How we turn garbage into something clean

Meridian Waste makes significant investment in the communities we serve through the safe and environmentally sound operations and maintenance of our landfills. We resolve to be good neighbors committed to the protection of the environment and sustainability for the long term future.

Our landfill gas-to-energy systems exemplify our investment and commitment to the communities we serve and the world we all share.

Highly engineered structures

Meridian Waste landfills are highly engineered structures that protect the natural environment while providing a vital infrastructure to local communities, businesses and residents. They are managed and operated meticulously, providing a safe and cost-effective disposal option for waste.

Modern landfills are designed and built with various layers of protections in place including bottom liner systems, leachate collection systems and gas collection systems for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. Daily operations are also managed to protect the environment and community around the landfill such as daily cover and groundwater monitoring.

How does landfill gas to energy work?

Gases are created when organic waste breaks down or decomposes within a MSW landfill. Modern landfills have landfill gas collection systems to collect this landfill gas, which contains approximately 50% methane and is either destroyed by combusting it in a flare or is diverted to an on-site facility for the conversion of this gas to energy thus preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.

The treated landfill gas can be pumped off site to a manufacturer or commercial business near the landfill to supplement or replace their natural gas usage in the form of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). It can also be used to generate electricity at the landfill that is then delivered to the electrical grid to power homes and businesses.

This is why the conversion of landfill gas to energy is an effective means of recycling and reusing this valuable resource.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has endorsed landfill gas as an environmentally friendly energy resource that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels such as coal and oil.

What is RNG?

As waste decomposes, it creates a raw biogas which can be collected and upgraded to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG). RNG is an ultra-low carbon transportation fuel and renewable energy resource that can be used to power or fuel anything that runs on natural gas. This means that our nation’s trash can be used as a transportation fuel, electricity generation, and to heat our homes and businesses.

Projects in the pipeline

Meridian Waste is currently constructing landfill gas-to-energy systems at three of its MSW landfills. These projects take about three years to complete.

Eagle Ridge Landfill in Bowling Green, Missouri

estimated completion Spring 2023

RNG created at the Eagle Ridge Landfill Gas-to-Energy plant will be piped into the existing interstate Panhandle Eastern Pipeline (owned by Energy Transfer). It will then be used to power CNG delivery vehicles like those used by UPS and Amazon.

Tri City Landfill in Petersburg, Virginia

estimated completion Fall 2023

Lunenberg Landfill in Lunenberg, Virginia

estimated completion Fall 2023