Published on 15 April 2025

Greenhouse gas emissions for the Waste sector

The Waste sector shows the greenhouse gas emissions produced by waste management (not including waste incineration). These mainly come from landfills and wastewater treatment plants. Emissions from the incineration of waste in municipal solid waste and special waste incineration plants and as an alternative fuel in industrial furnaces are allocated to the Industry sector.

Landfills and wastewater treatment plants are responsible for the majority of the greenhouse gas emissions in the Waste sector, which are methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Other emissions are produced during biological treatment of solid waste (composting and digestion at biogas facilities) and from the incineration of waste without energy use (illegal incineration, incineration of sewage sludge, open burning of organic waste, etc.).