Lane County could soon be the first landfill operator in Oregon to use drones to search for methane leaks, a harmful greenhouse gas.
Jesse Berger, a Lane County Waste Management Engineer who has made the trek himself, said it takes about 2 days to inspect Short Mountain Landfill on foot.
Berger said the county usually hires a consulting firm to inspect the landfill for methane leaks. Workers, who carry a handheld device and wand, have encountered skunks, wasps and blackberry brambles…