US Must Take Action to Reduce Landfill Methane Emissions, Report Indicates

Methane emissions at nearly two dozen landfills across the United States consistently exceeded federal limits, with some emissions even surpassing what facility owners reported to authorities, according to a recent analysis of inspection reports released on Thursday.

The study conducted by the environmental nonprofit Industrious Labs found that the current regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are inadequate in preventing significant methane emissions from landfills.

Industrious Labs has called on the EPA to implement stricter monitoring measures using advanced technologies, extend regulations to include smaller landfills, and expedite the installation of systems designed to capture methane gas as landfills grow.

The significance of addressing this issue lies in the fact that methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide in the short term. Experts and policymakers have emphasized the need for swift action to mitigate these emissions in order to combat climate change. In 2022, landfills were responsible for over 14% of U.S. methane emissions, ranking as the third-largest source, following the oil and gas and livestock industries.

Katherine Blauvelt, the circular economy director at Industrious Labs, stated in an interview, “More and more evidence is piling up that it’s time for the EPA to act and begin that process of updating the rule.”

The EPA has pointed out that methane emissions represent a missed opportunity to utilize a valuable energy resource. Last year, the agency indicated that food waste accounted for approximately 58% of the unregulated methane emissions from landfills and recommended diverting food waste from landfills to reduce emissions in this sector.

As context, the EPA is set to initiate a reassessment of its landfill regulations by August this year. The Biden administration has been proactive in addressing methane emissions within the oil and gas industry through various policies and led a global initiative in 2021 to reduce methane emissions.