Zeotech has executed a 12-month research program with Griffith University to develop and validate the application of its products for controlling landfill methane emissions.

Controlling landfill methane emissions was the highest-ranking opportunity identified in the recently completed carbon market scoping study by Griffith for Zeotech’s low cost manufactured zeolites.

A manufactured zeolite layer within landfill capping soils could function to intercept and oxidise methane – the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide – emitted from the underlying refuse. Presently, there is no commercially available solution for mitigating methane emissions in active uncapped landfill sites.

Zeotech’s (ASX:ZEO) program will be carried out with leading waste management, industrial and environmental services company Cleanaway Waste Management, which will provide landfill cover soils for early-stage characterisation, alongside potential access to transition landfill sites for field validation.

The project, which will be carried out from February 2023, will also evaluate the potential for the company’s products to be applied for methane emission control measures across diverse industries such as mining and agriculture.

Griffith University’s Dr Chris Pratt said the university valued its technical partnership with Zeotech and the opportunity to develop zeolite applications to reduce methane emissions in commercial settings.

Meanwhile, Cleanaway Waste Management, Remediation & Sustainability’s Srikar Rapole added that the research project is strongly aligned with the company’s goal of providing total waste management solutions to its customers.

Further, the project aligns to the Governments recent announcement that Australia will join Biden’s global pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030, and indications are that the Federal budget to be announced this week will include specific funding allocated to identifying and commercialising methane reduction technologies.

 

Zeolites – multi-pronged greenhouse gas mitigators

Under the Extended Carbon Market Scoping Study, which was completed in April, seven additional opportunities were identified for Zeotech’s manufactured zeolites to contribute to climate change mitigation for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

This ranked landfill methane, with just under 1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent released per annum, as the highest potential opportunity on a scale of ‘readiness and value proposition of testing’.

Manufactured zeolites possess high gas exchange and high surface area properties making them potentially useful to boost baseline methane oxidation rates.

They could also offer ideal habitats for a group of bacteria termed ‘methanotrophs’, which are specialist methane consumers and can oxidise the methane into water and carbon dioxide.

The 12-month study is fully funded and will be carried out over four sequential research and development stages, with an additional fifth stage to undertake cost-benefit (economic) analysis.

Project IP that is developed under the program will vest with Zeotech immediately upon its creation and is aligned to its existing research agreements with Griffith.

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Zeotech, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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