EREF-Funded Study Highlights Advances in Measuring Landfill Methane Emissions 

The study examines the performance of nine methane detection methodologies at a closed landfill. Key findings include the reliability of the Tracer Correlation Method (MTCEA) and the variability of drone-based detection systems under certain conditions.

[Raleigh, NC | September 9, 2024] — New research funded by the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) has tested the accuracy and effectiveness of multiple methane detection technologies. Conducted by FluxLab at St. Francis Xavier University (Canada), the study offers insights for improving emissions monitoring and mitigation strategies.  A key challenge with landfill emissions measurement has been the difficulty in measuring emissions over a wide area under a range of conditions that are influenced by site topography and meteorological factors. To compare performance, the study deployed different technologies over the same time period at the same site and released methane at a known rate, also referred to as a controlled release, to establish the relative accuracy across methods. The controlled methane release took place at a closed landfill in Ontario, Canada. 

Study Highlights:

• Satellite methods could not be validated because the distributed and area-based releases were too small to detect. However, satellite imaging methods are of high priority and will require future controlled studies to validate its performance in a landfill setting.
• Aircraft methods had relatively good accuracy but was one of the costliest methods used.
• Drone-based methods displayed variability in accuracy and had higher rates of false positives under certain conditions. 
• Of ground-based methods,
  • A mobile (truck mounted) method, referred to as tracer Correlation, emerged as the most reliable technique, with consistent and accurate results, reaffirming its role as a benchmark for methane measurement technologies. 
  • Fixed sensors, where technology is mounted in a fixed place in multiple locations in an array format, showed potential but varied greatly depending on sensor type and configuration. 

“This research is an important step in improving the precision and reliability of landfill methane detection and quantification methods,” said Dr. Bryan Staley, President & CEO of EREF. “The findings are part of larger efforts underway by EREF to bring direct measurement technologies to a place where they can be used with confidence in their reliability and accuracy.”