard to sustainable waste management. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 83(3), 265-280. 2001. 16. Huang, X.-L., et al. Characterization of salt cake from secondary aluminum production. Journal of Hazard- ous Materials, 273, 192-199. 2014. 17. Huang, X.-L. and T. Tolaymat. Gas quantity and com- position from the hydrolysis of salt cake from second- ary aluminum processing. International Journal of En- vironmental Science and Technology, 16(4), 1955- 1966. 2019. 18. Aghdam, E.F., C. Scheutz, and P. Kjeldsen. Assess- ment of methane production from shredder waste in landfills: The influence of temperature, moisture and metals. Waste Management, 63, 226-237. 2017. 19. US EPA. Greenhouse Gas Customized Search (09/28/2020-05/11/2021). Available from: https:// www.epa.gov/enviro/greenhouse-gas-customized- search. 20. Missouri DNR. Site Background - Bridgeton Sanitary Landfill. June 29, 2018 (cited June 2, 2021). Available from: https://dnr.mo.oov/waste-recvclino/sites- requlated-facilities/closed-inactive-landfills/bridaeton- sanitarv-landfill 21. Thalhamer, T. Data Evaluation of the Subsurface Smoldering Event at the Bridgeton Landfill. Missouri DNR. 2013. 22. Ohio EPA. Countywide Director's Final Findings and Orders (2007; accessed June 2, 2021). Available from: http://edocpub.epa.ohio.gov/publicportal/ edochome.aspx. 23. US EPA. Countywide Landfill (2018; accessed 05/22/2021). Available from: https:// response.epa.gov/site/site profile.aspx?site id=3944. 24. US EPA. EPA reaches agreement over Waimanalo Gulch Landfill fire threat/$1.1 million penalty for Clean Air Act violations. 2013. Available from: https:// archive.epa.gov/epapages/newsroom archive/ newsreleas- es/78dd2c0d bd481e7685257b20006f9325.html. 25. Ohio EPA. eDocument Search. May 18, 2021. Availa- ble from: http://edocpub.epa.ohio.gov/publicportal/ edochome.aspx. 26. Tennessee DEC. Consent Order in Case No.SWMH- 0008, In the matter of BFI Waste Systems of Tennes- see, LLC. (2011; accessed June 2, 2021). Available from: https://dataviewers.tdec.tn.gov/pls/enf reports/f? p=9001:720 27. Ohio EPA. Rumpke Sanitary Landfill Inc. Director's Final Findings and Orders. (2010; accessed June 2, 2021). Available from: http://edocpub.epa.ohio.gov/ publicportal/edochome.aspx. Contact: Max Krause, Engineer, US EPA Office of Research & Development, krause.max@epa.gov Disclaimer: This document is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. The contents are for general informational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice concerning any specific circumstances. You are urged to consult legal counsel concern- ing any specific situation or legal issues. This document does not ad- dress all federal, state, and local regulations, and other rules may apply. This document does not substitute for any EPA regulation and is not an EPA rule. This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication. January 2022 EPA/600/R-21/285 Connect with us Online D § # « ------- |