Reducing Methane Emissions from Municipal Landfills

Government of Canada seeks feedback on proposed objectives for new regulations to reduce methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills

When organic waste – such as food, yard waste and paper products – is disposed of in landfills, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. This process occurs over many years, which means that the methane generated in landfills today is the result of past decades of organic waste disposal.
 
By installing landfill gas management systems, methane can be recovered before it can be emitted to the atmosphere. The recovered landfill gas is either flared (burned) or can be used to create low-carbon energy. Diverting organic waste away from landfills to alternatives like composting, anaerobic digestion and recycling, and taking action to reduce the generation of organic waste (for example – reducing food waste at homes, businesses and institutions), will also lead to lower landfill methane emissions over the longer term.
 
The Government of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan – A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy committed to develop new federal regulations to increase the number of landfills that recover and flare or utilize landfill gas.
 
Environment and Climate Change Canada has developed a discussion paper to seek input on proposed objectives for these regulations under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

Submit Comment

Environment and Climate Change Canada is accepting comments from January 28 – April 13, 2022. Comments can be submitted via online feedback form or via email to [email protected].

Who Should Participate 

  • landfill owners and operators
  • waste management organizations
  • industry experts and technology providers
  • academics
  • provincial, territorial and municipal governments
  • Indigenous peoples
  • environmental non-governmental organizations

Key Questions for Discussion

The Government of Canada would like your feedback on the outcomes that could be achieved through new federal regulations to reduce methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills.
 
The discussion paper requests input on specific questions that will help guide the development of a proposed regulatory design, however, the key questions focus on proposed objectives for the regulations:
 
  • Should federal regulations be developed to increase the number of landfills that take action to reduce methane emissions? Which landfills should be regulated?
  • How can the regulations be designed to ensure that regulated landfills maximize methane recovery?
  • Should federal regulations be designed to require or stimulate diversion of organic waste from landfills?
  • Should federal regulations require or encourage the utilization of recovered methane to produce low-carbon fuels and energy?

Public INformation Centre

Environment and Climate Change Canada is hosting a virtual public information session to provide a summary of the discussion paper and answer questions.
 
March 8, 2022: 1:30 – 3 p.m. ET
 
 
If you are not able to access the link or cannot attend a session on Zoom, please contact [email protected].

Categories

Tags

Stay Connected

Receive selected updates of our activities happening across Canada and the World:

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US

Become a Member

We offer collaborative opportunity and inspiration to redefine value in communities across Canada through showcase opportunities and putting circular economy concepts into action.