The Mitigation of Methane Emission Hot-spots in Municipal Landfills project hosted a one-day training workshop for partners and local stakeholders from the Region of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ and waste management company GFL Environmental. This student-led workshop highlighted the project team’s key advances in methane detection at hot-spots in local landfills and offered the opportunity for partners to learn and experience emerging technologies used by the project up close.
Team members Nathanel Willms, Sandani Pathirana, Avery Opalka, Mu-An Tsai, Sina Talebi Moghaddam and Arpan Singh led the workshop. They began by presenting their research on: the analysis of microbes present in landfill cover soils that play a key role in methane cycling (Nathanael Willms); the measurement of methane at landfills using methane flux gas chamber technology (Sandani Pathirana); and, the use of infrared imaging using hyperspectral camera technology and a Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscope (TDLAS) system to detect methane fluxes at hot-spots in landfills (Avery Opalka and Mu-An Tsai).
Following the presentations, participants moved over to a make-shift lab where the hyperspectral camera and TDLAS were on full display, including a recreation of a landfill hot-spot complete with methane flux releases. Participants were able to try some hands-on measurements and see the technology in action. Next, participants visited the campus greenhouse to see simulations of methane flux from landfill cover soils using gas chamber technology.
The workshop provided an opportunity to showcase research from the project to stakeholders, for knowledge exchange between researchers and stakeholders, and for stakeholders to assess the potential for using the latest methods, tools and technologies from the project in the context of emerging regulations.
The hyperspectral camera (right) and TDLAS system (centre) set-up in the makeshift lab, ready to capture methane emission fluxes.
Project team member Avery Opalka speaks to participants about capturing methane fluxes using the TDLAS system (centre) and hyperspectral camera.
Participants step around a 3D ultrasonic anemometer that is used by the project team to measure wind speed when taking measurements with the hyperspectral camera and TDLAS system.
Project team member Avery Opalka (centre) points to data being captured on the TDLAS system while speaking to participants.
A recreation of landfill cover soils in the makeshift lab, with reflectors placed in the soil for use with the TDLAS system (not pictured) to capture methane flux releases. The hyperspectral camera sits at the other end of the soil box.
Project team member Mu-An Tsai talks to participants about the TDLAS system.
Participants huddle around the TDLAS system to see it working in action while a methane flux is released.
Participants ask questions to the project team about the TDLAS system and hyperspectral camera (not pictured).
The TDLAS system capturing a methane flux release (not visible) over the makeshift landfill cover soil.
The hyperspectral camera capturing a methane flux release (not visible) while results are captured on a connected laptop.
Gold-coated retroreflectors that are used together with the TDLAS system to capture measurements of methane flux releases.
Participants huddle around to view and discuss the hyperspectral camera and TDLAS system.
Co-Principal Investigator Kyle Daun (centre) talks about the hyperspectral camera to workshop participants (right) while project team members (left) display the results on a connected laptop.
Workshop participants inside the greenhouse where methane flux experiments using the gas chamber are taking place.
Participants look on at methane flux gas chamber experiments in the campus greenhouse.
Methane flux gas chamber experiments being conducted by Co-Principal Investigator Maria Strack’s lab at the campus greenhouse.
Workshop participants ask questions about the methane flux gas chamber experiments.
A view of the methane flux gas chamber experiment set-up in the campus greenhouse.
Workshop participants take an up-close look at the methane flux gas chamber experiments.
Participants look at methane flux gas chamber experiments and listen to explanations from post-doc Miranda Hunter from co-Principal Investigator Maria Strack’s lab.
Post-doc Miranda Hunter places a methane flux gas chamber on top of a soil column to demonstrate how measurements are taken.
Workshop participants engaged in looking at the methane flux experiments and flux readings.
Project team members in the greenhouse: co-Principal Investigator Maria Strack (left); Principal Investigator Laura Hug (second from left); co-Principal Investigator Kyle Daun (second from right); student Avery Opalka (right).
Post-doc Miranda Hunter (centre) explains to workshop participants how the methane flux gas chamber measurements are taken.
