California regulators approve rules to curb methane leaks and prevent fires at landfills

"California air regulators adopted new rules designed to reduce methane leaks and better respond to disastrous underground fires at landfills statewide. California Air Resources Board members voted 12-0 on Thursday to approve a batch of new regulations for the state's nearly 200 large landfills, designed to minimize the release of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas produced by decomposing organic waste. Landfills are California's second-largest source of methane emissions, following only the state's large dairy cow and livestock herds."

"The new requirements force landfill operators to use satellites and drones to detect leaks, install additional pollution controls and fix equipment faster. The new requirements will force landfill operators to install additional pollution controls; more comprehensively investigate methane leaks on parts of landfills that are inaccessible with on-the-ground monitoring using new technology like drones and satellites; and fix equipment breakdowns much faster. Landfill operators also will be required to repair leaks identified through California's new satellite-detection program."

"The regulation is expected to prevent the release of 17,000 metric tons of methane annually - an amount capable of warming the atmosphere as much as 110,000 gas-fired cars driven for a year. It also will curtail other harmful landfill pollution, such as lung-aggravating sulfur and cancer-causing benzene. Landfill operators will be required to keep better track of high temperatures and take steps to min"

California adopted new statewide regulations for nearly 200 large landfills to reduce methane emissions and address underground fires. The California Air Resources Board approved the rules in a unanimous 12-0 vote. The rules require additional pollution controls, use of satellites and drones to detect leaks in inaccessible areas, faster equipment repairs, and mandatory fixes for leaks found by a satellite-detection program. The regulations are expected to prevent the release of 17,000 metric tons of methane annually and also reduce other pollutants such as sulfur and benzene, while requiring better temperature monitoring to limit fire risk.

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