Innovative Use of Compost at Brady Road Resource Management Facility

The proposed research aims to develop general design parameters needed to optimize a large-scale landfill biocover for countering landfill methane emissions at Brady Road Resource Management Facility (BRRMF). The intern will conduct column studies aimed at determining the optimum combination of yard waste and leaf compost and biosolids compost for facilitating the growth of methane oxidizing bacteria known as methanotrophs in the landfill cover. Test condition variables will include full and non-enrichment, and the effects of temperature, moisture, freeze/thaw, and methane loads with removal examined both horizontally and vertically within the columns. The partner company KGS Group of Winnipeg has established itself within the landfill management areas for the City of Winnipeg Landfills. The proposed column experiments will prove the concept of an engineered biological cover at BRRMF and allow KGS Group to properly implement a full-scale biocover application to a section of landfill cell at the site.

Faculty Supervisor:

Qiuyan Yuan

Student:

Monika Niemczyk

Partner:

KGS Group

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure

University:

University of Manitoba