Carbon and Green House Gas Evaluation of the Lancaster County Waste Management System

HDR partnered with the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (Authority) to use the Carbon Assessment Planning Tool (CAPT) to evaluate GHG emissions in their solid waste system. The Authority owns three primary facilities, which comprise the Authority’s solid waste processing and disposal system (the System). The primary facilities in the System are the Transfer Station (TS), the Frey Farm Landfill (FFLF) and the Lancaster County Resource Recovery Facility (RRF). The Authority has recently added wind turbines to its energy portfolio and is considering other changes within its system. The model will be used to evaluate the net effect of the changing system characteristics on the Green House Gas emissions from the system. Reduction in the waste landfilled, changes in Landfill Gas production and increases in energy production will all be evaluated. The paper will review the model assumptions and parameters and will discuss system characteristics. The paper will also discuss a methodology for monetization of additional “green benefits” associated with the GHG emissions reductions through the sale of emission offsets.