Overview
The purpose of this project activity was capturing and flaring of the landfill gas (LFG) generated at Montevideo’s landfill, Uruguay. The project activity has contributed to mitigation of the GHG emissions through the destruction of the methane contained in the landfill gas. It was expected that this contribution avoids the emission of 782,158 tCO2e to the atmosphere over a period of 7 years starting on February 2, 2010.
The project activity has generated Certificates of Emission Reductions (CERs) and revenues through the selling of CERs in the Clean Development Mechanism. The revenues obtained have contributed to elimination of the barriers preventing the implementation of this project. The activity has also contributed to the sustainable development of the city of Montevideo improving the solid waste management practices and the environmental conditions in the surroundings of the landfill site by decreasing emissions of other harmful component in the LFG, as well as nuisance odors and explosion and fire risks.
Benefits
The project activity has contributed to developing and implementing a new technology, improving the demand of local labor, and encouraging the local supply of equipment and other components for the construction and operation of the LFG capture plant. These activities have added to local know-how and therefore have been increasing the possibility to replicate the project activity throughout the region.
Overall, the proposed activity has established a better practice for urban solid waste management and landfill gas recovery in Uruguay where open dumps have been a common practice throughout the country. Project activities have also demonstrated the advantage of the GHG emission market and Kyoto mechanisms to finance new technologies and management in the public sector that could contribute to a sustainable development.