{"id":20552,"date":"2017-05-30T10:50:54","date_gmt":"2017-05-30T14:50:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wasteadvantagemag.com\/?p=20552"},"modified":"2017-05-30T10:50:54","modified_gmt":"2017-05-30T14:50:54","slug":"after-request-from-waste-industry-epa-will-reconsider-landfill-methane-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wasteadvantagemag.com\/after-request-from-waste-industry-epa-will-reconsider-landfill-methane-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"After Request from Waste Industry, EPA Will Reconsider Landfill Methane Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reconsidering proposed rules on methane emissions from landfills. It\u2019s a move that comes at the request of the waste disposal industry.<\/p>\n
The emissions come from stuff like leaves and food scraps naturally breaking down.\u00a0Landfills already have to capture\u00a0methane if emissions get above a certain threshold, but the new rules \u2013 now delayed \u2013 would lower that limit. Waste disposal companies\u00a0worry they\u2019d have to build costly new control systems as a result.<\/p>\n
But the industry also promotes its ability to turn methane into\u00a0energy. Anne Germain with the National Waste and Recycling Association\u00a0talked about that at an energy forum in 2015. So why oppose these rules? Kerry Kelly with Waste Management, Inc. says it\u2019s because as written, they\u2019re just not feasible.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s never been our desire to repeal the rules,\u201d she says. \u201cWe want the rules on the books, we want them to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n\u201cBy capturing the landfill gas and turning it into energy, we can power homes and factories, and even cars,\u201d she said. \u201cSometimes, the trucks that pick up the waste and recycling are themselves powered by the trash that they pick up.\u201d<\/p>\n