New Hanover County making efforts to be more eco-friendly


NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Don’t be alarmed if you see a large flame shooting from the New Hanover County Landfill. It’s all part of a program to become more eco-friendly.

Starting Thursday night, a nearly 10 foot flame burning on the New Hanover County landfill site might catch your eye.

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The county says this flame will create a more efficient system to reduce the site’s methane emissions while generating cleaner, renewable energy.

Environmental management director, Joe Suleyman explained how this will be beneficial.

“We’re combusting methane gas which is a natural byproduct of wasting decomposition,” Suleyman said. “If we were to allow it to just vent to the atmosphere it would have a very serious greenhouse gas effect. As a matter of fact it’s one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gases besides cows, so we wanna combust that greenhouse gas instead of just releasing it into the atmosphere.”

Suleyman wants to assure folks that the size of the flame is normal and shouldn’t be a cause for alarm.