The rising issue of methane emissions from landfills
Did you know that landfills were responsible for around 24% of total UK methane emissions in 2022?
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas which can be released into our atmosphere through both natural and human-driven processes. It is over 25 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period, significantly contributing to global warming and climate change. Therefore, to fulfil the government’s goal of becoming net zero by 2050, we must address the rising issue of methane emissions from landfills.
In today’s blog, we explore the real impact of landfill methane emissions, and share how responsible waste management can help you contribute to a more sustainable future.
Methane emissions from landfills: problems and solutions
Why are methane emissions from landfills a problem?
When biodegradable waste such as food scraps, garden cuttings, and paper ends up in landfill, it decomposes without oxygen. This process, known as anaerobic decomposition, generates methane gas, which escapes into the atmosphere unless captured. This is a major issue in the UK where we still send millions of tonnes of municipal solid waste to landfill each year.
As well as harming our environment, the build up of methane can pose serious health risks, leading to unpleasant odours and reduced air quality for nearby communities. It can also increase the risk of fire or explosions in landfill sites due to the gas’ flammability.
Businesses that continue to send biodegradable waste to landfill are missing out on vital opportunities to extract economic and environmental value from waste materials that could instead be recycled, composted, or converted into renewable energy.
How to reduce methane emissions from landfills
1) Segregate your waste at the source
Ensure that all your waste streams are clearly labelled depending on the waste type i.e. general waste, recyclables, food waste, glass waste, and provide regular training for your staff to help them understand what goes where. By encouraging consistent waste separation at the source, you are helping to make recycling easier and reduce the amount of biodegradable material sent to landfill.
2) Effectively manage your organic waste
If you have a garden or food waste bin, make sure you use it regularly. This will ensure that any organic materials like peelings, leftovers, grass cuttings, and soil are properly composted rather than being sent to landfill. If these services aren’t readily available in your area, consider working with a licensed commercial water provider to introduce them in your premises.
3) Reduce your food waste
According to official government statistics, over ten million tonnes of food is wasted every year in the UK – the majority of which ends up in landfill. It’s vital that you start seriously thinking about how much food your home or business throws away. Planning meals in advance, using up leftovers, and donating excess ingredients can help reduce the amount of organic waste you produce and cut down on methane gas emissions.
4) Introduce circular waste systems
Try to find ways to reuse or recycle your organic materials instead of throwing them away. For example, you could collect used coffee grounds and repurpose them as compost, or turn food scraps into biogas through anaerobic digestion. By supporting the creation of new products from recycled materials, you are helping to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.
5) Support local community initiatives
Get involved with local initiatives that are aimed at reducing landfill waste. Examples of these could include supporting community compost schemes or setting up educational workshops to raise awareness about responsible waste disposal and global methane emission reduction. These small actions can lead to big changes when it comes to minimising landfill gas emissions.
Reduce the environmental impact of your waste with McCarthy Marland
At McCarthy Marland, we help businesses across the South of England to reduce their reliance on landfill and manage their waste more sustainably.
We offer a wide range of commercial waste collection services, such as wheeled bin hire, skip hire, RoRo skip hire, compaction systems, and grabber/tipped hire, that are designed to boost recycling rates and divert waste away from landfill – a win for both the planet and your reputation.
We are committed to reducing our environmental impact at every stage of the waste collection and disposal process, and are extremely proud to achieve an average recycling rate of 95% across our four waste transfer stations. Our state-of-the-art waste segregation technology allows us to recover as much recyclable material as possible for reprocessing and reuse, with all remaining residual waste being sent for energy recovery.
Ready to make your business’ waste more sustainable? Contact us to discuss your waste management needs.