New state grants aim to slash landfill emissions in washington
On May 6, 2025, the Washington Department of Ecology announced the allocation of $9.6 million in grants to 13 municipal solid waste landfills across the state. This funding aims to reduce methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas, by supporting projects that enhance methane measurement and containment.
Methane, produced from decomposing organic material in landfills, is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the short term, and landfills are among the largest sources of methane emissions in Washington. Recognizing the potent harms of landfills, the state of Washington recently updated its minimum air emissions requirements for landfills to better identify and mitigate landfill emissions. The grants assist landfill operators in meeting new compliance requirements.
Ecology funded several projects to bring online modern technologies that can significantly improve methane mitigation. Just think of the potential if every landfill in the state began using this technology.
Funded projects include:
Pierce County is installing automatic tuning devices in landfill gas wells to optimize the efficiency of methane gas collection by continuously adjusting the operating parameters of the gas extraction system. The application states: “The overall goal is optimize methane gas collection. Self-tuning wells at landfills is to maximize the efficiency of methane gas capture by automatically adjusting the well's operation in real-time. This technology helps optimize gas collection, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure compliance with environmental regulations. Additionally, it minimizes the need for manual adjustments, lowering operational costs, improving the lifespan of the system, and reducing odors and health risks for nearby communities.”
The City of Port Angeles will conduct quarterly methane emissions monitoring with an identified EPA-approved surface emissions monitoring, FAA Part 107 certified unmanned aerial system (UAS) service provider. The application notes, “The overall goal is to comply of Chapter 173-408 WAC Landfill Methane Emissions law and conduct quarterly methane emissions monitoring via UAS in difficult sloping landscape.”
(Air Quality Landfill Methane Emissions Reduction Grant Program recipients, Screenshot of Ecology website, https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/eaglmap/)
This initiative is part of Washington's broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 95% below 1990 levels by 2050. The Department of Ecology's grant program represents a significant step toward achieving these climate goals by targeting methane emissions from landfills.
