The Laramie Landfill fire that ignited last Wednesday evening, spread over one and a half acres of green waste piled 8 feet high, engulfing the town in the smell of toxic fumes and is being re-evaluated today by the Laramie Fire Department in order to determine the source of the fire.
University of Wyoming Senior in Geology, Connor Elbert, reacted to the fire, said, “It smelled like burning organic material and I was surprised by the intensity of the aroma.”
Laramie Landfill Supervisor, JR Slingerland, described the efforts in managing the still smoldering pile of material, containing tree and lawn trimmings, manure from ranches and other kinds of green waste, as “a continuous strategy.”
Heavy equipment operators are separating non-burned piles from the largest portion of the site and increasing the burn rate by continuing to stir the pile.
“The site is under twenty-four-hour supervision until further notice,” Slingerland said.
Research has provided evidence regarding waste piles catching fire due to the excessive height of waste piles, inappropriate layering of materials, moisture content, air restriction and internal temperature. However, no documented cases of spontaneous combustion have been reported for green waste piles smaller than seven feet. Most of the accounts of green waste fires were caused from an external source. Other chemicals like pesticides, herbicides and added nitrogen can also be a likely culprit in combustion.
The piles of green waste were close to twelve feet deep and did not provide any kind of layering strategy or attention to moisture content, airflow restriction or chemical analysis.
Due to the fact we live on top of salty soil here in Laramie, most people excessively water their lawns with mineral rich water, which affects the alkalinity or pH level. Fertilizer is then needed to lower the alkaline level to produce an environment where plants can receive water more efficiently along with more nitrogen and sulfur, lowering the pH levels. As a result, grass begins to grow faster, which is mowed more frequently and the cycle continues as the green waste piles grow.
Green waste is inevitable, but in order to reduce potential incidents like the landfill fire, the community needs to reevaluate lawn management in a manner to reduce accumulation of green waste.
