Capture and Combustion of Landfill Gas at Myocum Landfill

Capture and Combustion of Landfill Gas at Myocum Landfill is a landfill gas project located at Myocum, approximately 4.5km south of Mullumbimby and 12km northwest of Byron Bay in New South Wales. Registered in April 2013, the project operates within the boundaries of the Myocum Landfill facility. The site is situated in the Northern Rivers region, an area characterized by high rainfall and subtropical conditions, with soils typically consisting of clay and basaltic derivates common to the hinterland. The surrounding land use is primarily rural residential, quarrying, and agriculture.

This project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Landfill Gas) Methodology Determination 2015. It focuses on the capture and combustion of methane generated from "legacy waste", waste deposited in the landfill prior to July 2012. Landfill gas projects involve installing wells and piping systems to extract methane (a potent greenhouse gas) from decomposing organic matter. This gas is then combusted using a flare, converting the methane into less harmful carbon dioxide.

An interesting aspect of this project is its classification involving "restarting flaring," which often applies to projects that have adjusted their operations or crediting periods relative to electricity generation or previous abatement activities. The Myocum Landfill itself is a closed facility for putrescible waste, but continues to manage fugitive emissions through this system. The project was supported by waste consultancy Mike Ritchie and Associates and successfully completed a Carbon Abatement Contract (CAC102122) with the Australian Government in March 2023.