Daniel H Cusworth, Riley M Duren, Alana K Ayasse, Ralph Jiorle, Katherine Howell, Andrew Aubrey, Robert O Green, Michael L Eastwood, John W Chapman, Andrew K Thorpe, Joseph Heckler, Gregory P Asner, Mackenzie L Smith, Eben Thoma, Max J Krause, Daniel Heins, Susan Thorneloe
Methane emissions from solid waste may represent a substantial fraction of the global anthropogenic budget, but few comprehensive studies exist to assess inventory assumptions. We quantified emissions at hundreds of large landfills across 18 states in the United States between 2016 and 2022 using airborne imaging spectrometers. Spanning 20% of open United States landfills, this represents the most systematic measurement-based study of methane point sources of the waste sector. We detected significant point source emissions at a majority (52%) of these sites, many with emissions persisting over multiple revisits (weeks to years)...
March 29, 2024: Science