How are Methane Emissions from Landfills Taken into Account in Emissions Trading
Even if a solid assessment of GHG emissions is made, inclusion of WtE in EU-ETS is questionable before landfills for biodegradable waste are faded out Europe-wide, as it would risk to set wrong Incentives.
by Siegfried Scholz
Abstract
Whilst WtE plants oxidise the fossil and blogenic waste fractions completely and only need to account for the non-blogenic fractions of their CO2 emissions, managed landfills are thought to only emit GHG emissions from the blogenic fractions deposited.
These emissions from landfills are depending on Individual sites and emissions can be mitigated by increasing gas capture rates. However, measurement uncertainties are significant and need to be taken into account when comparing GHG emissions between WtE plants and landfill operations.
Even if a solid assessment of GHG emissions is made, inclusion of WtE in EU-ETS is questionable before landfills for biodegradable waste are faded out Europe-wide, as it would risk to set wrong Incentives.
Article in German language (There is a free trial available)
published: Abfallwirtschaft und Energie Band 3, TK Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 1|2026
Keywords: Energy Recovery, Pollution Control, Policy Tax Instruments, Methods, Analyses, Data, Germany
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