Study on the gaseous emissions from a landfill

Emissions from landfills contain a variety of compounds, organic and inorganic, which can create problems with human health. Here we examine the pollutants methane, hydrogen sulphite, mercaptans, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are expected to be found in landfill emissions, in order to assess the environmental impact on the surrounding area. Results indicate that the concentrations in the landfill itself are quite high and in most cases above the ambient air quality limits, while for the surrounding area they are low. The problem is created by H 2S and the mercaptans which, although in low content, have a distinct odour and cause problems to the neighbouring dwellings.