Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Management of Selected Materials in Municipal Solid Waste (1.2M pdf)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 530-R-98-013, 1998.
Integrates a wealth of information on GHG implications of various municipal solid waste management options — source reduction, recycling, composting, combustion, and landfilling. Provides GHG emission factors for the following items: newspaper; office paper; corrugated cardboard; aluminum cans; steel cans; glass containers; plastic (HDPE, LDPE, and PET); food scraps; yard trimmings; and mixed municipal solid waste, mixed recyclables, and mixed paper.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Factors for Management of Selected Materials in Municipal Solid Waste
Text (79k pdf)
Slides (375k pdf)
These documents summarize methodology and findings of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Management of Selected Materials in Municipal Solid Waste (3.4M pdf) report (EPA 530-R-98-013). Describes greenhouse gas sources and sinks associated with materials in the municipal solid waste stream and provides a table of emission factors for various waste management options.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Factors for Municipal Waste Combustion (176k pdf)
Summarizes the methodology and findings of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Management of Selected Materials in Municipal Solid Waste report, focusing briefly on methodologic considerations for estimating greenhouse gas emissions associated with combustion.
Climate Change and Waste: Reducing Waste Can Make a Difference (1.1MB pdf)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 530-E-99-002, 1999.
Rising levels of gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are causing changes in our climate, and some of these changes can be traced to solid waste. This publication describes the link between climate change and municipal solid waste management.
Pay-As-You-Throw: A Cooling Effect on Climate Change (81k pdf)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 530-E-99-002a, 1999.
This fact sheet describes EPA's Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) Program and how it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating incentives for residents to reduce and recycle more of their solid waste.
WasteWise: Climate Benefits From Reducing Waste (167k pdf)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 530-E-99-002b, 1999.
This fact sheet describes EPA's WasteWise Program and how it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by motivating businesses and organizations to prevent and recycle solid waste.
Evaluating the Greenhouse Gas Impacts of National Waste Prevention Activities: The U.S. Experience
Text (103k pdf)
Slides (228k pdf)
Outlines U.S. EPA's Climate Change and Waste Program by describing the program's research and technical assistance, program implementation, and outreach and education activities.
Estimating Greenhouse Gas Reductions from State Actions (35k pdf)
This is a helpful reference document for states planning to incorporate municipal solid waste management actions into a statewide GHG mitigation action plan. It includes a sample plan for waste management mitigation actions. See the State Actions section for other examples of state mitigation plans.
EPA's Climate Change and Waste Website
This website provides information on the relationship between climate change and waste production and disposal.