Waste-to-Energy Reduces Methane Emissions, New EEA Report Says
If this finding is still under discussion in your country, read the EEA report summarized in attached press release
ESWET
The latest European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing on methane emissions explicitly acknowledges the role of Waste-to-Energy (WtE) in mitigating methane emissions from the waste sector. ESWET, the European Suppliers of Waste-to-Energy Technology, welcomes the EEA report which marks a crucial step in aligning EU policy with the most effective strategies for tackling landfill emissions.
Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential 84 times higher than CO₂ over 20 years.
Released on 27 February 2025, the EEA analysis recognises that diverting waste from landfills to biological treatment and energy recovery significantly reduces methane emissions. This stands in contrast to the 2020 EU Methane Strategy, which overlooked WtE’s role in landfill methane abatement, despite its proven impact.
Landfills remain the dominant source of methane emissions in the waste sector, accounting for approximately 80% of its methane output, the EEA briefing highlights. Germany’s case illustrates how WtE contributes to cutting methane emissions, as shown in this ESWET’s study. After Germany banned landfilling of untreated organic waste in 2005 and expanded its WtE infrastructure, methane emissions from landfills plummeted from 35.5 million tonnes in 1990 to just 7.5 million tonnes in 2018.
A Necessary Policy Shift
The EEA briefing acknowledges that WtE plays an essential role alongside recycling and other recovery operations, a long-awaited correction to the EU’s methane mitigation approach. ESWET calls on EU policymakers to build on this momentum and ensure that the upcoming revisions to waste and climate policies integrate WtE as a key pillar of methane reduction efforts.
"The EEA’s recognition of Waste-to-Energy in methane mitigation is a significant step forward,” said Dr. Siegfried Scholz, President of ESWET. "We urge policymakers to reflect this in future regulations and ensure a holistic approach that fully integrates WtE into the EU’s waste and climate strategies.”
The upcoming Circular Economy Act must build on this recognition and ensure that WtE is fully integrated into the EU’s waste management framework, strengthening its role in reducing landfill reliance and mitigating methane emissions.
Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential 84 times higher than CO₂ over 20 years.
Released on 27 February 2025, the EEA analysis recognises that diverting waste from landfills to biological treatment and energy recovery significantly reduces methane emissions. This stands in contrast to the 2020 EU Methane Strategy, which overlooked WtE’s role in landfill methane abatement, despite its proven impact.
Landfills remain the dominant source of methane emissions in the waste sector, accounting for approximately 80% of its methane output, the EEA briefing highlights. Germany’s case illustrates how WtE contributes to cutting methane emissions, as shown in this ESWET’s study. After Germany banned landfilling of untreated organic waste in 2005 and expanded its WtE infrastructure, methane emissions from landfills plummeted from 35.5 million tonnes in 1990 to just 7.5 million tonnes in 2018.
A Necessary Policy Shift
The EEA briefing acknowledges that WtE plays an essential role alongside recycling and other recovery operations, a long-awaited correction to the EU’s methane mitigation approach. ESWET calls on EU policymakers to build on this momentum and ensure that the upcoming revisions to waste and climate policies integrate WtE as a key pillar of methane reduction efforts.
"The EEA’s recognition of Waste-to-Energy in methane mitigation is a significant step forward,” said Dr. Siegfried Scholz, President of ESWET. "We urge policymakers to reflect this in future regulations and ensure a holistic approach that fully integrates WtE into the EU’s waste and climate strategies.”
The upcoming Circular Economy Act must build on this recognition and ensure that WtE is fully integrated into the EU’s waste management framework, strengthening its role in reducing landfill reliance and mitigating methane emissions.
Press Release - Brussels, 28 February 2025
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