The 1997 U.S. Climate Action Report, Chapter 3,
submitted by the United States of America
Under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.

Greenhouse
Gas Inventory

This document has been reformatted
to facilitate electronic distribution.

Released July, 1997


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1997 U.S Climate Action Report, Chapter 3
Table of Contents

Greenhouse Gas Inventory (Title Page)	1

Greenhouse Gas Inventory (Introduction)	3

Recent Trends in U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions	4

Carbon Dioxide Emissions	7

The Energy Sector	7

Fossil Fuel Consumption	7

Fuel Production and Processing	9

Biomass and Biomass-Based Fuel Consumption	9

Industrial Processes	9

Cement Production (10.5 MMTCE)	9

Lime Production (3.7 MMTCE)	9

Soda Ash Production and Consumption	

(1.6 MMTCE)	9

Limestone Consumption (1.2 MMTCE)	10

Carbon Dioxide Manufacture (0.4 MMTCE)	10

Changes in Forest Management and Land Use	10

Methane Emissions	10

Landfills	11

Agriculture	11

Enteric Fermentation in Domestic Livestock (34.9 MMTCE)	11

Manure Management (17.1 MMTCE)	12

Rice Cultivation (2.8 MMTCE)	12

Field Burning of Agricultural Wastes (0.04 MMTCE)	12

Oil and Natural Gas Production and Processing	12

Coal Mining	12

Other Sources	13

Nitrous Oxide Emissions	13

Agricultural Soil Management and Fertilizer Use	13

Fossil Fuel Combustion	13

Adipic Acid Production	13

Nitric Acid Production	14

Other Sources of N20	14

Emissions from HFCs, PFCs and SF6	14

Emissions of Criteria Pollutants	16

References	17

2 — U.S. Climate Action Report


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The 1997 U.S. Climate Action Report, Chapter 3,
submitted by the United States of America
Under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.

Greenhouse
Gas Inventory

Central to any study of climate change is the development of an emission inven-
tory that identifies and quantifies a country's primary sources and sinks of green-
house gases (GHGs). This inventory provides both (1) a basis for the ongoing
development of a comprehensive and detailed methodology for estimating sources
and sinks of greenhouse gases, and (2) a common, consistent mechanism that enables
all signatory countries to the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate
Change (FCCC) to estimate emissions and to compare the relative contribution of
different emission sources and greenhouse gases to climate change. Moreover,
systematically and consistently estimating national and international emissions is a
prerequisite for evaluating the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of mitigation strate-
gies and emission reduction technologies.

This chapter summarizes the latest information on U.S. greenhouse gas emission
trends, from 1990 to 1995 , as presented in the draft EPA report, Inventory of U.S.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-1995. To ensure that the U.S. emissions
inventory is comparable to those of other FCCC signatory countries, the estimates
presented here were calculated using baseline methodologies similar to those recom-
mended in Volumes 1-3 of the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inven-
tories (IPCC/OECD/IEA/UNEP 1995). For U.S. emission sources related to energy
consumption, forest sinks, and some CH4 sources, the IPCC default methodologies
were expanded, resulting in a more comprehensive procedure for estimating U.S.
emissions. Details on how these estimates were developed are available in the 1995
Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-1994 (U.S. EPA 1995)
and in the upcoming edition.

This document has been re formated
to facilitate electronic distribution.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory — 3


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Recent Trends in
U.S. Greenhouse Gas
Emissions

Greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon
dioxide (COJ, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N20),
and ozone (03). Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a
family of human-made compounds, and other com-
pounds such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and
perfluorinated carbons (PFCs) are also greenhouse
gases.

Other nongreenhouse, radiatively important
gases — such as carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of
nitrogen (NOx), and nonmethane volatile organic
compounds (NMVOCs) — contribute indirectly to
the greenhouse effect. These are commonly referred
to as "tropospheric ozone precursors" because they
influence the rate at which ozone and other gases are
created and destroyed in the atmosphere. For conve-
nience, all gases discussed in this chapter are generi-
cally referred to as "greenhouse gases" (unless
otherwise noted).

Although C02, CH4, and N20 occur naturally in

Figure 3-1

Recent Trends in U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(1990-1995)

1800 T

c
CJ
TO
>
JH
"5
o-

LU
C

o
n.

1400 -

1200 -

Ł 1000-

ro
O

o

(A
c
o

800 -

Śc 600-.-
a>

c
o

400 -Ś

200

1600 - X5&3	

1,592

1,624

1,657

1,676

1990 1991

~	HFCs, PFCs, & SF6

~	Nitrous Oxide
D Methane

G Carbon Dioxide

1992

1993

1994

1995

Since 1990, overall emissions of
CO2 have increased, while emissions
of other greenhouse and photochemically
important gases have remained relatively
constant or declined.

the atmosphere, their recent atmospheric buildup is
largely the result of human activities. Since 1800,
atmospheric concentrations of these greenhouse
gases have increased by 30, 145, and 15 percent,
respectively (IPCC 1996). This buildup has altered
the composition of the earth's atmosphere, and may
affect future global climate.

Beginning in the 1950"s, the use of CFCs in-
creased by nearly 10 percent a year, until the mid-
1980's when international concern about ozone
depletion led to the signing of the Montreal Protocol.
Since then, the consumption of CFCs has rapidly
declined as they are phased out. In contrast, use of
CFC substitutes is expected to grow significantly.

Figure 3-1 and Table 3-1 summarize the current
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions inventory for 1990-
95. They present the estimated sources and sinks in
millions of metric tons of carbon equivalent
(MMTCE), which accounts for the gases" global
warming potentials.

The growth in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions has
been erratic from 1990 to 1995. Emissions from
anthropogenic sources in dropped in 1991, increased
steadily through 1994, and then slowed down
in 1995. Over the five-year period, greenhouse
gas emissions rose by 5.9 percent, representing
an average annual increase of just over one
percent. This trend is largely attributable to
changes in total energy consumption resulting
from the economic slowdown in the early
1990s and the subsequent recovery. U.S.
energy consumption increased at an average
annual rate of 1.5 percent over the same period
(DOE/EIA 1996a). The increase in emissions
from 1993 through 1995 was also influenced
by generally low energy prices, which in-
creased demand for fossil fuels (DOE/EIA
1996b).

Among the inventory's greenhouse gases,
changes in C02 emissions from fossil fuel
consumption had the greatest impact during
the five-year period. In most cases, emissions
from methane, N20, HFCs, PFCs, and sulfur
hexaflouride (SF6) have remained relatively
constant or have increased slightly. For ex-
ample, methane emissions increased by just
over 4 percent. The rise in HFC, PFC, and SFg
emissions, although a small portion of the
total, is significant because of their extremely
high global warming potentials and, in the
cases of PFCs and SF their long atmospheric

4 — U.S. Climate Action Report


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Tab/e 3-1

Recent Trends in U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions (1990-1995)

(MMTs of Carbon Equivalent)

Gas and Source

Emissions - Direct and Indirect Effects



1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

1,228

1,213

1,235

1,268

1,291

1,305

Fossil Fuel Combustion

1,336

1,320

1,340

1,370

1,391

1,403

Industrial Processes and Other

17

16

17

18

19

19

Tola/

f.353

f.336

f,35Z

f.333

f,4f0

f.422

Forests (sink)*

(125)

(123)

(122)

(120)

(119)

(117)

Methane (Chto)

170

172

173

171

176

177

Landfills

56

58

58

60

62

64

Agriculture

50

51

52

52

54

55

Coal Mining

24

23

22

20

21

20

Oil and Natural Gas Systems

33

33

34

33

33

33

Other

6

7

7

6

6

6

Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

36

37

37

38

39

40

Agriculture

17

17

17

18

18

18

Fossil Fuel Consumption

11

11

12

12

12

12

Industrial Processes

8

8

8

8

9

9

HFCs

12

12

13

14

17

21

PFCs

5

5

5

5

7

8

SFe

7

7

8

8

8

8

U.S. Emissions

1,583

1,570

1,592

1,624

1,657

1,676

Net U.S. Emissions

1,458

1,447

1,470

1,504

1,538

1,559

* These estimates for the conterminous US for 1990-91 and 1993-95 are interpolated from forest
inventories in 1987 and 1992, and projections through 2040. The methodology reflects long-term
averages rather than specific events in any given year.

Note: The totals presented in the summary tables in this chapter may not equal the sum of the
individual source categories due to rounding.

lifetimes. Greenhouse gas emissions were partly
offset by carbon sequestration in forests.

Figure 3-2 illustrates the relative contribution of
the primary greenhouse gases to total U.S. emissions
in 1995, with C02 emissions accounted for the
largest share. The largest change in methane emission
estimates compared to earlier inventories is in the
natural gas sector, where emissions have been
adjusted upward by more than 75 percent due to
improved estimation methods; however, these revised
emissions have not changed significantly during
1990-95. Larger landfills, expanded animal popula-
tions, and more widespread use of liquid manure
management systems increased methane emissions
from waste management and agricultural activities.
In contrast, improved methane recovery and lower
coal production from gassy mines have reduced
methane emissions from coal mining.

Nitrous oxide emissions rose
by just under 10 percent during
the period, primarily for two
reasons. First, fertilizer use,
which account for approximately
46 percent of total U.S. N20
emissions, increased significantly
during 1993-95 as farmers
planted more acreage and worked
to replace nutrients lost in the
1993 floods. And second, emis-
sions from other categories grew
slightly as the U.S. economy
grew.

HFCs, PFCs, and SFg emis-
sions are increasing, along with
their expanded use as substitutes
for CFCs and other ozone-
depleting compounds being
phased out under the terms of the
Montreal Protocol and Clean Air
Act Amendments (IPCC/OECD/
IEA/UNEP 1995). Two major
contributors to the rise in HFC
emissions since 1990 are the use
of HFC-134a for mobile air
conditioners and the emission of
HFC-23 during the production of
the refrigerant HCFC-22.

The following sections
present the anthropogenic
sources of greenhouse gas
emissions, briefly discuss emis-
sion pathways, summarize the emission estimates,
and explain the relative importance of emissions
from each source category.

Figure 3-2

Total 1995 U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Methane

Nitrous Oxide
(10.6%) \ ^

HFCs

(1.2%)

PFCs

(0.5%)

— Sulfur
Hexafluoride
(0.5%)

Carbon Dioxide
(84.8%)

Greenhouse Gas Inventory — 5


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Box 3-1

The Global V\forming Potential Concept

Gases can contribute to the greenhouse effect both directly and indirectly. Direct effects occur
when the gas itself is a greenhouse gas; indirect radiative forcing occurs when chemical
transformations of the original gas produce a greenhouse gas, or when a gas influences the
atmospheric lifetimes of other gases.

The concept of Global V\ferming Potential (GWP)
has been developed to allow scientists and policy
makers to compare the ability of each greenhouse
gas to trap heat in the atmosphere relative to
another gas. CO2 was chosen as the reference
gas to be consistent with IPCC guidelines
(I PCC/OECD/IEA/U N EP 1995).

All gases in this inventory are presented in units
of million metric tonnes of carbon equivalent, or
MMTCE. Carbon comprises 12/44 of carbon
dioxide by weight. The following equation may be
used to convert MMTs of emissions of greenhouse
gas (GHG) x to MMTCE:

MMTCE=(MMT of GHGx)(GWP of GHGx)(12/44)

The GWP of a greenhouse gas is the ratio of
global warming, or radiative forcing (both direct
and indirect), from one kilogram of a greenhouse
gas to one kilogram of CO2 over a period of time.
While any time period may be selected, this report
uses the 100-year GWPs recommended by the
IPCC and employed for U.S. policy making and
reporting purposes (IPCC 1996).

The GWPs of some selected GHGs are shown
here. GWPs are not provided for the
photochemically important gases CO, Nox,
NMVOCs, and SO2 because there is no agreed-
upon method to estimate their contributions to
climate change, and they affect radiative forcing
only indirectly (IPCC 1996).

Global V\ferming Potential

The higher global warming potential of
lower emitting greenhouse gases
significantly increases their contributions to
the greenhouse effect. For example, over a
100-year time horizon, nitrous oxide is 310
times more effective than carbon dioxide at
trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Gas GWP
	(100 Years)	

Carbon Dioxide

1

Methane

21

Nitrous Oxide

310

HFC-23

11,700

HFC-125

2,800

HFC-134a

1,300

HFC-143a

3,800

HFC-152a

140

HFC-227ea

2,900

HFC-43-10mme

1,300

CF4

6,500

C2F6

9,200

C4F10

7,000

C6F14

7,400

PFCs/PFPEs

7,400

SF6

23,900

6 — U.S. Climate Action Report


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Carbon Dioxide
Emissions

The global carbon cycle is made up of large
carbon flows and reservoirs. Hundreds of billions of
tons of carbon in the form of C02 are absorbed by the
oceans or trees (sinks) or are emitted to the atmo-
sphere annually through natural processes (sources).
When in equilibrium, carbon fluxes among the
various reservoirs are roughly balanced.

Since the Industrial Revolution, this equilibrium
has been increasingly compromised. Atmospheric
concentrations of C02 have risen about 30 percent,
principally because of fossil fuel combustion, which
accounts for 99 percent of total U.S. C02 emissions
(Seki 1995). Changes in land use and forestry activi-
ties can emit C02 (e.g., through conversion of forest
land to agricultural or urban use) and can act as a sink
for - or absorb — C02 (e.g., through improved forest
management activities).

Table 3-2 summarizes U.S. sources and sinks of
C02, while the remainder of this section discusses
CO, emission trends in greater detail.

Table 3-2

Figure 3-3

Sources of U.S. Energy Consumed in 1995

Coal

(22%)

Nuclear

(8%)

Hydroelectric
(4%)

I

Biofuels

(3%)

/ Geothermal & Other
(<0.1%)

Natural Gas

(25%)

Petroleum
(38%)

Source: U.S. DOE/EIA 1996b

U.S. Sources of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in 1995

(Millions of Metric Tons)

The Energy Sector

Energy-related activities account for roughly 87
percent of annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Of
that share, approximately 85 percent is produced
through fossil fuel combustion, and the remaining 15
percent comes from renewable or other energy
sources, such as hydropower, biomass, and nuclear
energy (Figure 3-3). Energy related activities other
than fuel combustion also emit greenhouse gases
(primarily methane), such as those
associated with producing, transmit-
ting, storing, and distributing fossil
fuels.

Sources and Sinks

C02 Emissions

(Molecular Basis)

C02 Emissions

(Carbon
Equivalent)

Fossil Fuel Consumption

Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Transportation
U.S. Territories

Fuel Production and Processing

Cement Production

Lime Production

Limestone Consumption

Soda Ash Production and Consumption

Carbon Dioxide Manufacture

Sources - Tota/ Emissions

Sinks — Forestry and Land Use

Net Emissions

5,144.6

994.7
80f. 6
1708.7

1,403.1

271.3
218.6

38.8

6.2

38.5

13.6

4.4
5.9

1.5

5,214.6
(428.0)
4,786.6

436.6
10.6

1.7
10.5
3.7
1.2
1.6
0.4

1422.2

(117.0)

1,305.2

Note: The totals provided here do not reflect emissions from bunker fuels used in international
transport activities. At its Ninth Session, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee instructed
countries to report these emissions separately, and not include them in national totals. U.S.
emissions from bunker fuels were approximately 22 MMTCE in 1995.

Fossil Fuel Consumption

The amount of carbon in fossil
fuels varies significantly by fuel type.
For example, coal contains the
highest amount of carbon per unit of
energy, natural gas has about 45
percent less than coal, and petroleum
has about 20 percent less.

Carbon dioxide is the most
significant GHG emitted in the U.S.
Currently, carbon dioxide makes up
85 percent of the total U.S. GHG
emissions and the combustion of
fossil fuels accounts for 99 percent of
that portion. In 1995, U.S. fossil fuel
combustion emitted 1,403 million
metric tons of carbon equivalent
(MMTCE). Total consumption of
fossil fuels during 1990-95 increased
at an average annual rate of 1.2
percent, primarily because of eco-
nomic growth and generally low
energy prices.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory — 7


-------
Overall, emissions from fossil fuel consumption
have increased from 1990 to 1995. While emissions
of C02 in 1991 were approximately 1.2 percent lower
than the 1990 baseline level, in 1992 they increased
by about 1.6 percent above the 1991 levels, thus
returning emissions to slightly more than the 1990
baseline. By 1993, C02 emissions from fossil fuel
combustion were approximately 2.5 percent greater
than in 1990; in 1994, they were about 4.1 percent
higher than 1990; and in 1995, they were about 5
percent higher. This trend is largely attributable to
changes in total energy consumption resulting from
the economic slowdown in the United States in the
early 1990s and the subsequent recovery.

Despite the continued increase in natural gas and
coal consumption in 1995, the total amount of
petroleum used for energy production declined by
about 0.2 percent, as somewhat higher prices for
crude oil in 1995 led electric utilities and industry to
decrease their consumption of petroleum by 32 and
1.9 percent, respectively, and to rely more heavily on
natural gas, coal, nuclear electric power, and renew-
able energy. In contrast, consumption of petroleum
increased 1.3 percent in the residential and commer-
cial sectors, and about 1.6 percent in the transporta-
tion sector.

The energy related sources of C02
emissions included steam production for
industrial processes, gasoline consump-
tion for transportation, heating in residen-
tial and commercial buildings, and
generation of electricity. Petroleum
products across all sectors of the
economy accounted for about 42 percent
of total U.S. energy-related C02 emis-
sions; coal, 36 percent; and natural gas,

22 percent.

Industrial Sector. Industry accounts
for the largest percentage of U.S. emis-
sions from fossil fuel consumption
(Figure 3-4). About two-thirds of these
emissions result from producing steam
and process heat, while the remaining
third results from providing electricity for
such uses as motors, electric furnaces,
ovens, and lighting.

Transportation Sector. In the same
league as the industrial sector, the trans-
portation sector accounts for about 31
percent of U.S. C02 emissions from fossil
fuel consumption. Virtually all of the

energy consumed in this sector comes from petro-
leum-based products. Nearly two thirds of the
emissions result from gasoline consumption in
automobiles and other vehicles. The remaining
emissions stem from meeting other transportation
demands, including the combustion of diesel fuel for
the trucking industry and jet fuel for aircraft.

Residential and Commercial Sectors. The
residential and commercial sectors account for about
19 and 16 percent, respectively, of C02 emissions
from fossil fuel consumption. Both sectors rely
heavily on electricity for meeting energy needs, with
about two-thirds to three-quarters of their emissions
attributable to electricity consumption. End use
applications include lighting, heating, cooling, and
operating appliances. The remaining emissions are
largely due to the consumption of natural gas and oil,
primarily for meeting heating and cooking needs.

Electric Utilities. The United States relies on
electricity to meet a significant portion of its energy
requirements ~ e.g., lighting, electric motors, and
heating and air conditioning. As the largest consum-
ers of U.S. energy (averaging 28 percent), electric
utilities are collectively the largest producers (ap-
proximately 35 percent) of U.S. C02 emissions
(Figure 3-5).

Figtre 3-4 and 3-5

1995 Sectoral Emissions of CO2
from Fossil Fuel Combustion

Residential
(19.5%)

Commercial
(15.7%)

Industrial
(33.5%)

Note: In tHs pie chart,
electric utility emissions
are distributed to each
end-use sector according
to each sector's share of
electricity consimption.

Transportation
(31.3%)

Utilities (35%)

Transportation (31 %)

Industrial (21 %)

	Rt

| Commt

Residential
(7%)
Commercial
(5%)

~	Petroleum
Ś Natural Gas

~	Coal

100 200 300 400
MilKon Metric Tons Carbon Equivalent

500

8 - U.S. Climate Action Report


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The type of energy electric utilities consume
directly affects the volume of C02 emitted. For
example, some of this electricity is generated with
low-emitting technologies, such as nuclear energy,
hydropower, or geothermal energy. However, electric
utilities rely on coal for over half of their total energy
requirements and account for about 87 percent of all
coal consumed in the United States. Consequently,
changes in electricity demand can significantly affect
coal consumption and associated C02 emissions.

Fuel Production and Processing

Carbon dioxide is produced via flaring activities
at natural gas systems and oil wells. The methane
trapped in natural gas systems or oil wells is flared to
relieve the rising pressure or to dispose of small
quantities of gas that are not commercially market-
able. As a result, the carbon contained in the methane
becomes oxidized and forms C02. In 1995, flaring
activities emitted approximately 2 MMTCE, or about
0.1 percent of total U.S. C02 emissions. Emissions
trends from fuel production and processing are
dictated by fossil fuel consumption.

Biomass and Biomass-Based Fuel Consumption

Biomass fuel is used primarily by the industrial
sector in the form of fuel wood and wood waste,
while the transportation sector dominates the use of
biomass-based fuel, such as ethanol from corn or
woody crops. Ethanol and ethanol blends, such as
gasohol, are typically used to fuel public transport
vehicles.

Although these fuels do emit C02, their emis-
sions do not increase total atmospheric C02 because
the biomass resources are consumed on a sustainable
basis. For example, fuel wood burned one year but
regrown the next only recycles carbon, rather than
creating a net increase in total atmospheric carbon.

C02 emissions from biomass consumption were
approximately 51 MMTCE, with the industrial sector
accounting for 72 percent of the emissions, and the
residential sector, 25 percent. C02 emissions from
ethanol use in the United States have been rising in
recent years due to a number of factors, including
extension of federal tax exemptions for ethanol
production, the Clean Air Act Amendments mandat-
ing the reduction of mobile source emissions, and the
Energy Policy Act of 1992, which established
incentives for increasing the use of alternative-fueled
vehicles. In 1995, total U.S. C02 emissions from
ethanol were 2 MMTCE.

Industrial Processes

Emissions are often produced as a by-product of
various nonenergy-related activities. For example, in
the industrial sector raw materials are often chemi-
cally transformed from one state to another. This
transformation often releases such greenhouse gases
as C02. The production processes that emit C02
include cement production, lime production, lime-
stone consumption (e.g., in iron and steel making),
soda ash production and use, and C02 manufacture.
Total carbon dioxide emissions from these sources
were approximately 17.4 MMTCE in 1995, account-
ing for about 1 percent of total U.S. C02 emissions.
In 1995, emissions from these sources were approxi-
mately 10.5, 3.7, 1.2, 1.6, and 0.4 MMTCE, respec-
tively, for a total of 17.4 MMTCE, or about one
percent of total U.S. C02 emissions. Since 1990,
emissions from cement, lime, and C02 manufacturing
have increased slightly; emissions from limestone
use have fluctuated; while emissions from soda ash
production remained constant from 1990-1994 and
increased in 1995.

Cement Production (10.5 MMTCE)

Carbon dioxide is produced primarily during the
production of clinker, an intermediate product from
which finished Portland and masonry cement are
made. Specifically, carbon dioxide is created when
calcium carbonate (CaC03) is heated in a cement kiln
to form lime and C02. This lime combines with other
materials to produce clinker, while the C02 is re-
leased into the atmosphere.

Lime Production (3.7 MMTCE)

Lime is used in steel making, construction, pulp
and paper manufacturing, and water and sewage
treatment. It is manufactured by heating limestone
(mostly calcium carbonate — CaC03) in a kiln,
creating calcium oxide (quicklime) and C02, which is
normally emitted to the atmosphere.

Soda Ash Production and Consumption

(1.6 MMTCE)

Commercial soda ash (sodium carbonate) is used
in many consumer products, such as glass, soap and
detergents, paper, textiles, and food. During the
manufacturing of these products, natural sources of
sodium carbonate are heated and transformed into a
crude soda ash, in which C02 is generated as a by-
product. In addition, C02 is released when the soda
ash is consumed.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory - 9


-------
Limestone Consumption (1.2 MMTCE)

Limestone is a basic raw material used by a wide
variety of industries, including the construction,
agriculture, chemical, and metallurgical industries.
For example, limestone can be used as a purifier in
refining metals. In the case of iron ore, limestone
heated in a blast furnace reacts with impurities in the
iron ore and fuels, generating C02 as a by-product.
Limestone is also used in flue gas desulfurization
systems to remove sulfur dioxide from the exhaust
gases.

Carbon Dioxide Manufacture (0.4 MMTCE)

Carbon dioxide is used in many segments of the
economy, including food processing, beverage
manufacturing, chemical processing, crude oil
products, and a host of industrial and miscellaneous
applications. For the most part, the C02 used in these
applications will eventually be released into the
atmosphere.

Changes in Forest Management and
Land Use

How the Earth's land resources are managed can
alter the natural balance of trace gas emissions.
Everyday land-use decisions include clearing an area
of forest to create cropland or pasture, restocking a
logged forest, draining a wetland, or allowing a
pasture to revert to a grassland or forest.

Forests, which cover about 295 million hectares
(737 million acres) of U.S. land in the contiguous 48
states (USDA/USFS 1990), are also an important
terrestrial sink for C02. Because approximately half
the dry weight of wood is carbon, as trees add mass
to trunks, limbs, and roots, carbon is stored in
relatively long-lived biomass instead of being
released to the atmosphere. Soils and vegetative
cover also provide potential sinks for carbon emis-
sions.

In the United States, improved forest-manage-
ment practices and the regeneration of previously
cleared forest areas have resulted in a net uptake
(sequestration) of carbon in U.S. forest lands. This
uptake is an ongoing result of land-use changes in
previous decades. For example, because of improved
agricultural productivity and the widespread use of
tractors, the rate of clearing forest land for crop
cultivation and pasture slowed greatly in the late 19th
century, and by 1920 this practice had all but ceased.
As farming expanded in the Midwest and West, large
areas of previously cultivated land in the East were

brought out of crop production, primarily between
1920 and 1950, and were allowed to revert to forest
land or were actively reforested.

Since the early 1950s, the managed growth of
private forest land in the East has nearly doubled the
biomass density there. The 1970s and 1980s saw a
resurgence of federally sponsored tree-planting
programs (e.g., the Forestry Incentive Program) and
soil conservation programs (e.g., the Conservation
Reserve Program), which have focused on reforesting
previously harvested lands, improving timber-
management, combating soil erosion, and converting
marginal cropland to forests.

As a result of these activities, the net C02 flux in
1995 is estimated to have been an uptake of 117
MMTCE (which includes the carbon stored in the
U.S. wood product pool and in landfills). This carbon
uptake represents an offset of about 8 percent of the
1995 C02 emissions from fossil fuel combustion
during this period. The amount of carbon sequestered
through changes in U.S. forestry and land use prac-
tices continues to decline, as the expansion of eastern
forest cover slows down.

Methane Emissions

Atmospheric methane (CH4) is an integral
component of the greenhouse effect, second only to
C02 as an anthropogenic source. Methane's overall
contribution to global warming is large because it is
estimated to be twenty-one times more effective at
trapping heat in the atmosphere than C02 over a 100-
year time horizon (IPCC 1996). Over the last two
centuries, methane's concentration in the atmosphere
has more than doubled. Scientists believe these
atmospheric increases are due largely to increasing
emissions from anthropogenic sources, such as
landfills, agricultural activities, fossil fuel combus-

Figure 3-6

U.S. Sources of Methane

Emissions in 1995 Fossil Fuel
Consumption
Coal Mining (Z6%> Wastewater
Oil & Natural	(11.5%)	| / Treatment

Gas Systems	" '

(18.7%),

(0.5%)

Agriculture
(30.9%)

Landfills

(35.8%)

10 — U.S. Climate Action Report


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Tab/e 3-3

U.S. Methane Emissions by Source in 1995

Sources

MMT

MMTCE

Landfills

11.1

63.5

Agriculture*

9.6

54.8

Coal Mining

3.6

20.4

Oil and Natural Gas Systems

5.8

33.2

Fossil Fuel Consumption

0.8

4.6

Wastewater Treatment

0.2

0.9

TOTAL EMISSIONS

31.0

177.3

Note: All methane emission estimates are preliminary.

* One-year data were used to estimate methane emissions from rice
cultivation as part of the Agriculture sector. Corresponding values for the
Agricultural sector using IPCC recommended three-year averages for
rice cultivation are: 9.3 MMT and 53.2 MMTCE.

tion, coal mining, the production and processing of
natural gas and oil, and wastewater treatment (Table
3-3 and Figure 3-6).

Landfills

Landfills are the largest single anthropogenic
source of methane emissions in the United States. Of
the estimated 3,000 methane-emitting landfills in the
United States, 1,300 account for about half of the
emissions.

In an environment where the oxygen content is
low or nonexistent, organic materials, such as yard
waste, household waste, food waste, and paper, are
decomposed by bacteria to produce methane, C02,
and stabilized organic materials (materials that
cannot be decomposed further). Methane emissions
from landfills are affected by such specific factors as
waste composition, moisture, and landfill size.

Methane emissions from U.S. landfills in 1995
were 63.5 MMTCE, a slight increase over the 60
MMTCE reported in the previous inventory. Emis-
sions from U.S. municipal solid waste landfills,
which received over 59 percent of the total solid
waste generated in the United States, accounted for
about 90 to 95 percent of total landfill emissions,
while industrial landfills accounted for the remaining
5 to 10 percent. Currently, almost 15 percent of the
methane released is recovered for use as energy,
compared to 10 percent reported in the last inventory.

A regulation promulgated in March 1996 re-
quires the largest U.S. landfills to collect and com-
bust their landfill gas to reduce emissions of
nonmethane volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It
is estimated that by the year 2000, this regulation will

have reduced landfill methane emissions by more
than 50 percent (6.2 million metric tons of methane,
or 35.5 MMTCE).

Agriculture

The agricultural sector accounted for approxi-
mately 31 percent of total U.S. methane emissions in
1995, with enteric fermentation in domestic livestock
(34.9 MMTCE) and manure management (17.1
MMTCE) together accounting for the majority
(Figure 3-7). Other agricultural activities contributing
directly to methane emissions include rice cultivation
(2.8 MMTCE) and field burning of agricultural crop
wastes (0.04 MMTCE).

Between 1990 and 1995, methane emissions
from domestic livestock enteric fermentation and
manure management increased by about 7 percent
and 15 percent, respectively. During this same time
period, methane emissions from rice cultivation
increased by about 10 percent, while emissions from
field burning fluctuated. Several other agricultural
activities, such as irrigation and tillage practices, may
contribute to methane emissions. However, since
emissions from these sources are uncertain and are
believed to be small the United States has not in-
cluded them in the current inventory. Details on the
emission pathways included in the inventory follow.

Enteric Fermentation in Domestic Livestock

(34.9 MMTCE)

During animal digestion, methane is produced
through a process referred to as enteric fermentation,
in which microbes that reside in animal digestive
systems break down the feed consumed by the
animal. In 1995, enteric fermentation was the source
of about 20 percent of total U.S. methane emissions,
and about 64 percent of methane emissions from the

Figure 3-7

U.S. Sources of Agricultural
Methane Emissions in 1995

Rice Cultivation

,_0/.	Waste Burning

Manure /o> \ /(<0.1%)
ManagementW lk 		_____

(31 %)

Enteric Fermentation
(64%)

Greenhouse Gas Inventory —11


-------
agricultural sector. This estimate of 34.9 MMTCE is
the same as that reported in the previous inventory.

Manure Management (17.1 MMTCE)

The decomposition of organic animal waste in an
anaerobic environment produces methane. The most
important factor affecting the amount of methane
produced is how the manure is managed, since
certain types of storage and treatment systems
promote an oxygen-free environment. In particular,
liquid systems tend to produce a significant quantity
of methane, whereas solid waste management
approaches produce little or no methane. Higher
temperatures and moist climatic conditions also
promote methane production.

Emissions from manure management were about
10 percent of total U.S. methane emissions in 1995,
and about 31 percent of methane emissions from the
agriculture sector. Liquid-based manure management
systems accounted for over 80 percent of total
emissions from animal wastes. The 17.1 MMTCE
estimate reported here is slightly above the 13.7
MMTCE reported in the previous inventory because
of larger U.S. farm animal populations and expanded
use of liquid manure management systems.

Rice Cultivation (2.8 MMTCE)

Most of the world's rice, and all of the rice in the
United States, is grown on flooded fields. The soil's
organic matter decomposes under the anaerobic
conditions created by the flooding, releasing methane
to the atmosphere, primarily through the rice plants.

In 1995, rice cultivation was the source of less
than 2 percent of total U.S. methane emissions, and
about 5 percent of U.S. methane emissions from
agricultural sources. Emissions estimates from this
source have not changed significantly since 1990.

Field Burning of Agricultural Wastes

(0.04 MMTCE)

Farming systems produce large quantities of
agricultural crop wastes. Disposal systems for these
wastes include plowing them back into the field;
composting, landfilling, or burning them in the field;
using them as a biomass fuel; or selling them in
supplemental feed markets.

Burning crop residues releases a number of
greenhouse gases, including C02, methane, carbon
monoxide, nitrous oxide, and oxides of nitrogen.

Field burning is not considered to be a net source of
carbon dioxide emissions because the C02 released
during burning is reabsorbed by crop regrowth during

the next growing season. However, this practice is a
net source of emissions for the other gases, since
their emissions would not have occurred had the
wastes not been combusted.

Because field burning is not common in the
United States, it was responsible for only 0.02
percent of total U.S. methane emissions in 1995, and
0.07 percent of emissions from the agricultural
sector. Estimates of emissions from this source have
dropped significantly since the last inventory as a
result of new research indicating that a smaller
fraction of U.S. crop wastes is burned than previ-
ously assumed.

Oil and Natural Gas Production and
Processing

Methane emissions vary greatly from facility to
facility. In 1995, an estimated 31.2 MMTCE (or
approximately 18 percent) of U.S. methane emissions
were due to leaks, disruptions, etc., in the operation
and maintenance of equipment in the U.S. natural gas
system. This figure is significantly higher than
previous estimates because of revised estimation
methods that improved activity factors (i.e., equip-
ment counts) and emission factors. As a result,
natural gas systems are now ranked as the third
largest source of U.S. methane emissions.

Natural gas is often found in conjunction with oil
exploration. Methane is also released during the
production, refinement, transportation, and storage of
crude oil. During 1995, oil and gas production
facilities released 2.0 MMTCE of methane to the
atmosphere, representing about one percent of total
U.S. methane emissions.

Coal Mining

Produced millions of years ago during the
formation of coal, methane is trapped within coal
seams and surrounding rock strata. The volume of
methane released to the atmosphere during coal-
mining operations depends primarily upon the depth
and type of coal being mined.

Methane from surface mines is emitted directly
to the atmosphere as the rock strata overlying the
coal seam are removed. Because methane in under-
ground mines is explosive at concentrations of 5 to
15 percent in air, most active underground mines are
required to circulate large quantities of air and vent
the air into the atmosphere. At some mines, methane-
recovery systems may supplement these ventilation

12 — U.S. Climate Action Report


-------
systems to ensure mine safety. U.S. recovery of
methane has been increasing in recent years. During
1995, coal mining, processing, transportation, and
consumption activities produced an estimated 20.4
MMTCE of methane, or 12 percent of total U.S.
methane emissions. This lower estimate is the result
of improved mine-specific information and expanded
methane recovery.

Other Sources

Methane is also produced from several other
sources in the United States, including energy-related
combustion activities, wastewater treatment, indus-
trial processes, and changes in land use. The sources
included in the U.S. inventory are fuel combustion
and wastewater treatment, which accounted for
approximately 4.6 and 0.9 MMTCE, respectively, in
1995. These emissions represent about 3 percent of
total U.S. methane emissions. Additional U.S.
anthropogenic sources of methane ~ such as ammo-
nia, coke, iron, steel production, and land-use
changes ~ are not included because little information
on methane emissions from these sources is currently
available.

Nitrous Oxide
Emissions

Nitrous oxide (N20) is a chemically and radia-
tively active greenhouse gas that is produced natu-
rally from a wide variety of biological sources in soil
and water. While N20 emissions of are much lower
than C02 emissions, N20 is approximately 310 times
more powerful than C02 at trapping heat in the
atmosphere over a 100-year time horizon (IPCC
1996).

During the past two centuries, human activities
have raised atmospheric concentrations of N20 by
approximately 8 percent (Figure 3-8, Table 3-4).
The main anthropogenic activities producing N20
are soil management and fertilizer use for agricul-
ture, fossil fuel combustion, adipic acid production,
and nitric acid production (see Table 3-4 and Figure
3-8). While emissions from soil management and
fertilizers remained relatively constant during 1990-
93, they increased during 1994-95 because of
intensified fertilizer applications to speed recovery
of nutrients lost to the 1993 floods. N20 emissions
from all other sources showed no significant
changes.

Agricultural Soil Management and
Fertilizer Use

In 1995, U.S. consumption of synthetic nitrogen
and organic fertilizers accounted for 18.4 MMTCE,
or approximately 46 percent of total U.S. N20
emissions. Other agricultural soil management
practices, such as irrigation, tillage practices, or
laying fallow the land, can also affect N20 fluxes to
and from the soil. However, because there is much
uncertainty about the direction and magnitude of the
effects of these other practices, only the emissions
from fertilizer use and field burning of agricultural
wastes are included in the U.S. inventory at this time.

Fossil Fuel Combustion

N20 is a product of the reaction that occurs
between nitrogen and oxygen during fossil fuel
combustion. Both mobile and stationary sources emit
N20, and the volume emitted varies according to the
type of fuel, technology, or pollution control device
used, as well as maintenance and operation practices.

For example, catalytic converters installed to
reduce vehicular pollutants have unintentionally
promoted the formation of N20. As the number of
catalytic converter-equipped vehicles has risen in the
U.S. motor vehicle fleet, so have emissions ofN20
from this source (DOE/EIA, 1993b).

In 1995, N20 emissions from mobile sources
totaled 9.2 MMTCE (or 23 percent of total N20
emissions), and total N20 emissions from stationary
sources were 3.0 MMTCE.

Adipic Acid Production

The vast majority of all adipic acid produced in
the United States is used to manufacture nylon 6,6.
N20 is also used to produce some low-temperature
lubricants, and to add a ""tangy" flavor to foods.

Ta/b/e 3-4

U.S. Nitrous Oxide Emissions by Source in 1995

Sources

MMT

MMTCE

Agricultural Soil Management
and Fertilizer Use

0.21

18.4

Fossil Fuel Consumption

0.15

12.3

Adipic Acid Production

0.06

5.2

Nitric Acid Production

0.04

3.6

Agricultural Waste Burning

< 0.01

< 0.1

TOTAL EMISSIONS

0.47

39.5

Greenhouse Gas Inventory — 13


-------
Figure 3-8

U.S. Sources of Nitrous Oxide Emissions in 1995

AdipicAcid
Procuciton
(13.3%)

Nitric Acid
Production

(9.2%)

Field Burning of
Agricultural Wastes
/ (<0.1%)

Fossil Fuel
Consumption
(31.4%)

Agricultual Soil
Management and
Fertilizer Use
(46%)

Tab/e 3-5

In 1995, U.S. adipic acid production generated
5.2 MMTCE of nitrous oxide, or 13 percent of total
U.S. N20 emissions. By 1996, all adipic acid produc-
tion plants in the United States are expected to have
N20 controls in place that will reduce emissions up
to 98 percent, compared to uncontrolled levels. (One-
half of the plants had these controls in place and
operating in 1995.)

Nitric Acid Production

Nitric acid production is another industrial
source of N20 emissions. Used primarily to make
synthetic commercial fertil-
izer, this raw material is also
a major component in the
production of adipic acid and
explosives.

Virtually all of the nitric
acid that is manufactured
commercially in the United
States is produced by the
oxidation of ammonia,
during which N20 is formed
and emitted to the atmo-
sphere. In 1995, about 3.6
MMTCE of N„0 were
emitted from nitric acid
production, accounting for 9
percent of total U.S. N20
emissions.

Other Sources of N20

Other N20-emitting
activities include the burning
of agricultural crop residues
and changes in land use. In

1995, agricultural burning contributed approxi-
mately 0.01 MMTCE of N20 emissions to the
atmosphere.

The U.S. inventory does not account for several
land-use changes because of uncertainties in their
effects on fluxes in N20 and trace gases, as well as
poorly quantified statistics on them. These changes
include forest activity, reclamation of freshwater
wetland areas, conversion of grasslands to pasture
and cropland, and conversion of managed lands to
grasslands.

Emissions from
HFCs, PFCs and SF6

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorinated
compounds (PFCs) have been introduced as alterna-
tives to the ozone depleting substances being phased
out under the Montreal Protocol and Clean Air Act
Amendments of 1990. Because HFCs and PFCs are
not directly harmful to the stratospheric ozone layer,
they are not controlled by the Montreal Protocol.

However, these compounds, along with sulfur
hexafluoride (SFg), are powerful greenhouse gases.
Therefore, they are considered under the United
Nations" Framework Convention on Climate Change

1995 Emissions of HFCs, PFCs, and SF6

HFCs, PFCs, and SFff are powerfui greeniiouse gases, in addition to iiaying iiigii gto/bat
warming potentiats, SFff and most PFCs iiave extremety tong atmospiieric tifetimes,
resuiting in tiieir irreyersi/bie accumuiation in tiie atmospiiere.



MMT

Atmospheric

GWP



Compound

of Gas

Lifetime (yrs)

Value

MMTCE

HFCs

0.02071





20.92

HFC-23

0.00426

264

11,700

13.61

HFC-125

0.00227

33

2,800

1.74

HFC-134a

0.01086

15

1,300

3.85

HFC-143a

0.00004

48

3,800

0.05

HFC-152a

0.00091

2

140

0.03

HFC-227

0.00186

37

2,900

1.47

HFC-4310

0.00051

17

1,300

0.18

PFCs

0.00410





7.93

CF4

0.00250

50,000

6,500

4.43

C2Fe

0.00057

10,000

9,200

1.42

C4F10

0.00001

2,600

7,000

0.02

C6F14

< 0.00001

3,200

7,400

< 0.01

PFCs/PFPEs*

0.00102



7,400

2.05

SFe

0.00129

3,200

23,900

8.40

*PFC/PFPEs are a proxy for many diverse PFCs and perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) which are
beginning to be employed in solvent applications. GWP and lifetime values are based upon
C6F14.

14 — U.S. Climate Action Report


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Box 3-2

Emissions of CFCs and Related Compounds

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)and other halogenated compounds were first emitted into the atmosphere
this century. This family of human-made compounds includes CFCs, halons, methyl chloroform, carbon
tetrachloride, methyl bromide, and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). These substances are used in a
variety of industrial applications, including foam production, refrigeration, air conditioning, solvent
cleaning, sterilization, fire extinguishing, paints, coatings, other chemical intermediates, and
miscellaneous uses (e.g., aerosols and propellants).

Because these compounds have been shown to deplete stratospheric ozone, they are typically referred
to as ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). In addition, they are important greenhouse gases because
they block infrared radiation that would otherwise escape into space (IPCC 1996).

Recognizing the harmful effects of these compounds on the atmosphere, in 1987 many governments
signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to limit the production and
consumption of a number of them. As of April 1997, 155 countries have signed the Montreal Protocol. The
United States furthered its commitment to phase out these substances by signing and ratifying the
Copenhagen Amendments to the Montreal Protocol in 1992. Under these amendments, the U.S.
committed to eliminating the production of halons by January 1, 1994, and CFCs by January 1, 1996.

The IPCC Guidelines do not include reporting
instructions for emissions of ODSs because their use
is being phased out under the Montreal Protocol.
Nevertheless, because the United States believes that
no inventory is complete without these emissions,
estimates for emissions from several Class I and Class
II ODSs are provided here. Compounds are classified
according to their ozone-depleting potential and must
adhere to a strict set of phase-out requirements under
the Montreal Protocol.

Class I compounds are the primary ODSs; Class II
compounds include partially halogenated chlorine
compounds (HCFCs), some of which were developed
as interim replacements for CFCs. Because these
HCFC compounds are only partially halogenated, their
hydrogen-carbon bonds are more vulnerable to
oxidation in the troposphere and, therefore, pose only
about one-tenth to one-hundredth the threat to
stratospheric ozone, compared to CFCs.

Also, the effects of these compounds on radiative
forcing are not provided here. Although CFCs and
related compounds have large direct global warming
potentials, their indirect effects are believed to be
negative and, therefore could significantly reduce the
magnitude of their direct effects (IPCC 1992). Given
the uncertainties surrounding the net effect of these
gases, they are reported here on a full molecular
weight basis only.

U.S. Emissions of Ozone-Depleting

Substances and Related Compounds
(Millions of Metric Tons in 1997)

Compound

Emissions

C/ass / Compounds



CFC-11

0.036

CFC-12

0.052

CFC-113

0.017

CFC-114

0.002

CFC-115

0.003

Carbon Tetrachloride

0.005

Methyl Chloroform

0.046

Halon-1211

0.001

Halon-1301

0.002

C/ass // Compounds



HCFC-22

0.092

HCFC-123

0.002

HCFC-124

0.005

HCFC-141b

0.019

HCFC-142b

0.020

Greenhouse Gas Inventory — 15


-------
(FCCC). In addition to having high global warming
potentials, SFg and most PFCs have extremely long
atmospheric lifetimes, resulting in their essentially
irreversible accumulation in the atmosphere.

From 1990 to 1993, U.S. emissions of HFCs and
PFCs remained relatively constant, while SFg emis-
sions increased slightly. Since 1993, the use and
emissions of HFC substitutes have grown largely
from an increase in the use of HFC-134a in mobile
air conditioners. HFC and PFC emissions also result
as by-product emissions from other production
processes. For example, HFC-23 is a by-product
emitted during the production of HCFC-22, and PFCs
(CF4 and C2Fg) are emitted during aluminum smelt-
ing.

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF) is the most potent
greenhouse gas the IPCC has ever evaluated. About
80 percent of the worldwide use of SFg is as an
insulator in electrical transmission and distribution
systems. SFg is also used as a protective atmosphere
for the casting of molten magnesium.

Table 3-5 presents emission estimates for these
gases. In 1995, U.S. emissions of HFCs and PFCs
were estimated to be 29 MMTCE, and SFg emissions,
approximately 8 MMTCE.

Emissions of Criteria
Pollutants

In the United States, carbon monoxide (CO),
nitrogen oxides (NOx), nonmethane volatile organic
compounds (NMVOCs), and sulfur dioxide (S02) are
commonly referred to as "criteria pollutants/' CO is
produced when carbon containing fuels are burned
incompletely. Oxides of nitrogen (NO and N02) are
created by lightening, fires, fossil fuel combustion,
and in the stratosphere from nitrous oxide. NMVOCs
-- which include such compounds as propane, butane,
and ethane ~ are emitted
primarily from transporta- Tab/e 3-6
tion and industrial pro-
cesses, as well as forest
wildfires and nonindustrial
consumption of organic
solvents. And S02 can
result from the combustion
of fossil fuels, industrial
processing (particularly in
the metals industry), waste
incineration, and biomass
burning (U.S. EPA 1996).

Because of their contribution to the formation of
urban smog (and acid rain in the case of S02), criteria
pollutants are regulated under the 1970 Clean Air Act
and its successive amendments. These gases also
effect global climate, although their impact is limited
because their radiative effects are indirect. That is,
they do not directly act as greenhouse gases but react
with other chemical compounds in the atmosphere to
form compounds that are greenhouse gases. Unlike
other criteria pollutants, S02 emitted into the atmo-
sphere affects the Earth's radiative budget negatively;
therefore, it is discussed separately from the other
criteria pollutants in this section.

The most important of the indirect effects of
criteria pollutants is their role as precursors of
tropospheric ozone. In this role, they contribute to
ozone formation and alter the atmospheric lifetimes
of other greenhouse gases. For example, CO interacts
with the hydroxyl radical (OH) ~ the major atmo-
spheric sink for methane emissions ~ to form C02.
Therefore, increased atmospheric concentrations of
CO limit the number of OH compounds available to
destroy methane, thus increasing the atmospheric
lifetime of methane.

Since 1970, the United States has published
estimates of annual emissions of criteria pollutants.
Table 3-6 shows that fuel consumption accounts for
the majority of emissions of these gases. In fact,
motor vehicles that burn fossil fuels contributed
approximately 81 percent of all U.S. CO emissions in
1995. Motor vehicles also emit more than a third of
total U.S. NO and NMVOC emissions. Industrial

x

processes ~ such as the manufacture of chemical and
allied products, metals processing, and industrial
uses of solvents ~ are also major sources of CO,
NO., and NMVOCs.

1995 Emissions of CO, NOx, NMVOCs, and SO 2

(Million Metric Tonnes)

Sources MMT NOx MMTCE

S02

Fossil Fuel Combustion

70.95

18.75

8.22

14.73

Industrial Processes

5.15

0.71

4.13

1.83

Solvent Use

< 0.01

< 0.01

5.80

<0.01

Waste Disposal and Recycling

1.60

0.01

2.19

0.03

Other Combustion

5.86

0.21

0.41

0.01

TOTAL

83.55

19.75

20.74

16.60

16 — U.S. Climate Action Report


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Box 3-3

Sources and Effects of Sulfur Dioxide

Emitted into the atmosphere through natural and human
processes, SO2 affects the Earth's radiative budget through
photochemical transformation into sulfate particles that (1)
scatter sunlight back to space, thereby reducing the radiation
reaching the Earth's surface; (2) possibly increase the number
of cloud condensation nuclei, thereby potentially altering the
physical characteristics of clouds; and (3) affect atmospheric
chemical composition - e.g., atmospheric ozone - by
providing surfaces for heterogeneous chemical processes. As
a result of these activities, the effect of these SO2 emissions
on radiative forcing is likely negative (IPCC 1996), although
the distribution is not uniform.

SO2 is also a major contributor to the mix of urban air
pollution, which can significantly increase acute and chronic
respiratory diseases. Once SO2 is emitted, it is chemically
transformed in the atmosphere and returns to the Earth as the
primary source of acid rain. Because of these harmful effects,
the United States has regulated SO2 emissions in the Clean
Air Act of 1970 and its subsequent 1990 amendments.

Electric utilities are the largest source of SO2 emissions in
the United States, accounting for about 66 percent of total SO2
emissions in 1995. Coal combustion contributes approximately
96 percent of those emissions. SO2 emissions have
significantly decreased in recent years, as electric utilities have
increasingly switched to lower-sulfur coal and natural gas. The
second largest source is fuel combustion for metal smelting
and other industrial processes, which produced about 20
percent of 1995 SO2 emissions (U.S. EPA/OAQPS).

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Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States:
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DOE/EIA. 1996a. Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in
the United States 1995: Energy Information
Administration, U.S. Department of Energy,
Washington, D.C.

DOE/EIA. 1996b. Annual. Energy Review 1995:
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