Abatement of methane emissions from landfills -- the German way
- Fraunhofer Inst. for Systems and Innovation Research, Karlsruhe (Germany)
Landfills are a major source of methane. Methane is generated by biological degradation of native organic matter under anaerobic conditions. In Germany one quarter to one third of the total methane emissions into the air originate from landfills for municipal wastes. These emissions amounts to 1.2--1.9 million metric tons annually. Landfills represent the second most important methane source. For stock farming the technical opportunities to reduce methane emissions are limited. Therefore, environmental policy aiming to abate methane emissions focuses on waste management. In Germany the most effective policy instrument for this task is the Third Administrative Provision to the waste framework law. This provision came into operation in 1993 and requires that waste disposed in landfills must be inert. Beginning in the year 2005 the total organic carbon (TOC) content of the waste will be limited to 1--3%. This limit requires a pretreatment of municipal waste, and among the currently available technology options only an incineration is able to fulfill the stipulated criteria. Methane abatement will be further regulated by the new waste law, Cycle Economy and Waste Law.
- OSTI ID:
- 471057
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960420-; ISBN 0-884736-02-5; TRN: IM9722%%180
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 7. global warming international conference and exposition, Vienna (Austria), 1-3 Apr 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of The 7. global warming international conference and expo: Abstracts; PB: 154 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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