GHG Emissions Continue to Fall for Solid Waste Industry

NSWMA Applauds Innovation Making Trend Possible

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2012
Contact: Thom Metzger, 202-364-3751 or tmetzger@envasns.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  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:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html.

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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.