Dispersion Modelling of Odoriferous Compounds from Landfill

Abstract

Landfills contain vast quantities of waste as they are sites for deposition of a city’s solid waste. This solid waste further undergoes the process of decomposition producing several by-products such as odorous gases and volatile organic compounds. Both of these compounds have potential to severely damage physical and mental health of human. These components were analysed using AERMOD by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). AERMOD needs uniform and horizontally consistent surface and upper air parameters of meteorology. Along with AERMOD, Landfill Gas Emission Model (LandGEM Version 3.02) was used to form an emission inventory. LandGEM analyses odorous gases and VOCs. The dispersion of odorous gases over areas adjacent to landfill of Pune, India has been estimated from information on advances in emission inventory and field monitoring operation. Four odorous gases namely Total Landfill gas, Methane, Carbon Dioxide and Non Methane Organic Compounds (NMOC) were detected at 17 discrete places and were found within permissible limits.