Heavy rainfall is contributing to an increase in methane gas emissions from the Naboro landfill. However, landfill manager Mark Hirst-Tuilau reassured that the site itself is not currently causing significant environmental harm.
In a recent interview, Mr. Hirst-Tuilau explained that once waste is deposited in the landfill, “nothing lives,” and the main by-product produced is leachate, a liquid formed as organic materials decay. He highlighted that the facility effectively manages leachate utilizing an aerobic digestive system.
“We treat it through an aerobic digestive system, and by the time it flows into the wetlands and then into the creek, the quality of the leachate remains well within the environmental limits,” Mr. Hirst-Tuilau remarked. “So that’s not an issue for us. Our biggest concern is the rainfall due to the significant amount we receive.”
He noted that the accumulation of rainwater is leading to increased gas production, a problem that is intensified by the landfill’s approximately 20 years of operation. To tackle the methane emissions, plans are underway to introduce a gas trapping system.
“A project will soon be launched to capture the gas, which we will then flare off. Methane is not beneficial for the environment, so we’ll capture it, flare it, convert it into CO2, and measure both the quality and quantity of the gas. Eventually, we may look into converting it into a waste-to-energy system,” he explained.
The landfill was initially designed for a 50-year lifespan and targeted a density ratio of 800 kilograms per cubic meter. Currently, it is achieving densities of 1.3 to 1.4 tonnes per cubic meter, effectively doubling its capacity.
“By achieving this, we are extending the life of the landfill almost twofold. Instead of lasting 50 years, we believe it will be close to 100 years.”