Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Waste Sector: An Environmental Perspective

Scott Smithline, Director of Legal and Regulatory AffairsCalifornians Against Waste

(916) 443-5422 ● scottsmithline@cawrecycles.org

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 ● scottsmithline@cawrecycles.org