How Can India Address Methane Emissions in its Waste Sector?

A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) urges India to conduct a nationwide study to accurately estimate methane emissions from legacy waste dumpsites and organic waste processing facilities. The report, titled “Methane Emissions from Open Dumpsites in India: Estimation and Mitigation Strategies,” also emphasizes the urgent need to phase out biodegradable waste disposal in landfills.

Data Reliability and Estimation Methods

One of the key concerns raised in the report is the unreliability and inconsistency of data related to municipal solid waste and methane emissions. To address this issue, the report suggests using the first-order decay (FOD) method, relying on field data and primary research to estimate methane emissions from landfill sites more precisely.

The CSE highlights the importance of creating a comprehensive methane measurement and monitoring system. Such a system would enable policymakers and regulators to develop data-driven, science-based targets to reduce methane emissions from the waste sector, particularly from dumpsites.

Phasing Out Landfill Disposal

The report emphasizes the need to phase out biodegradable waste disposal in landfills. It advocates for robust policies to incentivize waste diversion through source separation and the development of critical infrastructure for biodegradable waste treatment. Large-scale anaerobic digestion facilities are necessary to reduce the burden on downstream mitigation technologies.

The CSE report also calls for promoting carbon credits for biomining projects and mandates estimating methane potential from capped landfills and dumpsites.

Lack of Monitoring

Currently, there is a lack of monitoring of methane flux from existing landfill facilities and fugitive gas emissions from bio-digesters and biogas storage balloons in biomethanation plants. Addressing this gap is crucial for effective methane emissions reduction.

The report advocates for afforestation on reclaimed bioremediated land, emphasizing its role as a carbon sequester to mitigate emissions. Afforestation efforts on such land can significantly contribute to carbon sequestration and combat climate change.

Significance of Methane Emissions

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) with a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO2). While it has a relatively short lifespan in the atmosphere, its global warming potential is 25 times greater than CO2. Landfills are the third-largest source of methane emissions globally, so addressing this issue is crucial.

According to the World Bank, landfill waste management accounted for an estimated 1.6 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2016. This number is expected to reach 2.6 billion tonnes of CO2e by 2050, underlining the urgency of tackling methane emissions from waste.

India's Methane Emissions Profile

India's third biennial update report (BUR) indicates that methane emissions in 2016 (excluding land use, land-use change, and forestry) stood at 409 million tonnes CO2e. Of this, 73.96 percent came from the agriculture sector, 14.46 percent from the waste sector, 10.62 percent from the energy sector, and 0.96 percent from the industrial processes and product use sector.

In conclusion, the CSE's report underscores the critical importance of addressing methane emissions from waste in India and outlines various strategies to mitigate these emissions effectively. A comprehensive approach, including accurate data collection and monitoring, phasing out landfill disposal, promoting carbon credits, and afforestation, is seen as vital in the battle against methane-induced climate change.