No abstract

Between 2010 and 2015, the Bellechasse Regional County Municipality (Bellechasse RCM) was affected by particularly noxious odors issuing from its Municipal Solid Waste Landfill (Bellechasse RCM MSWL) in Armagh, Canada. A study carried out in 2015-2016 by Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ) confirmed that it was still possible for hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions to cause odor issues in and around the site. The experimental project carried out by CRIQ in cooperation with Bellechasse RCM, Englobe, Quebec City and the Regroupement des récupérateurs et des recycleurs de matériaux de construction et de démolition du Québec (represented by AIM Éco-centre) made it possible to test three (3) different industrial residue as an alternative cover materials on site and study how they controlled H2S emissions, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odors at the Bellechasse RCM’s landfill. The site was monitored from November 2016 to September 2017 to confirm the effectiveness of alternative biofiltration cover materials (soil + compost), domestic waste incineration bottom ash and 0 to 2.5-inch concrete residues and to compare the results with the sand cover currently used as the cover material. Effectiveness was determined by measuring the Area Source Emission Rate (ASER) with a 3 m x 3 m static flux chamber developed for the project. Methane measurements were concomitantly taken to confirm that the biogas could escape through the cover materials. The monitoring results made it possible to demonstrate that domestic waste incineration bottom ash as well as 0-2.5 in. concrete received the highest load of H2S and showed an H2S capture performance of greater than 83ϿFor volatile organic compounds, materials such as 0-2.5 in. concrete and the alternative biofiltration cover materials were most effective for capture (greater than 73Ͽfor the highest loads. The lowest content of CH4 after covering was measured for the alternative cover materials. The site where the incineration bottom ash was used managed to decrease odors by ±200 odor units. Overall, we have demonstrated in this project, the capacity of different alternative cover materials under real condition for the control of gas emissions from landfill.

Compared to carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) is a strong greenhouse gas (GHG) and landfills are one of the major anthropogenic sources of atmospheric CH 4 produced by anaerobic degradation of organic waste. In Canada as in many countries around the world, programs and regulations are implemented to force capture and burning of landfill gas (LFG). However, when thermal oxidation (flaring or energetic valorisation) is not possible (i.e. low CH 4 concentration or flowrate), microbial methane oxidation by methanotrophic biofilters represents a new technology that holds great promises for GHG reduction and air pollution control of LFG. Exploratory work done in CRIQ laboratories (Quebec Canada) allowed testing different types of mediums (organic and inorganic) for the design of methanotrophic biofilters. Following this initiative, pilot scale project was undertaken in 2009. The objective was to evaluate, using a prototype installed in a closed landfill (Beauport, Quebec City), the technical and economic feasibility of implantation of methanotrophic biofilter for the treatment of LFG. Testing protocol has been implemented over a period of 83 d (from September to November 2009). The collected data were used to evaluate conversion rates (up to 80%) and the maximum elimination capacity (ECmax = 66 g CH 4 /m 3 /h). Large-scale technology demonstration work is planned for 2011-2012 to validate, over 12 months, the GHG reduction cost established for methanotrophic biofilter (CAD$16-20/t CO 2 eq).

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is a common malodorous gas causing many problems of odour and industrial atmospheric emissions potentially harmful to health. Québec City has mandated the Centre de Recherche Industrielle du Québec to determine the capacity of the bottom ash (BA) produced by its municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerator for the elimination of H2S. Tests carried out under controlled conditions (laboratory prototype consisting of three reactors containing respectively 10, 20 and 30 cm BA beds) over a total period of 1750 h (~73 days) established that the elimination capacity of demetalized bottom ash produce by the Québec City MSW incinerator varies between 77 ± 13 and 121 ± 20 g H2S /kg dry BA. These results are considerably higher than those published by other authors and demonstrate the potential of this material for various industrial applications (i.e. treatment of landfill gas, pretreatment of biogas produced by anaerobic digestion, etc.) in accordance with the principles of industrial ecology.

Resumen El rápido crecimiento de la indu stria porcina ha originado serios problemas ambientales asociados a los olores ofensivos, generados en las insatalaciones de produccion y durante el almacenamiento, el transporte y la descarga de las aguas residuales porcinas. Entre las alternativas de tratamiento existentes, la biofiltración en lecho orgánico representa una tecnología de alto potencial para la desodorización y el tratamiento de los efluentes líquidos y gaseosos producidos en las granjas porcinas. Trabajos de investigación y desarrollo tecnológico fueron realizados durante seis años en una granja porcina situada en Quebec, Canadá, con el objetivo de adaptar y optimizar el funcionamiento del proceso de biofiltración BIOSORMC-Estiercol al tratamiento simultáneo de efluentes líquidos y gaseosos generados por esta agroindustria. Estos trabajos se efectuaron a una escala industrial utilizando un sistema de biofiltración de 560 m 3. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el proceso BIOSORMC-Estiercol es una tecnología robusta, simple y eficiente que ofrece una solución global al problema de gestión de los olores ofensivos. Efectivamente, esta tecnología reduce más del 95% de la carga contaminante (NH3, H2S) y más del 80% de la intensidad de los olores generados por la granja porcina.