Waste dashboard: california
Landfills across California and the country are causing massive amounts of global warming through methane: a super-pollutant that is approximately 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term. 14 years ago, California led on methane reduction by enacting landfill methane regulations stronger than the federal standards, including common-sense improvements like a tighter walking pattern for detecting methane emissions. Yet despite California's well-earned reputation as a climate leader, the Golden State still ranks second in the nation for landfill methane emissions, with unchecked methane emissions detected at many landfills. Now, thanks to advances in technology and lessons learned, California has the opportunity to update its regulations, implementing proven, cost-effective solutions to curb methane emissions, slow global warming, and better protect California communities. To prevent new methane emissions, robust implementation of SB1383 across the state is critical, to ensure that less food waste is generated, that edible food goes to hungry people, and that inedible scraps become feedstock or help build healthy soil.
Industrious Labs’ analysis is based on the following data sources:
U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) 2022: Facilities emitting over 25,000 metric tons of CO2-equivalent/year. Industrial sectors included: Chemical Manufacturing, Food Processing, Metals, Minerals, Mining, Other Manufacturing, Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems, Petroleum Refineries, Pulp and Paper, and Waste.
U.S. EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) (July 2023)
U.S. EPA GHG Equivalency calculator
*MT = metric tons
california air resources board (carb) explores improvements to its landfill methane regulation
Over a decade ago, CARB adopted stronger regulations on landfill methane emissions. In May 2023, CARB held a webinar and opened the start of a public process to gather input on improving the effectiveness of the regulation stating in part, “Over the past decade of implementation and research, CARB has identified opportunities to increase the effectiveness of the regulation and achieve additional methane emissions reductions.”
Learn more about what a strong updated landfill methane rule should include, and stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to share your feedback with CARB!
“The mission of Californians Against Waste is to protect communities by eliminating the pollution inherent in the extraction and disposal of natural resources. CAW believes in preventing waste at its source and holding producers responsible throughout a product’s lifecycle to transition California to a thriving circular economy.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has "been understating methane emissions from landfills by a factor of two," said Susan Thorneloe, a senior chemical engineer at the EPA who has worked on the agency's methane estimation methods since the 1980s.
Part of the problem may be that the EPA's methods for estimating landfill methane emissions are outdated and flawed, Thornloe said. Thorneloe helped craft the current estimate method, and she said it "was developed over 30 years ago using empirical data for about 40 landfills.”
Citing new research out of California, she has come to believe the agency underestimates emissions.” - NPR , July 13, 2021.
