Landfills emit more methane than previously thought

A recent study in the journal Science uncovered a concerning fact: landfills across the United States release more methane (almost three times) than previously thought, posing a severe climate threat.

Researchers from several institutions, including NASA, teamed up with Carbon Mapper to conduct a survey using a new tech called imaging spectrometers that examined over 200 landfills in 18 states from 2018 to 2022.

Researchers measured methane concentrations over these landfills, and the findings were startling.

More than half of the landfills surveyed turned out to be “super-emitters” of the planet-warming gas, pumping out at least 100 lbs of methane per hour. The figures challenge previous estimates, revealing that methane levels are 1.4 times higher than officially reported.

Methane from landfills is particularly worrying because it's incredibly potent in the short term, trapping over 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide.

This revelation is significant. Landfills now rank as the third-largest source of methane emissions in the United States, highlighting their substantial contribution to climate change.