Fw: [GreenYes] Why not pay landfills to collect methane?

["Bill Sheehan" <zerowaste@grrn.org>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Anderson" <anderson@recycleworlds.org>
To: "Bill Sheehan" <zerowaste@grrn.org>; "Mike Morrow"
<mmorrow@together.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2001 10:16 AM
Subject: Re: [GreenYes] Why not pay landfills to collect methane?


Mike-

    Again, there is no disagreement that, where the obsolete and hazardous
practice of landfilling organics continues, methane (and non-methane gas!)
capture along with energy recovery ought to be done.

    But, that does not, as we mentioned in the prior note, mean we should
subsidize it instead of mandating it.

    And, even if for the sake of argument one were to accept the claim that
it, unlike liners and leachate collection, should be encouraged not
mandated, then it does not follow that the same credit amount should be
granted for those who do not need any inducement because their state's high
electric rates already makes recovery economic, as for those in states with
low electric rates where recovery does not pay for itself. That's what this
across-the-board tax credit does, and as a consequence, most of the funds
are going for projects that would have proceeded without the credit, and
which only act to make diversion efforts APPEAR to be uneconomic!

    And, even if one were to ignore the problem with across-the-board
credits, this credit is not limited to closed cells for which artificially
lowered costs will have less effect on discouraging diversion. Rather it
applies equally to new sites as well.

    So, yes it is certainly possible in an ivory tower situation to imagine
a tightly drawn credit that could do some good and little harm, but one
would have to be foolhardy to imagine that such an artifice would ever get
out of Congresses hallowed halls in such a form.

                                                    Peter

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Morrow" <mmorrow@together.net>
To: "Bill Sheehan" <zerowaste@grrn.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2001 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: [GreenYes] Why not pay landfills to collect methane?

Yes, but what do we do with the problems we have now.  Most landfill owners
say that installing a generator is not cost effective in small landfills.

Flaring the gas is the preferred option for them, if they could impact
neighbors.  Otherwise they do nothing.

I doubt we'll see much change toward better management practices in the next
ten years.

Mike