Landfills presently contribute to approximately 14% of U.S. methane emissions, a gas that possesses a staggering 28 times warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 100-year span.
A coalition of local U.S. government representatives from 18 states has called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take decisive steps towards eliminating food waste disposal in landfills by 2040, in a bid to reduce the release of the potent greenhouse gas, methane.
According to an EPA report released on October 19, food waste disposal accounts for a staggering 58% of methane emissions emanating from landfills. This revelation underscores the pressing need for action. The U.S. is currently falling behind in its efforts to cut food waste by half by 2030, and the EPA has faced criticism for not allocating sufficient resources to the cause.
In a unified letter addressed to the agency, the officials, which includes prominent figures such as the mayors of Seattle and Minneapolis, emphasized the urgent necessity for action against methane emissions. They also urged the EPA to enhance landfill standards for better identification and mitigation of methane leaks.
More than a third of food produced in the U.S. goes to waste, and emissions of methane from landfilled food waste continue to rise, surpassing 55 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2020, as reported by the EPA.
Landfills presently contribute to approximately 14% of U.S. methane emissions, a gas that possesses a staggering 28 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 100-year span.
While some cities and municipalities have initiated voluntary household composting programs for food waste, New York City is taking a progressive step by soon mandating residents to separate food scraps from their regular household waste.
The EPA offers a range of resources on its website for effective household food waste management, and it runs a program for businesses to commit to reducing their food waste, though the agency does not independently verify progress.
Addressing food waste will be a pivotal focus at this year’s United Nations climate conference, slated to take place at the end of November in the United Arab Emirates. This collective call to action by local U.S. officials signals a growing recognition of the imperative to tackle food waste emissions head-on.