Greenhouse Gas Impact
Material and Energy Life-Cycle Flows and the Associated Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks
Source: EPA Data Thorneloe
The graph below shows the comparison of greenhouse gas emissions for different types of waste management systems. With the completion of the 3rd combustion unit at the Olmsted Waste-to-Energy Facility (expected to begin operation in 2009), Scenario 8 will most closely resemble the Olmsted system with the exception of Olmsted County having a higher recycling rate.
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Scenario
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Description
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1.
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10% recycling, 90% landfill with no gas collection & control
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2.
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20% recycling, 80% landfilled with no gas collection & control
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3.
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30% recycling, 70% landfilled with no gas collection & control
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4.
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40% recycling, 60% landfilled with no gas collection & control
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5.
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30% recycling, 70% landfilled; landfill gas is combusted using internal combustion engines to produce energy
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6.
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30% recycling, 70% landfilled; landfill gas is combusted using internal combustion engines to produce electricity
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7.
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30% recycling, 70% landfilled; landfill gas is piped to nearby industrial facility and combusted in boiler (displacing fuel oil)
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8.
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30% recycling, 70% combusted using waste-to-energy facility (generating electricity and recovery of metals)
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9.
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Same Scenario as 5 except waste is collected and transported to transfer station, then long-hauled 800 kilometers (500 miles to landfill using semi-tractor truck
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10.
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Same Scenario as 9 except waste is long-hauled to landfill by rail
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Source: Thorneloe 2006
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Current Olmsted County Solid Waste Management Statistics
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2006
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Recycling
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37%
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Waste-to-Energy
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40%
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Yard Waste Composting
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1%
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Hazardous Waste Management
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<1%
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Landfilling
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22%
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More information on greenhouse gases can be found at: EPA Greenhouse Gas