Senate hearing tackles methane measurement tools, reduction strategies

“Over the past couple centuries, methane concentrations in the atmosphere have more than doubled, and methane… is roughly 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide,” Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman and Delaware Sen. Tom Carper said. 

Scarpelli highlighted two main sources of methane emissions in her testimony: landfill surface emissions and outdated landfill gas infrastructure. Scarpelli said a routine and comprehensive monitoring system is critical for assessing emissions and that no single monitoring technology is foolproof. Emerging technologies such as remote sensing and drones could be potential solutions, but a combined portfolio of ground-based, aerial and satellite technologies is necessary. 

“Landfills are complex systems, and they need comprehensive monitoring that leverages all of the tools in our 21st-century toolbox while giving operators [the] flexibility to choose cost-effective methods that maximize mitigation potential or return on investment,” Scarpelli said.  

Carbon Mapper has surveyed more than 1,200 landfills since 2016 and identified large methane emissions sources at more than 200 sites, with nearly one-third emitting more than 1,000 kilograms, or about 2,204 pounds, of methane per hour. Frankiewicz also highlighted these findings in his testimony, noting that a subset of landfills in California were the state’s largest methane emitters at 41 percent. 

Germain said aerial emissions monitoring has its limitations because it does not continuously monitor. However, both aerial and on-the-ground sampling can be used to identify the location and concentration of site emissions. 

Germain testified that landfill emissions have declined by approximately 45 percent between 1990 and 2021, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, she acknowledged the importance of developing more accurate emissions measurement methods for landfills to be consistent with current methane reduction goals. 

“Our members are actively assessing how various aerial and ground-based methane emissions measurement methods developed for other sectors may be applicable for landfill applications,” she said.  

Germain also discussed the Department of Treasury’s proposed rule on the expanded investment tax credit (ITC) for “qualified biogas property” as enacted under the Inflation Reduction Act. The proposed rulemaking would limit the ITC available to biogas processing facilities by excluding “gas upgrading equipment.” 

“Our sector worked hard to advocate for this tax credit and has relied on the availability of it in planning multi-billion-dollar investments in biogas processing infrastructure,” Germain said. “Consequently, we were surprised by Treasury’s recent proposal to virtually eliminate landfill biogas processing facilities from credit eligibility and, in turn, disincentivize methane abatement solutions within our sector.”   

As previously reported by Waste Today, NWRA opposed this change to the biogas tax credit, claiming it is contrary to the intent of the law.  

Frankiewicz argued that incentivizing landfill energy production can put more sustainable waste management alternatives at a relative disadvantage and that any incentives for renewable natural gas (RNG) should ensure monitoring requirements are in place to reduce fugitive emissions.  

He testified that modernizing landfill operations is necessary to reduce methane emissions. Specific strategies include earlier installation and expansion of wells to maximize gas collection system coverage; more robust wellhead tuning and maintenance to boost gas collection system performance; enhanced landfill cover practices to better control surface methane; more comprehensive monitoring surveys to reduce fugitive methane; leveraging remote sensing to fix large leaks; and high-efficiency flares to avoid methane slip during combustion.  

Frankiewicz also addressed the importance of organics diversion efforts, such as composting and food donation programs. 

“Reducing organic waste disposal at landfills prevents future methane generation and captures the value of materials,” he said. “Sending organic waste to a composting facility or anaerobic digester avoids the generation of methane in landfills.” 

According to Germain, the waste sector does not have the adequate infrastructure to fully support diversion initiatives, partly due to contamination in organics streams, and called for stricter labeling requirements on “compostable” product packaging. 

“Everybody wants to be able to claim that their packaging is compostable, and it's just not the case with a lot of it,” she said.  

On the federal level, Frankiewicz called for new EPA standards to slash methane emissions and help the U.S. achieve its domestic climate goals. EPA is required to revisit the Clean Air Act Section 111 standards for municipal solid waste landfills in August, and Frankiewicz suggested the agency use this opportunity to develop a stronger framework to record and mitigate methane emissions while advocating for waste diversion. He also cited the finalization of the Oil and Gas Methane Rule and potential updates to the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program as opportunities for EPA to address methane reduction. 

“While composting and waste diversion are important tools to reduce methane emissions from landfills, it’s also important that our landfills are equipped with technology that’s necessary to mitigate emissions for years to come,” Carper said. “[D]eploying innovative methods and technologies to limit methane leakage will go a long way toward reducing landfill emissions across the United States.”