The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority located in Dalton, Georgia and Dow Chemical are constructing a landfill gas collection system to power a Dow facility, Solid Waste Magazine reports.
“We realized we could derive a benefit from the landfill gas instead of just flaring it and are very pleased that Dow can use it at their facility,” said Norman Barashick, executive director of the DWRSWMA. “Utilizing the landfill gas as a renewable energy source benefits our community.”
Dow’s Dalton facility manufactures latex for carpet backing applications.
Tim Thomas, Dow’s Dalton site leader, said the landfill gas will replace about 90 percent of the natural gas they now buy and burn to help make latex that’s used in the local carpet industry, WTVC reports.
The solid waste authority is picking up the tab for building 60 landfill gas wells and a two-mile-long pipeline to Dow. Dow will be charged for the gas but at a rate much less than what they pay for natural gas.