Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Waste Sector: An Environmental Perspective Scott Smithline,...
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Transcript of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Waste Sector: An Environmental Perspective Scott Smithline,...
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Waste Sector: An Environmental Perspective
Scott Smithline, Director of Legal and Regulatory AffairsCalifornians Against Waste
(916) 443-5422 ● [email protected]
CIWMB Climate Change WorkshopMay 8th, 2007
AB 32: The Environmental PerspectiveAB 32: The Environmental Perspective
OverviewOverview• The Greenhouse Gas Emissions The Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Inventory Inventory • Early Action Measures Early Action Measures • Mandatory ReportingMandatory Reporting• Significant GHG emission reductions Significant GHG emission reductions
from recycling, compostingfrom recycling, composting
GHG Emissions InventoryGHG Emissions Inventory
What it isWhat it is• A stock and flow carbon tracking systemA stock and flow carbon tracking system• Baseline for statewide 2020 reductions under Baseline for statewide 2020 reductions under
AB32AB32 What it isn’tWhat it isn’t
• Not a system for carbon credit tradingNot a system for carbon credit trading• Not independently useful as a policy toolNot independently useful as a policy tool• Doesn’t show opportunities for GHG reductions Doesn’t show opportunities for GHG reductions
from recycling and compostingfrom recycling and composting
GHG Emissions Inventory (cont’d)GHG Emissions Inventory (cont’d)
Inventory does not accurately reflect the Inventory does not accurately reflect the emissions from landfillsemissions from landfills• Landfilled lumber: Landfilled lumber:
Double counted?Double counted? Is it a true “sink”?Is it a true “sink”?
• High levels of uncertainty using FOD modelHigh levels of uncertainty using FOD model• Does not account for WIP going to decomp Does not account for WIP going to decomp
before gas collection installed/turned onbefore gas collection installed/turned on• CIWMB/CEC study too lateCIWMB/CEC study too late
When it is due: January 1, 2008When it is due: January 1, 2008
ARB Early Action MeasureARB Early Action Measure ARB/CAT/CIWMB ARB/CAT/CIWMB ARB is proposing an early action measure ARB is proposing an early action measure
to target increased methane recovery from to target increased methane recovery from landfills without gas collection systemslandfills without gas collection systems• Good first step, but more useful distinction is Good first step, but more useful distinction is
how much WIP is/is not under the influence of a how much WIP is/is not under the influence of a LFG collection system - regardless of whether a LFG collection system - regardless of whether a system is installed in LF.system is installed in LF.
• Expand: EAM to include diversion options or Expand: EAM to include diversion options or minimum time without collection.minimum time without collection.
When: June 30, 2007When: June 30, 2007
ARB Mandatory ReportingARB Mandatory Reporting
What is it: ARB to adopt regs for reporting What is it: ARB to adopt regs for reporting and verification of emissions from sourcesand verification of emissions from sources
Who has to do it: …Not Landfills (yet)Who has to do it: …Not Landfills (yet) Information is needed on waste in active Information is needed on waste in active
areas of landfills or other areas that do not areas of landfills or other areas that do not have active gas collection running at full have active gas collection running at full capacity.capacity.• Landfills should be required to report in the Landfills should be required to report in the
first group of reporting industriesfirst group of reporting industries When: January 1, 2008When: January 1, 2008
GHG Reductions through GHG Reductions through Organics DiversionOrganics Diversion
Avoided methane Avoided methane emissions at landfillsemissions at landfills
Additional GHG Additional GHG reduction mechanismsreduction mechanisms• Reduced water Reduced water
transport emissionstransport emissions• Reduced N2O EmissionsReduced N2O Emissions• Increased Crop storage Increased Crop storage
of CO2of CO2• Carbon Storage in SoilCarbon Storage in Soil
GHG Reductions through GHG Reductions through Organics Diversion (cont’d)Organics Diversion (cont’d)
Benefits of composting are Benefits of composting are NOTNOT speculativespeculative - just not well quantified - just not well quantified yet yet
Critical for CIWMB to facilitate the Critical for CIWMB to facilitate the use of compost, as well as the siting use of compost, as well as the siting of new compost facilitiesof new compost facilities
CIWMB should investigate ADC as a CIWMB should investigate ADC as a barrier to GHG reductionbarrier to GHG reduction
GHG Avoidance ThroughGHG Avoidance ThroughIncreased Commercial RecyclingIncreased Commercial Recycling
The commercial sector The commercial sector is highly underserved is highly underserved by the recycling by the recycling industryindustry
At 65% of disposed At 65% of disposed waste, it offers an waste, it offers an opportunity to opportunity to substantially reduce substantially reduce greenhouse gases greenhouse gases while stimulating the while stimulating the economyeconomy
Potential Avoided Emissions Potential Avoided Emissions at 35% Diversionat 35% Diversion
MaterialTons
DisposedTons
Diverted MTCO2ECardboard 1,565,842 548,045 1,658,136
Other paper 1,319,968 461,989 1,637,577
Food Waste 3,565,086 1,247,780 1,026,579
Office Paper 451,383 157,984 753,016
Newspaper 401,257 140,440 382,224
Aluminum Cans 24,993 8,748 129,584
Magazines 138,555 48,494 109,751
PET 96,945 33,931 54,006
HDPE 78,641 27,524 39,725
Phonebooks 29,586 10,355 26,668
Total 5,817,266
Landfills Are Not the AnswerLandfills Are Not the Answer Regulating landfills is important - enough WIP to Regulating landfills is important - enough WIP to
justify requiring new emission reduction practicesjustify requiring new emission reduction practices But even the strongest emission reductions from But even the strongest emission reductions from
LF’s do not compare to the possible avoided LF’s do not compare to the possible avoided emissions from reducing, reusing, and recycling emissions from reducing, reusing, and recycling the materials instead of disposing of themthe materials instead of disposing of them
Even at 100% LFG collection efficiency: the best Even at 100% LFG collection efficiency: the best we can say is that we have minimized the we can say is that we have minimized the pollution from pollution from wasting 40 million tons of wasting 40 million tons of resourcesresources
The reality is every ton of WIP represents multiple The reality is every ton of WIP represents multiple tons of avoided GHG emissions not achievedtons of avoided GHG emissions not achieved
Thank You
Scott Smithline, Director of Legal and Regulatory AffairsCalifornians Against Waste
(916) 443-5422 ● [email protected]