| Anaerobic decomposition of organic materials in landfills produces methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas with global warming potential approximately 85 times higher than carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 20-year time period. Landfills emit the majority of man-made methane emissions in most states and are one of the top emitters in the United States. Reducing the amount of organic materials sent to landfills and increasing the production of compost and mulch are part of the effort to comnat climate change. Inedible food waste can be composted or used to generate renewable energy; landscape waste is ideal for composting; and lumber can be turned into mulch, used in a biofilter, or burned in a biomass plant for renewable energy. Paper can be composted, but greater climate benefits are achieved when it is recycled, allowing other trees to stay in the ground. |
