Essential steps to comply with Canada’s new landfill gas regulations

Landfills are a source of greenhouse gas due to methane emissions which represent up to 24% of Canada’s total methane emissions. Because of this, Canada has introduced new measures to regulate methane emissions from landfills. The proposed Regulations Respecting the Reduction in the Release of Methane in the Waste Sectors aim to reduce total methane emissions from Canadian landfills by about 50 percent by 2030 (from 2019 levels). With the new regulations, this sets minimum standards for controlling landfill methane emissions in the country for the first time.

So, what does this mean for landfills operating in Canada? If you operate a landfill, you may be wondering how these regulations affect you and how you can best navigate them while saving added costs and remaining compliant and socially responsible. GHD has developed a list of commonly asked questions that help address the necessary steps for assessing landfill gas quantities and addressing any required changes to capture or reduce methane emissions to remain in good standing with emerging regulatory requirements.

The proposed regulatory framework requires medium and large landfills in Canada to report methane emissions and reduce methane emissions by 2030. This involves monitoring surface emissions, monitoring point source emissions (e.g., extraction wells, leachate chambers, condensate chambers), quantifying and reporting the amounts of landfill gas, and could mean implementing a landfill gas collection system.

1. Closed landfills accepting any quantity of municipal solid waste (MSW) after January 1, 2010 and that have more than 450,000 tonnes of MSW in place.

2. Operational landfills exceeding either 100,000 tonnes of MSW in place or 10,000 tonnes MSW per year

The assessment requires the use of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) Landfill Methane Estimation Model to determine if the annual methane generation at any particular landfill site, reaches a threshold of 664 tonnes per year (open landfills). This is equal to 65.8 cubic feet per minute or 18,592 tonnes CO2e based upon a methane global warming potential of 28.

If the threshold is exceeded and the landfill has not yet implemented a methane control approach (e.g., landfill gas (LFG) collection and control system, biocover), a landfill may opt to measure surface emissions to demonstrate exemption from a methane control system based upon field measurements below the 664 tonnes per year threshold or less than 25% annual methane (by volume) from the recovered LFG.

If a landfill has a methane control system in place, they must meet the performance standards as indicated in the regulations. This will include conducting surface emissions monitoring three times per year as well as a methane leak detection program for point source locations.

Closed landfills will have similar requirements, however, the threshold for annual methane generation is 1,000 tonnes per year.

The proposed regulations require landfill owners, both municipal and private, to measure, monitor, and manage LFG to reduce methane emissions. This will mean the mandatory submission of the above requirements as well as annual reporting of methane emissions with and without a methane control system. 

1. The first step is to assess your landfill and estimate the current and future landfill gas potential of the site using the recommended ECCC model. We can help you interpret the proposed regulatory frameworks and their implications to the specific landfill.
2. If your landfill estimates are in excess of the threshold limits, conducting landfill gas quantification studies may be able to provide evidence that the model has overestimated the emissions. We use various technologies to more accurately quantify landfill gas emissions that could save time and costs on implementing gas capture systems.

GHD has been actively involved in landfill gas quantification across Canada for many years. There are various ways to measure and quantify landfill gases. While not all of the approaches are accepted by the new regulations, our team can help you choose the right solution to monitor and measure landfill gases and help you better understand your current emissions and manage them in the future. Read more about the different ways to measure and quantify landfill gas.

If landfill gas emissions are verified to exceed the exemption rates, the landfill will need to implement mitigation strategies including landfill gas capture systems. Our team provides engineering support on the feasibility, design, and construction of methane control systems, or implementation of surface emission measurements in order to support clients that exceed the federal threshold.

We can help you navigate Canada’s new methane emissions regulations with ease. Contact us to discuss the details of your landfill and proactively gather the data needed to report on landfill gas while reducing emissions and helping to move closer to the nation’s sustainability targets.