Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP)

City of Ashland – Greenhouse Gas Inventory (2011 – 2015) 28 Solid Waste The City disposes of its mixed solid waste (MSW) and biosolids from wastewater treatment at Dry Creek Landfill. Once landfilled, solid waste in general, and specifically organic wastes,9 decompose under anaerobic conditions (without oxygen) and begin to produce landfill gas (a mix of methane and carbon dioxide). Dry Creek is a modern landfill with landfill gas capture and electricity generation.10 It is very difficult to capture 100% of landfill biogas – a certain percentage is bound to escape. According to the EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM), approximately 85% of landfill gas is captured. The City’s operational solid waste tonnage and associated landfill emissions are dominated by wastewater biosolids, which represents 97% of solid waste emissions. Mixed solid waste from the City’s other facilities represent the remaining 3%. Solid waste emissions have stayed relatively consistent between 2011 and 2015, averaging 830 MT CO2e / year. 9 Examples include paper, wood, food waste, biosolids, etc. 10 Dry Creek has also been proactive in exploring use of landfill biogas as a low-carbon fuel for collection trucks. Biosolids'97%'MSW'3%' Figure 24: Share of 2015 solid waste emissions by waste category.