Loess Hills Regional Sanitary Landfill RNG Plant

The Issue

Did you know that in 2019, our parent company, Waste Connections, acquired the Loess Hills Regional Sanitary Landfill in Malvern, Iowa? The landfill operated a gas capture system with a flare but lacked an on-site facility to beneficially convert the landfill gas into energy.

Our Solution

Waste Connections invested approximately $40 million to construct a state-of-the-art Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) plant capable of processing up to 4,000 Standard Cubic Feet per Minute (SCFM), along with a pipeline to connect with the grid. The multi-step plant treats the landfill gas to pipeline-grade methane and seamlessly integrates the gas into Kinder Morgan’s pipeline network.

The Benefit

The focus on gas capture at the site is expected to reduce fugitive emissions. At the same time, increased delivery of less carbon-intense RNG into the local pipeline displaces fossil fuel-derived sources, benefiting the environment.