Modelling landfill methane distribution into the ambient air: Case study of Novi Sad

Waste disposal is a common practice in Serbia. Landfills are largely unregulated and most commonly, waste is disposed without pre-selection so it represents an uncontrolled methane source of emission. Methane is a greenhouse gas which is estimated to have 20 times higher potential for global warming than carbon dioxide. In this paper, based on the available data on the level of emissions from the landfill, the modeling of methane dispersion after emission was performed for the periods of the dominant meteorological conditions whereby the quantification and characterization of the methane behaviour and its dispersion into the ambient air was carried out. Analysis of the modelled methane concentrations showed that maximum concentration of 7478.9 μg/m3 was reached at the distance of 466.6 m from the landfill itself, with no significant influence on the nearest settlements