Study reveals significant methane emissions from US landfills, presenting opportunity for reduction

A new study published in the journal Science has provided the largest comprehensive assessment of methane emissions from over 200 landfills across 18 states in the United States. The research was conducted through airborne surveys and was fact-checked, peer-reviewed, and proofread by Carbon Mapper. The study revealed that actual methane emissions were much higher than officially reported, with an average of about 20% of the 1,200 large, operating landfills in the US being measured. This finding adds to growing evidence that landfills are a significant contributor to climate change, which has previously been underestimated. The study's authors suggest that traditional model-based emission accounting methods may benefit from sustained direct measurement using emerging surface-, air-, and space-based monitoring technologies.