OLYMPIA, Wash. – Landfills generate millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide every year. The Washington Department of Ecology announced new regulations on landfills on Monday.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), landfills released about 120 million metric tons of methane nationally in 2022, accounting for 17% of total US methane emissions.
The WA Department of Ecology will now require landfills to install methane collection equipment and processing systems. It claims that the new rules will significantly reduce methane emissions.
“Ecology estimates the new regulation will prevent the equivalent of about 1.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere every year,” the department said.
Washington is obligated According to the Department of Ecology, the 26 landfills who will fall under the new regulations will be able to apply for CCA grant funding to meet compliance standards.
In addition to regulating landfill emissions, the state is also pursuing ways of reducing food waste, which accounts for 58% of methane emissions from solid waste landfills according to the EPA.
While it was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee (D) years ago, the impact of the Climate Commitment Act continues to echo through the Evergreen State’s regulatory environment.
