Stimulation of landfill gas production

Biogas production was studied in four 10L lysimeters charged with a mixture of paper (56%) and mixed foodstuffs (44%). An inoculum, a buffer and a phosphate source were added to two. All were incubated at ambient temperature until Day 42, then at 35 degrees C, with neither leachate recycle nor pH correction at any stage. The replicates without additives had produced no methane by 360, while those with additives began rapid production about Day 220. One has maintained a biogas output of 6L/day to beyond Day 360, a cumulative yield to dare of about 100 litres per litre of waste or 240L/Kg. Such productivity has not previously been reported at bench scale without leachate recycle.