It’s Earth Day, 2013, and to celebrate, we thought we would talk about some of the positive things going on in the recycling and waste management industries.
The waste management and recycling industries are continuing to improve their methods of dealing with landfills and other collection methods, according to the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program’s most recent report. This has resulted in improved reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Industry emissions of methane and carbon dioxide, two major greenhouse gasses, have declined thirty percent over the last twenty years (it could be better, but it could be worse). Gas collected from landfills is now being used as energy to power homes, businesses, and government buildings.
Fun fact: landfills are the third largest emitters of anthropogenic methane in the US, behind collection of natural gas and ruminant animals like cows, according to the Wall Street Journal.