Energy Recovery from Landfills: A Jamaican Case Study

Abstract

Solid waste management is a critical issue for developing countries. In addition to limited financial resources that have to be distributed amongst various sectors, most developing countries including Jamaica faces high rates of unemployment, poverty, high crime rates, corruption and economic development. Consequently, environmental management and proper disposal of wastes are not prioritized. As the reserves of fossil fuels rapidly decrease and the rate of global warming rises, there is increased pressure to find alternative forms of renewable energy. By using the landfill as a source of renewable energy, Jamaica can save billions of dollars in imports, protect the health of the environment and human population whilst simultaneously significantly reducing their carbon footprint. This research seeks to explore these issues by examining the recent proposal to convert energy from waste using the Riverton Metropolitan landfill in Jamaica as a case study. Riverton Metropolitan landfill the largest landfill in Jamaica and serves approximately thirty percent of the Jamaican population. The aim is to find out the impacts of the landfill on the environment and human population, how feasible the project is, its benefits, setbacks, implications for Jamaica and the public opinion about the proposal and outcome of the project.