Methane emission from municipal solid waste dumpsites: A case study of Chennai city in India

The indiscriminate growth in global population poses a threat to the world in handling and disposal of Municipal solid waste. Rapid urban growth increases the production, consumption and generation of Municipal solid waste which leads to a drastic change in the environment. The methane produced from the Municipal Solid waste accounts for up to 11% global anthropogenic emissions, which is a major cause for global warming. This study reports the methane emission estimation using IPCC default, TNO, LandGEM, EPER and close flux chamber from open dump yards at Perungudi and Kodungaiyur in Chennai, India. The result reveals that the methane emission using close flux chamber was in the range of 8.8 Gg/yr-11.3 Gg/yr and 6.1Gg/yr to 9.1 Gg/yr at Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dump yard respectively. The per capita waste generation was estimated based on waste generation and population. The waste generation potential was projected using linear regression model for the period 2017-2050. The trend of CH4 emission in the actual field measurement were increased every year, similarly the emission trend also increased in IPCC default method (mass balance approach), EPER Germany (zero order decay model) where as TNO and Land GEM (first order decay model) were decreased. The present study reveals that Kodungaiyur dump yard is more vulnerable to methane emission compared to Perungudi dump yard and has more potential in waste to energy conversion mechanisms than compare to Perungudi dump yard.