Dive Brief:
- Casella Waste Systems Inc. is expanding gas collection at Ontario County Landfill in Seneca, NY, which will help power 7,000 homes in the area. According to NY DEC’s website, the expansion will cover approximately 16 acres around the landfills northern and western boundaries, and approximately 27.5 acres to the east.
- To address the odor, Casella will replace decommissioned wells, and add 12 new vertical gas wells to launch in December that will connect with the existing gas collection system, according to a Waste360 report.
- Additionally, Casella is continuing its current project of cleaning two storm water retention ponds.
Dive Insight:
The expansion approval comes after a long battle, as protestors filed a lawsuit to try and block the plan. With permit in hand, the company can continue to operate the site through 2028.
The wells — which will likely be installed in the fall of 2016 — are engineered to effectively collect gas while addressing odor.
"Approximately one well per acre is typically installed. The gas is lighter than air and travels upward and outward where it can be captured and then used to produce energy," said Jerry Leone, Casella’s regional environmental compliance manager for the western region.
