US landfill methane output underestimated by 40%: study
![US landfill methane output underestimated by 40%: study](https://sustainabilityeconomicsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1472.webp)
A recent study published in Science reveals that methane emissions from prominent US landfills are, on average, 40% higher than previously documented. Utilizing aerial surveys, scientists identified point source emissions from numerous waste sites.
This analysis highlights the significant underreporting of emissions and underscores a substantial opportunity for mitigation, as many of these releases persist for extended periods, ranging from months to even years.
Airborne observations provide distinct advantages over conventional survey methods, which often involve manual detection by workers traversing portions of the landfill to log locations with elevated surface concentrations of methane.
Also read: Why recycling needs a new perspective?
The potent and unseen greenhouse gas, known for its more than 80 times greater warming potential than carbon dioxide over the initial 20 years in the atmosphere, primarily originates from fossil gas.
However, it is also produced from decomposing organic matter, such as food scraps in anaerobic conditions, contributing significantly to its emissions. Satellites have been instrumental in identifying methane hotspots and pinpointing dumps, landfills, and waste sites across various regions from India to Argentina.
Also read: US households dispose 76% of their recyclables
In the most recent report, scientists surveyed over 200 active landfills across 18 states participating in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.
They discovered that 52% of the sites examined exhibited observable point source emissions, indicating they were directly emitting methane.
Landfills contribute approximately 20% of global methane emissions, ranking as the third-largest gas source, following agriculture and fossil fuels in terms of human activity. The United States alone has approximately 1,200 open landfills.
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