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A growing number of US states have set stronger standards than federal regulations to curb methane emissions from landfills, and they’re creating something of a “domino effect” that’s spurring action across the country, according to a new analysis by non-profit think tank RMI.
The context: Because they contain huge volumes of decaying food scraps and other organic waste, landfills are major sources of methane, a greenhouse gas that traps 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide over the near term. As a result, landfills are an often-overlooked climate problem — in addition to being sources of toxic pollutants for nearby communities.
The latest: California recently launched America’s first satellite programme aimed at tracking large methane leaks, while Colorado has released “what could become the country’s most effective landfill methane standard,” RMI analysts said in a research note.
“These actions mark a new wave of ambition — but they were shaped by decades of community complaints, calls for cleaner air, and a growing awareness of landfills’ contribution to climate change,” the authors wrote. “Recent innovations in methane monitoring and controls make it easier than ever to track and manage pollution at these sites.”
Under Colorado’s proposed rules, which will be deliberated on until August, more of the state’s landfills will be required to manage their emissions by installing gas collection and control systems. They’d also have to replace open flares (systems that burn methane gas in the open air) with enclosed systems.
Further, the state plans to use data from satellites and aircraft to ensure the largest leaks are quickly addressed, while also requiring some landfills to collect gas from active disposal areas and install biocovers and biofilters, which are low-tech systems involving mature compost that naturally breaks down methane.
Colorado is following in the footsteps of five other states — California, Oregon, Maryland, Michigan, and Washington — in setting standards that beat federal regulations, RMI says.
However, Colorado’s draft rule takes things a step further as it’ll make use of the latest technologies and practices, the group adds.
California was an early pioneer in this space. Its 2010 Landfill Methane Regulation prompted more landfills to install gas collection and control systems and monitor more comprehensively for leaks.
As the state considers updates to those rules, it “doesn’t have to look far for inspiration,” RMI says, citing OC Waste & Recycling’s (OCWR’s) efforts in Orange County, near Los Angeles.
OCWR has gone beyond the state’s current requirements, launching a programme that uses drones and real-time wellhead controls to monitor and manage methane more effectively.
“As regulators revisit the state’s decade-old rules, OCWR offers a glimpse of what stronger standards can achieve: cleaner air, healthier communities, and new economic opportunity,” RMI says.
Read also: These cities are building solar plants on trash to save space
