The gas may contain toxic chemicals, which can potentially pose a health hazard, and the vapour can constitute a nuisance when a number of compounds generated are odorous and emit a strong, unpleasant smell. The gas can also migrate through the soil and escape beyond the boundaries of the landfill site; methane is a potent and flammable greenhouse gas. Landfill gas is classified as a biogas and therefore utilised as a biofuel.

Lucideon has extensive experience in the analysis of landfill gas and, through our UKAS accredited testing laboratory No. 0013 (ISO 17025) offers a broad range of chemical analysis. Lucideon is also Accredited to conduct the sampling and testing of gas following the Environment Agency Technical Guidance Note LFTGN04. This guidance specifies a regime of sampling and analysis for a toxic and odorous list of chemicals which must be performed on all landfill sites at least once a year.

Passive sampling techniques are available for the personal and perimeter monitoring of trace VOCs.

Landfill gas testing services include:

• Bulk gas constituents (C1-C4 hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, helium)
• Hydrogen sulphide
• Organsulphur compounds
• Carbon monoxide
• Trace VOCs
• Siloxanes
• Terpenes
• Alkanes
• Alkyl esters
• Sampling following technical guidance LFTGN04
• Analysis following technical guidance LFTGN04
• Aldehydes and ketones
• Isocyanates
• Mercury *
• Volatile fatty acids *
• Alcohols *.

Lucideon has an extended LFG Trace Analysis Suite which encompasses:

• Trace gases
• Environment Agency (EA) extra compounds list
• Terpenes
• Esters
• Alkanes.

NB: Items marked with a * are not currently covered by our UKAS (ISO 17025) Accreditation.
To view the full list of compounds and their UKAS (ISO 17025) Accreditation status click here