Landfills across Michigan 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. Michigan is the sixth-largest emitter of landfill methane in the country. The majority of landfill methane emissions come from organic waste like food scraps, yard clippings, and paper. Science tells us that drastically reducing methane is the most impactful action we can take now to slow climate change – and as the third-largest source of industrial methane emissions, landfills are a clear next step. Senate Bill 271, which became law in November 2023, gives Michigan regulators authority to determine how harmful methane from landfills with biogas infrastructure is captured, detected, and mitigated. Now, we need the Whitmer Administration to rise to the occasion and emerge as a national leader in cutting state methane emissions. At the same time, the most effective way to prevent new landfill emissions is to never bury or burn waste. This year, counties are required to assess and plan for more recycling options for residents, as part of implementing a state law that was passed to increase the state’s 19 percent recycling rate (among the lowest in the nation) to 30 percent by 2029.