Landfill gas utilization

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/landfill-gas-utilization

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name of main gas?Methane (CH4)
2. What is the global warming potential (GWP)?Methane is approximately 27 times more potent than CO2 over 100 years
3. What is landfill gas?Landfill gas is a mix of gases that forms when trash breaks down without oxygen in a landfill. It mainly contains methane and carbon dioxide, about half and half, plus a little nitrogen and other tiny gases.
4. How can landfill gas be turned into electricity?After the gas is collected, it is cleaned to remove water and bad smells. Then it can power engines, turbines, or fuel cells that make electricity or heat for homes and businesses.

Anaerobic Decomposition: The breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen.
Global Warming Potential (GWP): A measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide.
Pipeline-Grade Gas: Purified natural gas that meets strict quality standards for distribution through gas pipelines.
Circular Economy: An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources.