Ecology grants and strong partnerships drive innovative methane reduction at landfills

When most people think of climate change, they probably don't think of landfills. But maybe they should: Landfills release large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas with far greater planet-warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO₂).

To help address this challenge, the state Legislature passed the Landfills-Methane Emissions law in 2022 to reduce methane emissions from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. Ecology established new requirements for landfill owners and operators to reduce methane emissions and a new grant program to help cover associated expenses.

The landfill methane emission reduction grant program, funded by the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), is already having an impact. In 2024, the grant program's first year in operation, we awarded nearly $10 million in grants to 13 landfills across Washington. These grants support project planning, emissions monitoring, gas collection and control, and more - all with the goal of reducing methane emissions.

This year, we're seeing real results.

George Duvendack, region engineer at LRI Landfill in Graham says the program was greatly anticipated. "It's been talked about for a long time, and the grant allowed us to step forward in a significant way," said Duvendack. With Ecology grant funding, LRI upgraded its gas collection and control system with 75 auto-tuning wellheads, technology that has improved the landfill's efficiency and sustainability.

He explained that landfills use wells to extract landfill gas (a mixture primarily made up of methane and CO₂) from decomposing organic material. Control wellheads attached to these wells can be adjusted to extract more or less gas depending on conditions. Before installing to the new automated wellheads, LRI operators had to adjust the control wellheads by hand once a month. Now, the auto-tuning wellheads adjust themselves every few hours in response to changing conditions. They also continuously collect data, sending real-time information to an online dashboard where engineers can make sure everything is running smoothly.

"This means improvements in both the quantity and quality of the gas captured," explained LRI Environmental Specialist Olivier Moi.

By improving the quantity and quality of landfill gas collected, LRI minimizes emissions to the atmosphere. LRI sells about one-third of collected gas to an on-site energy facility to generate renewable electrical power. The remaining gas is flared instead of released, a process that destroys the methane.

"We weren't used to this kind of funding opportunity," said Government Affairs Manager Rick Vahl. "Ecology made it very easy to open the door and walk through. We were cautiously optimistic and really appreciated all the engagement."

Engaging with the public and building strong relationships has been critical to the success of the grant program. No one knows this better than Janée Zakoren, Ecology's landfill methane grant manager. From the beginning of the process, she has held many meetings, conducted interviews, discussions, and surveys, and emphasized clear, continuous communication.

"I want grantees to feel supported, informed, and confident navigating requirements while staying focused on their project goals," said Zakoren. "Ultimately, I aim to build strong partnerships."

Even once grant projects are completed, it doesn't mean the partnership is over. "These relationships of trust are so important for developing future grant programs," said Zakoren.

"Through these partnerships, we can incorporate feedback to more effectively support lasting, community-driven impact."

This funding is moving Washington toward its goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Learn more about the ways we are working to limit greenhouse gas emissions through the Climate Commitment Act.