Project Number:

3727

Moretown Landfill Odor and Air Toxics Assessment

SERVICE:

Odor and Air Toxics Litigation Support

DESCRIPTION:

Some odor complaints had occurred near the Moretown Landfill. The questions were: (1) to what extent was it likely that the complaints were from the landfills? And (2) as often is the case, neighbors were concerned that if they could smell the landfill air emissions, did that mean air emissions were above their air toxic thresholds? Tech developed an odor and air sampling and modeling program to (1) identify and predict current and former air and odor emissions, (2) identify potential odor emissions from nearby sources, and (3) an estimation for odor nuisance potential after upgrades were proposed to improve odor capture.

Hot spots on the landfill surface were identified and sampled. These hot spots were projected over larger areas and inserted into an EPA approved air dispersion model. Tech determined that the landfill did not exceed the State of Ve­rmont air toxics thresholds, the Hazardous Ambient Air Standard (HAAS) currently, or before the odor improvements were made.

Tech did determine that odor was detectable in the neighborhood before and after the odor capture improvements. In addition Tech determined that after the improvements were made the landfill may have some detectable odor off-site, but would not be a nuisance.

Tech also examined a nearby composting facility and used odor data from a like-facility to demonstrate that at times the odor labelled landfill odor by the neighbors is likely odor from the composting operations, especially during or directly after the turning of their open windrows.

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Key Points

  • Tech took actual air and odor samples from this landfill and actual odor samples from a similar composting facility to estimate odor and air toxic emission potential via dispersion modeling.
  • Tech determined that the landfill did not exceed the State of Vermont HAAS and that odor was once again being managed properly.