Gracemere landfill looks to flare up for sustainability

Published on 03 November 2022

Cr Latcham and LMS Crew.jpg

Rockhampton Region Waste and Recycling (RRWR) has this week commenced work on the installation of the biogas system trial at the recently capped Gracemere landfill site.

A biogas flare – which destroys greenhouse gases that landfills naturally produce – is being installed by industry leaders LMS Energy on a trial basis.

Waste and Recycling Councillor Shane Latcham said it was fantastic to see the trial underway and it will help Rockhampton Regional Council determine what future environmental initiatives are required at the site.

“The biogas flare might not look like much from the outside, but there’s a lot going on below the surface!” said Cr Latcham.

“This system works by extracting potentially harmful greenhouse gases, such as methane, which are produced when organic matter in the landfill breaks down.

“As the site has not received waste for many years, the volumes of biogas that are being generated are not known, so the trial is expected to indicate whether permanent extraction and methane destruction is required to help reduce the carbon footprint of the landfill.”

“If volumes of biogas are minimal, ongoing extraction and flaring of biogas won’t be needed.”

Councillor Latcham said the biogas system has been successfully operating at the Lakes Creek Road Waste Management Facility over the past two years.

“Residents travelling along Lakes Creek Road may have noticed some additional activity at the Lakes Creek Road Waste Management Facility in recent weeks – LMS Energy has been busy installing additional wells into Cell A1 of our ‘piggyback’ landfill,” Cr Latcham said.

“Since its installation in November 2020, the innovative biogas flare system has saved the equivalent of around 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the earth’s atmosphere.

“That’s the equivalent of taking more than 20,000 Australian cars off the road for a whole year!

“It is anticipated that in the future we may even be able to add a power module to harness the energy generated from this process and put it back into the grid.

“This is another example of Council’s commitment to building a circular economy by converting waste into a valuable resource that can benefit the local community and the local economy.

“Our local landfill sites are not just a ‘dump’ - we are managing waste differently as, we move toward a future with zero waste.

To find out more about the Rockhampton Regional Waste and Recycling Strategy visit: https://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/CouncilServices/Rockhampton-Regional-Waste-and-Recycling

To learn more about the LMS Biogas Flare visit: https://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/CouncilServices/Rockhampton-Regional-Waste-and-Recycling/Waste-Projects-and-Initiatives/Biogas-Flare

ENDS