Lawton Landfill Has 7.9 Years Left, Plus a Methane-to-Energy Project Already Running

The City of Lawton says its landfill has about 7.9 years of capacity remaining as of December 31, 2025. That number matters far beyond city limits, because the site takes waste from communities across Southwest Oklahoma, making it a regional piece of infrastructure that rarely gets a second thought.

There is plenty of progress to report. Cells 6 and 7 entered service in October 2025, a milestone that required reconstruction after May flooding damaged the completed cells before they could open. Looking further out, Cells 8 and 9 are expected to appear in future Capital Improvement Program plans, giving the city a roadmap for the years ahead. City Manager John Ratliff has discussed the landfill’s outlook as part of that long-range planning.

The other big development sits on top of the trash itself. The city’s Gas-to-Energy facility became fully operational in 2025, capturing methane from decomposing waste and converting it into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas through a partnership with Comanche Renewables. In other words, the landfill now produces energy for the region while it manages what we throw away. How do you think Lawton should balance landfill expansion with recycling and other alternatives? Let us know.