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Press Release
Waste Management Installs New State-of-the-Art Flare Ultra Low Emissions Flare Helps Protect Environment
Riverside County, CA, March 26, 2007 - A new state of the art landfill gas flare is now operating at Waste Management’s El Sobrante Landfill. The new landfill gas flare will replace an existing system of landfill gas flares that have been in operation since June of 1993. This new ultra-low emissions flare will help decrease the harmful greenhouse emissions by the improved destruction of landfill gas, which is produced by the natural decomposition of waste in a landfill.
“El Sobrante Landfill is one of the first in California to invest in this new gas flare technology that will reduce harmful greenhouse NOX emissions by over 60 percent and carbon monoxide emissions by 70 percent compared to a traditional landfill gas flare system,” said Damon De Frates, El Sobrante District Manager.
The $1.3 million investment, designed by John Zink, Inc., an industry leader in landfill emission control, is currently the best available technology in the market.
“This new landfill gas flare will place El Sobrante ahead of the curve in North America to meet stringent California air quality requirements,” said De Frates. The new landfill gas flare is intended to meet El Sobrante Landfill’s needs for the next five years as the landfill continues to meet the disposal needs of Southern California residents.
The new flare will collect gas through an extensive series of vertical gas extraction wells and horizontal trench collectors. The gas is extracted from the landfill by the use of a vacuum system that extracts landfill gas from approximately 160 vertical wells and horizontal collectors around the landfill and directs it to the flare where it is ignited and thermally destroyed. This process prevents landfill gas from being released in to the air where it can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
El Sobrante Landfill goes beyond just flaring off landfill gas to prevent gas migration, it also harnesses and processes the collected gas to power three internal combustion engines that generate electricity for the local community.
Since 2004, El Sobrante Landfill has operated landfill gas-to-energy generators that transform landfill gas into energy. By converting waste gas into energy, El Sobrante Landfill is managing its waste in a more effective and efficient manner. The landfill gas is collected and processed in an environmentally responsible way and provides electricity, which would otherwise come from the use of fossil fuels. It’s an all around win-win partnership with the community; Waste Management is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, continuing to lead the way in renewable energy technology and being a good neighbor to its communities.
El Sobrante Landfill generates approximately 3.84 megawatts of electricity, which is then fed directly into the local grid where it is used to power approximately 6,000 homes a year.
Waste Management is proud to be leading the way in conserving natural resources by promoting recycling, reuse, and renewable energy programs like our landfill gas-to-energy program. Across the country, our almost 100 renewable energy projects produce enough electricity to power more than 800,000 homes and save the equivalent of 8.2 million barrels of oil per year.
Waste Management’s El Sobrante Landfill is located in the unincorporated area of Riverside County. The landfill serves more than one million Inland Empire residents and is a critical component of Riverside County and the greater Los Angeles region’s infrastructure. The site has more than XXX acres in permanent preservation and is a critical component of preserving open space in Riverside County. For more information on the landfill, please go to www.keepinginlandempireclean.com.
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