Energy Clarified

Richard Kahlenberg’s Feb. 14 column in Ventura County Life on gas energy contains misinformation which should be corrected.

First, the so-called municipal waste in most landfills cannot be considered “non-hazardous.” Much of this waste is contaminated with chlorinated solvents, dry cleaning fluids and other industrial chemicals. These wastes result in toxic emissions that contaminate ground water through landfill leachate and are emitted into the air as toxic contaminants. In particular, landfills are generally regarded as the primary urban source of toxic emissions of vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen.

Kahlenberg misstates that “by burning methane (from landfill gas), you decrease pollution and prevent ozone destruction . . . “ Methane (whatever the source--cows, termites, landfills, leaky natural gas transmission systems, etc.), contributes to global greenhouse warming, like carbon dioxide from all combustion processes. But it is not the main cause of stratospheric ozone depletion, which is the release of chlorofluorocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbon emissions.

The two large engines burning landfill gas from the Oxnard landfills are significant contributors of smog-forming oxides of nitrogen (NOx) pollution. Use of modern, well-controlled gas turbines or steam boilers would produce much less NOx than these two engines. However, any combustion of landfill gas may result in toxic air contaminants. It would be better to use landfill gas methane in fuel cells that would produce electricity and heat without appreciable NOx or other air pollutants.

NEIL A. MOYER

President, Environmental Coalition

Ventura