Landfills

Organic material in landfills can emit air pollutants as it is broken down by bacteria.  These pollutants include methane, other hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide.  A District permit is required for any landfill that emits more than one ton per year of reactive organic compounds.  Landfills with the potential to emit larger amounts of hydrocarbons are required to install control equipment.

Landfills in Santa Barbara County

Regulations that apply:

District Rule 341

State Landfill Methane Control Measure

Federal Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (NSPS)

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP): Municipal Solid Waste Landfills

Other Resources:

The EPA document AP-42, Section 2.4 describes how to estimate controlled and uncontrolled emissions from landfills.  LandGEM is an Excel spreadsheet that can be used to perform the emission calculations.

40 CFR Part 60 Subpart WWW Rule Applicability Guidance Tool

State Landfill Methane Control Measure Webpage

For more information or assistance, contact us via email at [email protected].

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