Landfills Are Leaking Methane Like Crazy 🤯
Did you know that those heaps of trash we call landfills are not just eyesores but also major culprits in climate change? 🌍 According to a groundbreaking study published in Science this Thursday, over half of the U.S. landfills surveyed are super-emitters of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. 😱
What's the Big Deal with Methane?
Methane is like CO2's rowdy cousin—it's over 25 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period! 🔥 While the oil and gas industry has been under the microscope for methane emissions, landfills have been sneaking under the radar. 🕵️♂️
Surprising Findings
The research, led by Carbon Mapper and scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Arizona State University, and others, found that about 52% of landfills observed by aerial surveys are super-emitters. That's way higher compared to the 0.2% to 1% of super-emitting sites in the oil and gas sector. 🤔
Persistent Leaks vs. Short Bursts
It gets worse! At these large emitting landfills, 60% had methane leaks that lasted for months or even years. In contrast, most leaks at super-emitting oil and gas sites were just short-term events. ⏳ This means landfills are continuously pumping methane into the atmosphere without us even noticing. 😬
A Silver Lining?
But hey, it's not all doom and gloom! 🌈 Dan Cusworth, the lead author of the study, says that pinpointing these leaks offers a quick way to target emissions. \"Addressing these high methane sources and mitigating persistent landfill emissions offers a strong potential for climate benefit,\" he said. 🌱
Time to Act!
So far, efforts to reduce methane emissions have focused mainly on oil and gas. But with more aerial and satellite surveys on the horizon, regulators can finally measure, quantify, and act on methane from landfills. 🚀
Underreported Emissions
The study also found that the EPA's greenhouse gas reporting system has been underestimating methane leaks from landfills. Aerial surveys showed emission rates were 1.4 times higher than EPA estimates. Oops! 😳
Why Should You Care?
Methane accounted for 12% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in 2021, according to the EPA. Tackling methane leaks from landfills could be a game-changer in the fight against climate change! 💪
Reference(s):
Surveys show U.S. landfills are major source of methane emissions
cgtn.com
