Lane County could soon be the first landfill operator in Oregon to use drones to search for methane leaks, a harmful greenhouse gas.
Jesse Berger, a Lane County Waste Management Engineer who has made the trek himself, said it takes about 2 days to inspect Short Mountain Landfill on foot.
Berger said the county usually hires a consulting firm to inspect the landfill for methane leaks. Workers, who carry a handheld device and wand, have encountered skunks, wasps and blackberry brambles.
The older parts of the landfill can also be dangerously steep.
“It makes it a huge safety concern that you could slip, trip, fall down this thing, and it could be disastrous,” he said. “From a safety standpoint, a drone is a great idea for us.”
Berger said a drone should be able to inspect the entire landfill, located just south of Eugene, in about four hours. He said the drones should also be more accurate at finding methane leaks, which are a significant source of harmful greenhouse gasses.
Short Mountain Landfill is the county government’s biggest operational source of greenhouse gasses.
The Oregon legislature passed a law earlier this year requiring the company that manages Coffin Butte Landfill in Benton County, Republic Services, to use drones or other technology for inspections.
An earlier version of the bill would have required all landfills to start using drones or satellites instead of inspecting on foot, but it was narrowed to just Coffin Butte which has had significant, publicized issues with leaks.
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson Chris Varley said the agency is working on developing rules for drones, aerial or satellite methane surveillance for Coffin Butte and believes the technology is more efficient, and more reliable than monitoring methane on foot.
He said so far no Oregon landfill operators are using the technology yet, but DEQ is aware of one other county that is exploring the option.
Landfill operators in other states have piloted drones for methane inspections. DEQ said Lane County is the first so far to pursue the technology in Oregon.
If the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, which regulates emissions and air quality issues in Lane County, approves the county’s drone request, Berger says they could potentially be deployed toward the end of the year.
