Date: April 24, 2012
Source: EPA, NSWMA
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from landfills have decreased by 27 percent since 1990, according to the EPA's just -released 17th Annual US Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. That "demonstrates the significant progress made by the solid waste services industry," said the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) of the report. They attribute greater use of gas collection and destruction systems. Overall, the waste management services industry, which includes landfills, composting and incineration, accounted for just 1.8 percent of the total anthropogenic (man-made) GHG emissions. That equates to about 124 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2E), of which landfills alone account for 108 million tons of CO2E in 2010.
For the rest of the economy, total anthropogenic GHG emissions rose by 3.2 percent last year to 6,822 million tons CO2E. EPA attributed the increase to rising energy use in line with the general economic recovery. In 2010, electricity generation accounted for 34 percent of emissions, followed by transportation activity which accounts for 27 percent and emissions from industrial processes accounting for 20 percent. Overall emissions have increased by 10.5 percent from 1990 to 2010. Ironically, that makes landfills one of the few bright spots.
PRESS RELEASE
April 16, 2012
EPA Publishes National U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the 17th annual U.S. greenhouse gas inventory. The final report shows overall emissions in 2010 increased by 3.2 percent from the previous year. The trend is attributed to an increase in energy consumption across all economic sectors, due to increasing energy demand associated with an expanding economy, and increased demand for electricity for air conditioning due to warmer summer weather during 2010.
Total emissions of the six main greenhouse gases in 2010 were equivalent to 6,822 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. The report indicates that overall emissions have grown by over 10 percent from 1990 to 2010.
The Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2010 is the latest annual report that the United States has submitted to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change. EPA prepares the annual report in collaboration with experts from multiple federal agencies and after gathering comments from stakeholders across the country.
The inventory tracks annual greenhouse gas emissions at the national level and presents historical emissions from 1990 to 2010. The inventory also calculates carbon dioxide emissions that are removed from the atmosphere by "sinks," e.g., through the uptake of carbon by forests, vegetation and soils.
More on the greenhouse gas inventory report: www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html.
For more information, contact:
Cathy Milbourn
Milbourn.cathy@epa.gov.
202-564-7849
202-564-4355
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PRESS RELEASE
April 24, 2012
GHG Emissions Continue to Fall for Solid Waste Industry
NSWMA Applauds Innovation Making Trend Possible
According to the latest greenhouse gas inventory released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2012, the waste management services industry generated only 1.8 percent of the total anthropogenic greenhouse gases in the United States. The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA), the association that represents for-profit companies in the U.S. that provide solid waste collection, recycling and disposal services, commented that this EPA report demonstrates the significant progress made by the solid waste services industry.
While anthropogenic methane emissions from natural gas systems and enteric fermentation have increased since 1990, emissions from landfills have decreased to 16.2 percent as a result of greater use of gas collection and destruction equipment. In fact, these emissions at landfills are less than half of the emissions from natural gas systems.
"Our industry expects to continue reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the future, as additional investments are made to capture and destroy landfill gas," said NSWMA President and CEO Bruce J. Parker. "We are proud of this trend. It is another example of our industry's commitment to caring for our environment."
The gases generated from landfills, composting, and incineration were approximately 124 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2Eq). Municipal solid waste and industrial waste landfills reduced their total anthropogenic methane emissions by more than 27 percent since 1990, from 148 million tons of CO2Eq in 1990 to 108 million tons CO2Eq in 2010.
For more information about the greenhouse gas inventory report, go to:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html.
NSWMA – a sub-association of the Environmental Industry Associations – represents for-profit companies in North America that provide solid waste collection, recycling and disposal services, healthcare waste management, or provide professional and consulting services to the waste services industry. NSWMA members conduct business in all 50 states.
For more information about how innovation in the environmental services industry is helping to solve today's environmental challenges, visit environmentalistseveryday.org/environmentalists.
For more information, contact:
Thom Metzger, 202-364-3751 or tmetzger@envasns.org.
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