Rumpke breaks ground on landfill gas project

Colerain Township, Ohio-based Rumpke Waste & Recycling has broken ground, along with Archaea Energy LLC, on a landfill-gas-to-energy plant at Rumpke’s Medora Landfill in Southern Indiana.

Rumpke and Canonsburg, Pennsylvania-based Archaea say they expect to complete construction and open the new plant by the end of 2021. The facility has been designed to convert gases produced from decomposing garbage into natural gas that can be piped to customers via local pipelines.

“Rumpke has been on the forefront of landfill gas to energy projects,” says Jeff Rumpke, an area president with the firm. “We started harvesting and recycling landfill gas at our sites in 1986. We currently have projects at four of our landfills, and we are excited to see the Medora project come online and bring another environmentally beneficial project to Indiana.”

When the Medora gas plant becomes operational, a series of gas wells and pipes will collect and funnel landfill gas, produced through natural waste decomposition, to the onsite plant. The plant will separate carbon dioxide from methane gas and other trace gases to create what Rumpke and Archaea call clean, recycled natural gas.

“Recycling landfill gas allows us to reduce greenhouse gases produced at the site while at the same time providing the region access to a cleaner energy source,” adds Jeff Rumpke. “We have been working toward this plant for years, and we are very excited to have found a long-term partner with Archaea.”

“Landfills are long-term energy resources that require the right partner to harvest,” says Nick Stork, CEO of Archaea.  “We are very excited to add an additional plant to our portfolio and assist Rumpke and the Medora community with maximizing the value of its landfill.”

In addition to the Medora plant, Archaea is also working with Rumpke to build a similar facility at Rumpke’s landfill in Montgomery County, Kentucky.

Rumpke Waste & Recycling, founded in 1932, employs 2,600 people and provides service to parts of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia.

Archaea Energy describes itself as a nationwide developer of renewable natural gas resources. Its projects capture the gas generated at landfills into an energy source capable of powering vehicles, heating homes or to be used in other applications.