Landfills vs. WtE

Landfills vs. Waste to Energy Facilities


  • As waste decomposes in a landfill, it produces methane.
  • Methane is a greenhouse gas, mostly emitted from decomposing waste in landfills, which is 20 – 25 times the potency of carbon dioxide and is ranked as a dangerous contributor to climate change.
  •  Methane gases are also harmful for the ozone layer.  If the ozone layer gets thinner it increases the risk of skin cancer.
  • Keeping waste out of landfills means more open space and less risk of leaking toxins into groundwater and releasing harmful air emissions.
  • The risk of ground water contamination could be a public health hazard as the groundwater could be used produce drinking water.
  • No methane is produced from WtE facilities, nor does the risk exists to pollute the groundwater.
  • Waste to Energy facilities avoid the production of methane while producing significantly more electricity from each ton of waste compared to landfills.
  • Further GHG reductions are realized by the avoidance of carbon emissions from long-haul transportation methods used to transport garbage to distant landfills.
  •  Waste used as fuel in WtE facilities is typically generated in the surrounding area.
  • Waste to Energy facilities also recycle metal that would have otherwise been land filled. In total, creating energy from waste is simply a better solution.