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<br />'metlilirie commen~l '.
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<br />. One of th~ side effeCtS of putting biodegfadable
<br />,material in landfills is tbatinethaDe ias: veiYl,..o
<br />,.ammRhle ~~ explosive',,- is produced.; , '~~::
<br />The Elk River Landfill is now at the pomt where
<br />leaking gases have the potential to become a P\!,"~c. \~, .
<br />safety hazard. The escaping gases pose no inuneQiatif;:., ., .
<br />threat, but Sherburne County and the City of Elk. .'
<br />River are taking action before they do, The twO~t
<br />,joined to hire an auditor to determine if the l(l~~.t";:
<br />operation has enough money to install a g8s colJ~'-
<br />system at an estimated cost of $250,000, If the l~" .
<br />doesn't have the money, the two governments w1D.' .,.. . ,
<br />,
<br />up the tab,
<br />Collecting the gases in recovery weI1s should
<br />pliminRte the potential public hazards. It also could .
<br />have a side benefit - generating income which could
<br />offset some of the costs of the collection system. .
<br />.' Methane can be collected, compressed, cleaned and .
<br />. sold for use generating electricity or as fuel for .
<br />, heating. ,
<br />Just how much gas the landfill will produce won't be
<br />: know until recovery weI1s are installed. Generally,
<br />landfills produce 40,000 to 32 million cubic feet of gas
<br />. a day, depending on the size of the landfill and the
<br />amount and decomposition rate of organic material.
<br />The average is 2,5 million cubic feet a day,
<br />Landfills are going to produce gas. It is only ,
<br />,..-udent to act early to harness it for good, rather than I
<br />-.ut for it to become a public safety problem. 1
<br />The city and county deserve credit for working
<br />together and acting early - two things too many
<br />governmental units fail to do.
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