How does waste-to-energy reduce Greenhouse Gases emitted into the atmosphere?
The use of waste-to-energy technology prevents the release of forty million metric tons of greenhouse gases in the form of carbon dioxide equivalents that otherwise would be released into the atmosphere on an annual basis, according to an analysis developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Integrated Waste Services Association (IWSA) using EPA’s Decision Support Tool program. Annual reporting by IWSA to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program confirms that waste-to-energy also prevents the release each year of nearly 24,000 tons of nitrogen oxides and 2.6 million tons of volatile organic compounds from entering the atmosphere. America’s waste-to-energy facilities dispose of trash, and are an alternative to land disposal that releases methane (a potent greenhouse gas) as trash decomposes. Waste-to-energy also produces electricity, lessening reliance on fossil fuel power plants that release carbon dioxide, another greenhouse gas,
