Schilling landfill to have new vertical wells drilled to withdraw gas

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

The Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority board recently approved a contract of nearly $452,000 for the installation of 13 new vertical wells in the Schilling landfill.

With the new wells, Schilling will have a total of 30 extraction wells to withdraw “landfill gas” from the landfill waste. About 50% of landfill gas is methane, which is used to generate electricity. Besides monitoring production of gas, the wells enable oxygen monitoring and measuring of liquid levels within the landfill.

GLRA received six bids for the project, with the bids ranging from more than $400,000 to more than $800,000, GLRA executive director Skip Gardner said in an email. Commonwealth Drilling Co. was the low bidder.

Installation of the new wells is scheduled to begin in March and April.

GLRA received about 9,534 tons of waste in January, an amount down 215 tons from what was projected for the month but similar to last January, according to GLRA.

“January is a typically slow month for construction and demolition waste,” Garner said in an email. The snow and cold also contributed, he added.

In his report to the board, Garner shared a draft of GLRA’s 2026 goals and objectives, one of which is to determine a financial plan that will enable the authority to fund capital projects through 2030. This could include bank loans, a possible bond issue and self-funding options.

Garner told the board that GLRA’s annual financial audit has begun. The audit should be completed by the end of May.

GLRA is planning to add a disc golf course along its recently opened walking trail. Construction is planned for the spring, GLRA engineering manager Jim Zendek said in his report to the board.

The authority is waiting for a decision by the state Department of Environmental Protection on whether it can use incinerator ash to cover waste. GLRA is permitted to use soil and clean fill as daily cover.

The daily covering of waste reduces odors, deters animals and prevent blowing of litter. In August, GLRA submitted a permit modification to allow use of municipal incinerator ash.

The board of the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority meets at 1800 Russell Road. The next meeting will be 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 3. These meetings are open to the public and do not require registration.