FAQs • Blue Earth County, MN • CivicEngage

Why do you burn off the landfill gas at a flare?: Landfill gas is produced when garbage decomposes underground without oxygen. A primary component of landfill gas is methane. Methane is a potent source of greenhouse gas emissions. Burning the methane reduces the carbon footprint of the landfill, as well as destroying any other contamination the gas may contain. The Ponderosa does not generate enough landfill gas to be used in an electrical generator at this time.

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Ponderosa Landfill

1. How do I get a charge account at the Ponderosa?: Contact the Ponderosa office by sending a request to landfill@blueearthcountymn.gov or calling (507) 304-4445 prior to bringing out your waste. You will need to complete a credit application and gain approval for a charge account.

The Ponderosa is closed on:

Please plan your waste deliveries around these days.

3. What environmental protections are in place at the Ponderosa Landfill?: The Ponderosa constructs each waste disposal area with a composite liner system to capture any leachate (liquid) percolating through the waste. The leachate is routed through a leachate treatment system. The Ponderosa also has a landfill gas collection system, which uses gas wells and a blower to suck gas from the site. The gas is then destroyed by being burned off. The landfill also has a system of monitoring wells surrounding the landfill area which are sampled quarterly to detect any possible contamination.

4. Doesn’t most garbage just end up in the landfill?: No. Most Public Entity waste is processed into fuel to produce electricity at Xcel Energy's Wilmarth Power Plant. It is a part of Blue Earth County's overall Integrated Waste Management System.

5. Why do you burn off the landfill gas at a flare?: Landfill gas is produced when garbage decomposes underground without oxygen. A primary component of landfill gas is methane. Methane is a potent source of greenhouse gas emissions. Burning the methane reduces the carbon footprint of the landfill, as well as destroying any other contamination the gas may contain. The Ponderosa does not generate enough landfill gas to be used in an electrical generator at this time.