[Press Release] : Columbia receives Missouri’s first bioreactor permit

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2009

CONTACT: Public Works Department
 (573) 874-7250

Columbia receives Missouri’s first bioreactor permit	
							
	(COLUMBIA, MO) - The city of Columbia received official
notification from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources of
approval for a permit modification to operate its landfill as a
bioreactor. Columbia is the first landfill in Missouri, and one of only
10 in the nation, to utilize bioreactor technology for the disposal of
trash. 
	City Manager Bill Watkins said that of all the initiatives where
the community has shown leadership, this is one of the most important.
"This represents a united vision launched when citizens voted to make
alternative energy an increasing part of our power supply. The City
Council has consistently pushed staff to find new sources, and we
did,” Watkins said.
	Watkins praised staff in different city departments who studied
available landfill-to-energy technology and identified legislative and
regulatory changes needed to make it happen. "People in our Public Works
and Water & Light departments worked hard to tie all this together.
Citizens will feel well-served and, I hope, proud that Columbia is a
center of innovation."
	This system changes the method in which the city disposes of
trash by switching from a dry tomb process to a bioreactor. Bioreactors
are considered to be the “next generation” landfill.	
	“We are very excited about this project, and believe this
cutting edge technology will transform the operation of landfills in the
future. This project is just one small part of our renewable energy
effort.” said Richard Wieman, manager of the Columbia Solid Waste
Division.
	Through the use of a bioreactor, the city will inject liquids
into the waste to accelerate the bio-stabilization of waste, and produce
methane at a higher rate for use as a renewable energy source. Working
with the Columbia Water and Light Department, a new landfill
gas-to-energy plant was brought on line in June 2008. This plant is
generating electricity to power 1,000-1,200 homes. Utilizing bioreactor
technology, the gas generation rate will increase by 35-50 percent over
standard landfills, thus increasing the plant’s capacity to generate
more electricity. 
	The bioreactor landfill is a controlled landfill, or landfill
cell, where water and gas conditions are actively managed in order to
accelerate or enhance bio-stabilization of the waste. The bioreactor
landfill significantly increases the extent of organic waste
decomposition, conversion rates and process effectiveness over what
would otherwise occur with the landfill. It is estimated this will
extend the life of the landfill by five years. 
Senate Bill 54, signed in June 2007, allowed yard waste to be disposed
of in a municipal solid waste disposal area when the Department of
Natural Resources approves the operation of the disposal area as a
bioreactor, and when the landfill gas will be used for electricity
generation. Then Senator Chris Koster sponsored the Green Power
Initiative, which encouraged electric companies to make a good-faith
effort toward meeting renewable energy targets. 
	Since 2004, the Solid Waste Division has worked closely with the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Columbia Water & Light, and
Camp, Dresser & McKee Inc. consulting firm to make this project a
reality. More information about the bioreactor can be obtained online at
www.GoColumbiaMo.com (search: GoLandfill)

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