&EPA

Best Practices for Solid Waste Management

A Guide for Decision-Makers in Developing Countries

Solid Waste Management and
Climate Change

July 2023

EPA 530-R-23-012


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

Best Practices for Solid Waste Management:

A Guide for Decision-Makers in Developing Countries
Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

July 2023

Notice: Mention of trade names, products, resources, or services does not convey, and should not
be interpreted as conveying official United States Environmental Protection Agency approval,
endorsement, or recommendation. Unless otherwise indicated, photos included in this document
were obtained by United States Environmental Protection Agency and its contractors, or stock
photo aggregators.


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

Contents

Case Studies	iv

Case in Point Examples	iv

Key Point Boxes	iv

Acronyms and Abbreviations	v

Acknowledgements	vi

1.	Introduction	3

2.	How Does the Solid Waste Sector Contribute to Climate Change?	4

3.	Best Practices for Improving Solid Waste Management and Reducing Emissions	7

3.1	Understanding of the Waste Stream and Prevention of Waste	7

3.2	Separation, Collection, and Transportation	9

3.3	Recycling	9

3.4	Treatment	10

3.5	Disposal	11

Questions for Decision-Makers	11

4.	How Does Climate Change Impact Solid Waste Management?	12

5.	Best Practices for Improving the Climate Resilience of Solid Waste Management	15

5.1	Stakeholder Engagement	15

5.2	Solid Waste Management Integration into Resilience Planning	16

5.3	Disaster Solid Waste Management Planning	17

5.4	Climate-Resilient Solid Waste Infrastructure and Operations	18

Questions for Decision-Makers	19

Bibliography	20


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

iv

Case Studies

Exhibit Number

Title

Page Number

3

Improving Collection Route Efficiency

8

4

Using the Solid Waste Emissions Estimation Tool (SWEET) to
Estimate Emissions from Solid Waste Management in Accra, Ghana

8

7

Solid Waste Management in the Solomon Islands'National
Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA)

11

8

Managing Disaster Waste in Japan

18

Case in Point Examples

Title

Page Number

Replacing a Dumpsite with a Sanitary Landfill in Brasilia

6

Waste from Super Typhoon Haiyan

11

Landfill Fire at the Bhalswa Landfill in New Delhi, India

11

Key Point Boxes

Title

Page Number

Recycling Can Mitigate the Contribution of Plastics to Climate Change

6


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

Acronyms and Abbreviations

CCAC	Climate and Clean Air Coalition

CCBO	Clean Cities Blue Ocean

CIEL	Center for International Environmental Law

EPR	Extended Producer Responsibility

EU	European Union

GHG	Greenhouse Gas

GMI	Global Methane Initiative

IEA	International Energy Agency

LFG	Landfill Gas

MRV	Measurement, Reporting, and Verification

NAPA	National Adaptation Programme of Action

OECD	Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

PAYT	Pay-As-You-Throw

SWEET	Solid Waste Emissions Estimation Tool

UNEP	United Nations Environment Programme

UNDP	United Nations Development Program

U.S. EPA	United States Environmental Protection Agency

USAID	U.S. Agency for International Development

WHO	World Health Organization


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

vi

Acknowledgements

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
developed the companion chapter on Solid Waste Management and Climate Change as part of the Solid
Waste Management Toolkit. The toolkit is reflective of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's
long history of supporting solid waste management practices and policies that protect human health and the
environment.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency received content development, graphical, editorial,
and production support from Abt Associates under contract EP-W-10-054, with considerable support from
independent consultant Nimmi Damodaran.

The following individuals and organizations supported the development of this companion chapter:

International Organizations

KaushikChandrasekhar, UN Environment Programme,

India Office

Chris God love, THINKCities Consulting
Zoe Lenkiewicz, Global Waste Lab
Sourabh Manuja, Independent Consultant
Sandra M. Mazo-Nix, Climate and Clean Air Coalition

Kait Siegel, Clean Air Task Force
Brandon Bray, United States Agency for International
Development (USAID)

United States Environmental Protection Agency

Stephanie Adrian
Krystal Krejcik
Katherine Under
Audrianna Maki
Elle Chang
Janice Sims


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SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT AND
CLIMATE CHANGE


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Best Practices for Solid Waste Management:
A Guide for Decision-Makers in Developing
Countries (U.S. EPA 2020)

Waste and Climate Change - Global Trends and
Strategy Framework (UNEP 2010)

Waste Reduction Model (WARM) (U.S. EPA 2022)

Solid Waste Emissions Estimation Tool (SWEET)
(GMI 2022)

Waste Management Planning to Mitigate the
Impact of Climate Change (U.S. EPA 2022)

Climate and Clean Air Coalition Waste [CCAC
Undated(a)]

Toolkit for Building Coalitions for Resilience
(Climate Links 2017)

Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Waste
Management (Bebb, J. and Kersey, J. 2003)

Zero Waste to Zero Emissions (GAIA 2022)

Guide to Climate Change Adaptation in Cities
(The World Bank Group 2011)


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

3

Section 1

Introduction

The solid waste sector is a major source of pollutants
that contribute to climate change, including methane
and black carbon. At the same time, solid waste
collection, transportation, recycling, treatment,
and disposal services and infrastructure are highly
vulnerable to climate stressors, such as extreme
weather events. As such, improving how cities
manage solid waste can simultaneously mitigate
climate change and enhance local resilience to
climate change impacts.

Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

is part of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency's Best Practices for Solid Waste
Management in Developing Countries Toolkit.
The Toolkit serves as a free resource for decision-
makers implementing solid waste management
programs. The Toolkit includes e-learning modules,
communication materials, webinar materials, videos,
and the Best Practices Guide for Solid Waste
Management in Developing Countries (the Guide).
The Guide describes key aspects of solid waste
management and identifies best practices that
can be implemented in medium and large cities in

developing countries. Solid Waste Management

and Climate Change is a companion chapter to the

Guide.

This companion chapter is divided into two sections.
The first section provides an overview of how solid
waste contributes to climate change and best
practices to reduce emissions from the sector.The
second section includes a discussion of the impacts
of climate change on solid waste management and
best practices to build a climate-resilient solid waste
management system.

This companion chapter is not intended to be a step-
by-step implementation manual, but it highlights
resources that local authorities and decision-makers
can refer to for more detailed technical guidance.
Approaches that may be successful in one city or
region may not function everywhere, so the chapter
presents decision-makers with the information
and resources to improve equity in solid waste
management within the context of their given
situation.


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

4

Section 2

How Does the Solid Waste
Sector Contribute to Climate
Change?

The solid waste sector is a major source of emissions
that contribute to climate change, especially
methane and black carbon. Methane and black
carbon are short-lived climate pollutants that
remain in the atmosphere for a shorter time than
carbon dioxide but have substantially higher global
warming potential. According to some estimates,
the waste sector accounts for 11 percent of global
anthropogenic methane emissions (GMI 2015) and
5 percent of global black carbon emissions [CCAC
Undated(a)]. In terms of their total contribution to
climate change, these emissions equate to roughly
2 percent of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
globally (Climate Watch 2019).

The three major pollutants from the solid waste
sector - in terms of their contribution to climate
change - are:

•	Carbon dioxide, a GHG, has an atmospheric
lifetime of hundreds of years. Carbon dioxide
emissions from the solid waste sector come from
the use of fossil-fueled vehicles and equipment,
anaerobic decomposition of waste, and burning
of waste.

•	Methane, a potent GHG with a lifetime of
12 years that is 27-30 times more powerful
than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the
atmosphere over a 100-year time period (EPA
Undated). Methane emissions in the solid waste
sector come from the anaerobic (oxygen-free)
decomposition of organic waste.

•	Black carbon, a component of particulate matter
that is formed by the incomplete combustion

of fossil fuels, biofuels, and biomass. It has an
atmospheric lifetime of days to weeks. Although
it is not a GHG, it still has a substantial effect on

climate, with a warming impact of 500 to 1,500
times that of carbon dioxide by mass [CCAC
Undated(b)]. Black carbon is released from fossil-
fueled vehicles and equipment and by burning
waste.

Exhibit 1 identifies the emissions of GHGs and black
carbon associated with solid waste management.
Emissions contributing to climate change come from
various sources throughout the different stages of
solid waste management, including:

•	Collection. In low-income countries, waste
collection coverage is less than 40 percent—
compared to 96 percent in high-income
countries (World Bank 2018). Residents who
receive infrequent waste collection often resort
to informal means of disposal such as open
burning—resulting in black carbon and carbon
dioxide emissions—or open dumping by
roadsides or unused areas—generating methane
from the decomposing organic waste.

•	Transportation. Waste is often transported from
collection sites to treatment and disposal sites by
diesel-fueled trucks and tractors, which results in
black carbon and carbon dioxide emissions.

•	Recycling. Informal sector workers play a
critical role in collecting and recycling waste in
developing countries. However, these workers
sometimes resort to the burning of waste—which
produces black carbon and carbon dioxide—to
extract and collect valuable raw materials in
waste (e.g., copper, aluminum). Furthermore,
some informal recyclers may not be aware of best
practices to handle waste containing refrigerants,
such as air conditioners (AC) and refrigerators.
Mishandling of such waste could lead to the


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

5

Exhibit 1, The Contribution of the Solid Waste Sector to Climate Change

Carbon Dioxide

Key Emissions Sources:
Fossil-fueled vehicles
and equipment
¦ Anaerobic decomposition

of waste
• Waste burning

Key Emissions Source:
• Anaerobic decomposition
of organic waste

Black Carbon

Key Emissions Sources:

•	Fossil-fueled vehicles
and equipment

•	Waste burning

Exhibit 2. Landfill tractor in Dhaka, Bangladesh

release of fluorinated gases with global warming
potentials thousands of times higher than carbon
dioxide (Castro et al. 2021).

Organic waste treatment. While the treatment
of organic waste—through composting or
anaerobic digestion—has the potential to reduce
methane emissions, methane leakages may
occur when treatment facilities are not routinely
maintained. Furthermore, some treatment
facilities may have inadequate capacity to handle
large volumes of organic waste. The accumulation
and decomposition of organic waste at such
treatment facilities prior to treatment could lead
to methane emissions.

Disposal. Landfill gas, which primarily consists
of methane and carbon dioxide, is generated at
disposal sites from the anaerobic decomposition
of organic waste. When waste is disposed of at
improperly managed landfills and dumpsites,
methane and carbon dioxide are not captured
at all; therefore, substantially greater amounts
are released into the atmosphere. Even well-
managed landfills with landfill gas (LFG) capture
systems typically capture 60 to 90 percent of
the methane created by the landfill during its
lifetime (U.S. EPA 2021). Additionally, black carbon
and carbon dioxide are released due to fires.
Accidental fires can be caused by spontaneous
combustions, where waste material is heated by
chemical oxidation and biological decomposition
and the heat causes the material to ignite, or from

hot surfaces encountering methane releases.
Intentional fires are sometimes started to reduce
the volume of waste or to recover metals from the
waste. The presence of methane in decomposing
solid waste can exacerbate the risk and severity
of fires. Compactors and tractors (Exhibit 2) used
at landfills and dumpsites are often powered by
diesel fuel and thus emit black carbon and carbon
dioxide.


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

6

KEY POINT

Recycling Can Mitigate the Contribution
of Plastics to Climate Change

GHG emissions from the plastics lifecycle have serious implications for climate change. Globally, emissions from
plastic production and incineration are projected to reach 1.34 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide per year by 2030—
equivalent to the emissions of roughly 295 new 500-megawatt coal plants (CIEL 2019). By 2040, plastics are
estimated to account for up to 20 percent of total GHG emissions globally (Pew Charitable Trusts 2020). Through a
local systems approach, cities can create effective strategies for circularity (reusing and recycling resources rather
than wasting) to reduce plastic waste and associated emissions (USAID 2022a). A systems approach could:

•	Incorporate data to develop effective strategies and regulations. For example, policymakers may determine
that plastic bags comprise a large portion of the waste stream and can implement fees on plastic bags as a
deterrent.

•	Engage stakeholders to understand local needs and prioritize inclusivity. Through engagement, decision-
makers can learn how policies may affect certain populations and whether or not the policies would place a
higher, disproportionate burden on some stakeholders.

•	Incorporate the "Three Rs" (reduce, reuse, recycle) into the plastic lifecycle. By considering the entire lifecycle,
products can be designed for reuse, which can decrease virgin plastic products as well as the amount that is
incinerated or disposed at landfills and dumpsites.

In Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, the Estrutural landfill received more than 2,700 metric tonnes of municipal waste each day by
2018. Proper landfill management practices such as daily cover and compaction were not implemented, and waste was typically
burned, resulting in black carbon emissions. The lack of gas capture systems also resulted in methane emissions.

A replacement recycling facility and a sanitary landfill that began operating in 2018 were estimated to result in avoiding 70
percent of the 1.4 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent that would have been emitted by 2050 if the Estrutural
dumpsite had continued operations.

For more information, visit UNEP's website.


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

7

Section 3

Best Practices for Improving
Solid Waste Management and
Reducing Emissions

The best practices discussed in this section can
improve solid waste management and reduce
emissions at the generation, collection, recycling,
treatment, and disposal stages of solid waste
management. Some of the best practices discussed—
including bans on open burning or disposal of
organics and recyclables in landfills—may require
strict enforcement to be effective. Tracking the
emissions and emissions reductions at each stage
of the solid waste management process may be
helpful to monitor the implementation progress and
effectiveness of best practices.

3.1 Understanding the Waste
Stream and Preventing Waste

Source reduction and material reuse are the most
preferred steps in the solid waste management
hierarchy (U.S. EPA 2022a). When products are reused
or made with secondary (recycled) materials, less
energy will be needed to extract, transport, and
process raw materials. Lower energy demand means
reducing the use of fossil fuels and the resulting GHGs
and other air pollutants emitted into the atmosphere.

Decision-makers can consider the following
suggested actions for reducing waste, thereby
reducing emissions related to waste management
that contribute to climate change:

• Characterizing waste. Waste characterization
helps decision-makers understand where to
target efforts to minimize and prevent waste.
For example, decision-makers can use the
results from waste characterization studies to
identify non-recyclable materials that should
be a target for waste prevention strategies.

For more information on conducting waste
characterizations and their uses in solid waste
management planning, see Section 7 - Waste
Characterization of the Guide.

Engaging stakeholders. Stakeholder
engagement is critical for implementing
strategies to reduce waste generation.This
may include communication and outreach to
the public about waste minimization through
reducing consumption, recycling, and home
composting. For more information on stakeholder
engagement, see Section 4 - Stakeholder
Engagement of the Guide.

Promoting home treatment of organic waste.

Yard waste and food waste resulting from food
preparation and leftovers of cooked food can be
treated at home instead of contributing to the
solid waste to be managed by local government.
The type of technology and the amount of waste
that can be treated are based on a number of
considerations, including space availability.
Household composting can range from
vermicomposting (worm composting) in a small
bin in the kitchen to composting in large piles in
the yard (GIZ 2022). Organic waste can even be
processed in small anaerobic digesters with the
gas being used for cooking and the digestate
used as soil amendment in the garden.

Implementing strategies to reduce packaging
waste. Packaging waste represents a significant
portion of the waste mix. Strategies like
bulkvending of commodities and refilling
of containers can be encouraged for certain


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

8

products (e.g., nuts, grains, milk, oil, detergent)
to reduce the amount of packaging waste. Bulk
vending is a practice employed in many countries
in the past prior to moving to the convenience
of packaged goods. These strategies offer
consumers an opportunity to move away from
disposable packaging and help suppliers reduce
their carbon footprint.

• Imposing bans and fees on specific items. Bans
and fees on certain products have been shown
to discourage consumer use and eliminate waste.
For example, small fees for plastic bags at grocery
stores can reduce the consumption of single-use
plastic bags and encourage shoppers to bring

their own reusable bags. Bans on certain types of
single-use plastic items (e.g., bags, cutlery, straws)
have been implemented in many countries,
including Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, European
Union (EU) countries, the United Kingdom, and
parts of India and China.

• Requiring standardization to increase reuse
and prevent waste. The use of different types of
accessories such as chargers and earphones for
consumer electronics contributes to increasing
waste. Several countries (e.g., EU) are beginning
to require standardized chargers to reduce this
waste.

Improving Collection Route Efficiency

in 2021, the Clean Cities Blue Ocean Program (CCBO) evaluated waste collection and sweeping systems in
Pisco City, Peru, by seeking input from the city's technical and operational personnel and representatives of the
communities served, and monitoring vehicles and routes. Based on their evaluation, CCBO developed a Routing
Manual for Pisco and other cities to use to improve waste collection and routing efficiencies. The CCBO-optimized
routes are expected to expand solid waste collection coverage in Pisco from 35,550 residents to at least 42,820
residents. Increasing collection coverage reduces open dumping and burning both of which result in emissions
contributing to climate change. Increasing collection coverage reduces open dumping and burning both of which
result in emissions contributing to climate change.

Using SWEET to Estimate Emissions from Solid Waste Management in Accra,

Ghana

The World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a study on the health and climate impacts of solid waste
management in Accra, Ghana. WHO used SWEET, an Excel-based tool developed by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency under the auspices of the Global Methane Initiative, to estimate baseline climate
pollutant emissions. WHO also used SWEET to estimate emissions for three alternative scenarios: ceasing open
burning, increasing composting and recycling, and capturing methane from landfills. The results of the study
provided WHO with evidence to prioritize the ban of waste burning and increase in waste collection capacity to
avoid public health impacts.


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

9

3.2 Separation, Collection, and
Transportation

Best practices for mitigating climate pollutant
emissions during waste collection and transportation
include the following:

•	Segregating waste at the source. This can
enable better recycling and cleaner feedstock
for organic waste treatment. Source segregation
programs are more effective when accompanied
by education and outreach campaigns to

both waste generators and collections staff.

Local governments may also need to provide
the infrastructure (e.g., bins or receptacles
for the different waste categories) for these
programs to be implemented successfully. For
more information, see Section 9 - Separation,
Collection, and Transportation of the Guide.

•	Imposing collection fees. Collection fees can
incentivize generators to reduce the amount of
waste they create, while increasing revenue to
cover local governments'waste collection costs.
For example, Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) programs
charge residents a collection fee based on the
quantity of waste generated. To reduce the risks
of improper disposal, decision-makers may need
to account for residents'ability to pay collection
fees; for example, by charging different fee
amounts based on income.

•	Increasing collection coverage to underserved
areas and communities will help to reduce illegal
dumping where decomposition of organic waste
can generate methane and burning of waste
which produces black carbon and carbon dioxide
emissions. Some communities are underserved
due to access issues, including narrow roads and
congestion. Pedal tricycles can be deployed for
collection in such areas to increase collection
coverage.

•	Banning open burning of waste can reduce
black carbon and other harmful toxic pollutants
that impact air quality and human health.
However, such bans require that appropriate
infrastructure be in place for collection, as waste
generators often resort to burning waste due to
inadequate collection services.

•	Optimizing collection routes ensures that
vehicles use the most efficient path and timing
to gather waste, eliminating overlapping waste
collection routes and decreasing the number of
instances when vehicles are traveling with less-
than-full loads (Exhibit 3). For more information
on optimizing collection routes, see Section 9 -
Separation, Collection, and Transportation of
the Guide.

•	Deploying cleaner fleets, such as electric
vehicles and pedal tricycles, for waste collection
can reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and black
carbon. Compressed natural gas from LFG is used
by some cities (e.g., Hyderabad in India, Rio de
Janeiro in Brazil) as an alternative to fossil fuels
such as diesel and petrol.

3.3 Recycling

Recycling—by collecting and separating recyclable
materials from the waste stream—reduces the
consumption of fossil fuels and virgin materials to
create new products and thus mitigates upstream
climate pollutants. Best practices to improve recycling
include the following:

•	Integrating the informal recycling sector.

Informal recyclers heavily rely on recovering and
selling valuable materials from waste as a source
of income. Without the proper training and
equipment that is typically provided to recyclers
in the formal sector, informal recyclers may resort
to practices such as waste burning to extract
recyclable metals.To prevent improper recycling
and increase recycling capacity, decision-makers
may consider integrating informal recycling
workers into formal employment by promoting
their legal recognition and offering formal
workplace training. If informal sector workers are
reluctant to enter the formal workplace, decision-
makers could conduct outreach to ensure that
waste is not burned for materials recovery. For
more information on integrating the informal
recycling sector, see the Equity and Solid Waste
Management companion chapter to the Guide.


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

10

Requiring the use of recyclable material.

Reducing the amount of virgin natural resources
required to produce a certain level of output
and recycling post-consumption waste material
back into the manufacturing process can reduce
energy consumption and avoid emissions.

Laws, regulations, or policies can be initiated
that require a certain amount of post-consumer
plastic in new plastic packaging or a certain
percentage of recycled paper in manufacturing
new paper products. In the absence of such
initiatives, government agencies could also adopt
sustainable purchasing procurement processes
where their purchases require the use of recycled
material when appropriate.

Establishing Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) policies. EPR policies
place a shared responsibility for end-of-life
product management on producers and other
entities in the product chain as opposed to
requiring consumers to pay for waste disposal.
Voluntary EPR policies are typically undertaken
by industries, while mandatory EPR policies are
mandated by law and implemented through
government regulations. EPR policies can
target various points in a product's lifecycle. For
example, material taxes incentivize producers
to use environmentally friendly or recyclable
materials to create end products. Deposit-refund
schemes, sometimes considered the earliest form
of EPR, promote recycling by requiring buyers
to pay a deposit that could be refunded if they
return the product for recycling or disposal. For
more information on EPR policies, see Section 6 -
Economic Considerations of the Guide.

Instituting programs to improve recycling.

PAYT programs create an incentive for residents
and businesses to recycle more as they reduce
the quantity of waste to minimize collection
fees. These types of programs can be designed
in concert with incentive programs that reward
people for depositing recycled materials (e.g.,
glass, plastic bottles) at central collection points
[C40 Knowledge Hub Undated],The development
of recycling markets, including the development
of online platforms to connect sellers and buyers,
can also help increase recycling.

3.4 Treatment

When selecting waste treatment technologies,
decision-makers can consider potential emissions
reductions along with other technical and financial
factors. Best practices to lower emissions from waste
treatment include:

•	Sizing treatment facilities appropriately.

Undersized facilities may have inadequate
capacity to handle waste, leading to the
accumulation of organic waste off-site that could
decompose and generate methane. On the
other hand, oversized facilities may not be cost-
efficient as they may be running under capacity
and wasting energy. Waste characterization is
necessary to understand the quantity and type of
waste to be managed currently. For proper sizing
of facilities, it is important to consider population
projections and changing consumer habits along
with waste characterization.

•	Improving operations and maintenance. Lack
of training often results in poor operation and
maintenance of treatment facilities, leading to
problems such as gas leaks at anaerobic digestion
facilities or leachate at composting facilities.
Decision-makers may consider providing facility
workers training on best practices to maintain
and operate treatment facilities.

•	Developing an emissions measurement,
reporting, and verification (MRV) system.

Measuring and tracking emissions and emissions
reductions from solid waste projects can
help decision-makers implement appropriate
emissions control solutions (Exhibit 4). Decision-
makers can use the Global Methane Initiative's
Policy Maker's Handbook for Measurement
Reporting, and Verification in the Bioaas Sector to
implement best practices for project-level MRV
(GMI 2022).


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

11

3.5 Disposal

Open dumpsites and landfills are significant sources
of black carbon and methane emissions. Best
practices to mitigate emissions from solid waste
disposal include:

•	Remediating or closing existing dumpsites.

Open dumpsites are differentiated from sanitary
landfills in that the latter include an engineered
design, consisting of a variety of systems for
controlling the impacts of land disposal on
human health, safety, and the environment. Site
assessments help determine if a dumpsite needs
to be closed or is suitable for conversion into a
controlled dumpsite where some management
practices, such as leachate collection, soil cover,
and gas collection systems can be instituted.
Following an initial assessment, a site will need
preparation, including site leveling, drainage
construction, fencing installation, and leachate
and gas collection systems. Controlled sites
may be monitored regularly to understand their
waste composition and methane production.
Dumpsites could be closed with LFG collection
systems to avoid methane emissions. Landfill fires
with resulting black carbon emissions can also be
avoided by remediation and closure of dumpsites.
For more information on dumpsite management,
see Section 12 - Dumpsite Management of the
Guide.

•	Diverting organic waste from dumpsites and
landfills. Governments can ban the disposal of
organic waste at open dumpsites and landfills.
Through source separation during the collection
process and better treatment processes, organic

materials can be disposed of through composting
or anaerobic digestion. Composting and
anaerobic digestion can reduce the emission of
methane into the atmosphere, with the latter
allowing for the use of methane as a renewable
fuel. For more information, see Section 10 -
Organic Waste Management of the Guide.

Imposing landfill fees and bans. Decision-
makers can charge users fees for the waste
that ends up in the landfill. Most low-income
countries have low or no tipping fees for disposal
at landfills. Tipping fees will incentivize recycling
and treatment of organic waste to minimize
the cost of disposal. Decision-makers may also
impose landfill bans to prohibit certain materials
or items from being disposed of at landfills.
However, before implementing landfill bans,
decision-makers should assess and evaluate the
suitability of this approach. Landfill bans may
increase the risks of open dumping or other
improper waste disposal methods in areas
with limited capacity for waste recycling and
treatment.

Recovering energy from landfills. LFG can be

used as an energy source, reducing local methane
emissions. It is estimated that an LFG energy
system will capture roughly 60 to 90 percent of
the methane emitted from the landfill, depending
on system design and effectiveness (U.S. EPA
2022b). Producing energy from LFG offsets the
use of fossil fuels to produce the same amount of
energy and further reduces the amount of GHGs
released to the atmosphere. It should be noted
that these systems need to be monitored to
detect and repair leaks.

Questions for Decision-Makers

Are waste collection services provided comprehensively and regularly?

Are collection routes efficient?

Is organic waste separated and treated?

Is the waste disposed of at sanitary landfills or dumpsites?

Are emissions of climate pollutants (e.g., methane, black carbon, carbon dioxide) from waste collection,
recycling, treatment, and disposal being monitored?


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

12

Section 4

How Does Climate Change
Impact Solid Waste
Management?

Climate change can disrupt solid waste management
operations and damage infrastructure. Exhibit 5
summarizes the relationship between the solid waste
sector and climate change.

Exhibit 5. Solid Waste Sector and Climate Change
Relationship

Poorly managed
waste worsens
climate change



Climate change

affects waste
management

Rising surface temperatures, heavier rainfall, sea-
level rise, and extreme weather events—such as
cyclones, hurricanes, and strong winds—could affect
the generation, collection, recycling, treatment,
and disposal of waste (USAID 2011). In developing
countries, climate impacts on the solid waste
sector often disproportionately affect the poor
and marginalized populations who reside in close
proximity to waste treatment sites or disposal sites
and those that work in the waste sector.

This section discusses the impacts of climate

change on every stage of solid waste management

(summarized in Exhibit 6), including:

•	Generation. Longer and more frequent hot days
could increase the production and consumption
of cooling technologies, such as AC systems and
fans (IEA 2018). As advanced cooling technologies
become more widely available, older, less efficient
technologies will be replaced, increasing waste
generation. In addition, extreme weather events,
including storms and sea-level rise, can result in
debris from damages to physical infrastructure

to be managed as waste, and can also damage
waste recycling and treatment equipment and
infrastructure.

•	Collection. Higher temperatures increase
the need for more frequent waste collection
due to quicker organic waste decomposition.
Decomposing organic waste causes odors,
insect and pest infestations, and bioaerosol
releases that are harmful to human health
and the environment (Bebb and Kersey 2003).
Extreme heat could lead to heat-related illnesses
among waste sector workers, particularly those
in the informal sector, who often lack personal
protective equipment and a covered space in
which to work. Increased precipitation could
flood roads; disrupt waste collection routes and
schedules; and wash uncollected waste into
streets, waterways, and drains, exacerbating
flooding. Rising sea levels could submerge coastal
areas and make roads inaccessible to waste
collection vehicles (Gichamo and Gokcekus 2019).


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

13

Recycling and treatment. Extreme heat could
damage equipment, reduce worker productivity
due to heat stress and heat-related illnesses, and
increase demand for space-cooling equipment,
impacting the operation and efficiency of
waste treatment and recycling facilities. Hot
and humid conditions could increase organic
waste decomposition rates, affecting anaerobic
digestion and composting processes (Bebb and
Kersey 2003). increased precipitation and storms
could inundate and damage waste recycling
and treatment infrastructure and equipment.
Sea-level rise could also inundate and damage
waste recycling and treatment equipment and
infrastructure along the coast (Gichamo and
Gokcekus 2019).

V' ?*> '



•v -U.-' '



Disposal. Higher temperatures can increase the
temperature of landfill sites, triggering a series of
detrimental health and environmental impacts.
For example, combustible waste materials at
landfill sites could catch fire in extreme heat.
Extreme heat and humidity could also speed
up waste decomposition, which could increase
the production of LFG, bad odors, and leachate
that pollute the air and water of surrounding
communities (Walker 2018). Heavy rainfall and
storms increase the risks of leachate and gas
migration off-site. They can also contribute to
slope failures that sometimes result in fatalities
among onsite workers and people in proximity to
the landfill. By contrast, the lack of rainfall could
lead to droughts that may increase the risks of
dust emissions and dispersion. Sea-level rise
could increase flooding and erosion of coastal
landfills, leading to the uncontrolled release of
solid waste into coastal waters (Nichols et al.
2021).

CASE IN POINT |g|

Waste from Super Typhoon

Haiyan

In 2013, Supei Typhoon Haiyan swept across the Philippines and destroyed 1,1 million homes and 33 million coconut
trees. In the city of Tacloban, the typhoon generated a million cubic yards of debris—equivalent to 30 feet of waste to
cover 10 American football fields (The New Humanitarian 2013). Two months after the typhoon hit, the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) launched the cash-for-work program, which compensates locals for collecting
the debris waste left by the typhoon. The program not only helped clear up debris waste, but also helped typhoon
survivors get back on their feet (UNDP 2015).

For more information, see the UNDP case stud

Y-



n

CASE IN POINT jgj

Landfill Fire at the Bhalswa
Landfill in New Delhi, India

In April 2022, a massive fire broke out at the Bhalswa Landfill—the fourth large-scale fire at a Delhi landfill that month
(the three others were at the Ghazipur Landfill). Under extreme heat, methane gas generated by decaying organic
matter spontaneously ignites, causing frequent landfill fires. After this incident, the Delhi Fire Services urged the
responsible government agencies to dump sand or construction waste after every layer of freshly dumped waste to
serve as a barrier against fires (Hindustan Times 2022).

For more information, see the Hindustan Times article.


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

14

Exhibit 6. Summary of Potential Climate Change Impacts on Different Stages of Solid Waste Management



Rising Temperature

Changes in
Precipitation

Extreme Weather

Sea-Level Rise

Generation

Increased generation •

Waste from

Debris from strong

Waste from



of waste from the

damaged

winds, cyclones, and

damaged waste



replacement of old

equipment and

hurricanes

recycling and



cooling technologies

infrastructure as a
result of flooding
from increased
precipitation



treatment
equipment and
infrastructure as a
result of flooding

Collection

Reduced waste

Disruptions to

Di s ru ptio n s to wa ste •

Submerged coastal



worker productivity

waste collection

collection routes

areas making roads



due to heat-related

routes and

and schedules

inaccessible for



illnesses and heat

schedules from

from strong winds,

waste collection



stress

flooded roads

cyclones, and

and transportation



Increased frequency

worsened

hurricanes





of collection due

by increased







to organic waste

precipitation







decomposition







Recycling

Damaged recycling

Damaged

Damaged recycling

Damaged

and

and treatment

recycling and

and treatment

coastal recycling

Treatment

equipment, reduced

treatment

infrastructure and

and treatment



worker productivity,

infrastructure and

equipment as a

infrastructure and



and increased

equipment as a

result of strong

equipment



demand for space-

result of flooding

winds, heavy rainfall,





cooling

from increased

or heat waves





Increased organic

precipitation







waste decomposition









rate, impacting









biological waste









treatment







Disposal

Increased risks of

Increased leachate •

Blowing of waste

Increased



landfill fires

and gas migration

off-site from strong

flooding and



Faster organic waste

off-site as a result

winds

erosion of coastal



decomposition

of flooded landfills •

Flooded landfill sites

landfills, leading



leading to increased

Increased dust

that increase risks

to uncontrolled



production of LFG,

emissions and

of leachate and gas

release of solid



odors, and leachate

dispersion from
drought as a result
of decreased
precipitation
Landfill slope
failures,
potentially
resulting in
fatalities, with
excessive rainfall

migration off-site

waste into coastal
waters


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

15

Section 5

Best Practices for Improving
the Climate Resilience of Solid
Waste Management

A climate-resilient solid waste management system
is one that can anticipate, prepare for, and respond to
climate change and minimize disruption and damage.
Climate-resilient strategies achieve equity goals when
vulnerable populations have adequate resources
needed to adapt to climate change. A process that
cities can use to improve climate resilience in the
solid waste sector includes the following actions:

•	Identify impacts of climate change. Cities need
to understand the potential scenarios of climate
change at their location. While some areas may
be affected by extreme heat, others may face
more frequent storms, and yet others may face
both.These scenarios have varying impacts on
the waste sector as described in the previous
section.

•	Conduct a risk and vulnerabilities assessment
on solid waste management. Cities may find

it helpful to conduct assessments to identify
specific risks and vulnerabilities to their solid
waste management system and the alternative
approaches for building resilience.

•	Develop and implement a climate resilience
plan. After identifying strategies to reduce
climate impacts, cities can develop and
implement a climate resilience plan to ensure
that their solid waste management system can
respond to climate change and continue to
operate seamlessly. Cities can actively seek input
from key stakeholders in developing the plan.
They can align their plans with national climate
and development goals, policies, and programs
to bring secondary benefits such as improving
public health, creating jobs, and preventing
environmental damage. Many countries have
developed national adaptation plans, and it is

important to integrate the waste management
sector into these plans. For example, adaptation
initiatives to address marginalized communities
in flood-prone areas should also consider the
provision of waste collection services to these
areas.

•	Monitor progress and modify as needed. Cities
need to measure the effectiveness of a climate
resilience plan and modify it as needed. Climate
resilience plans should be flexible and may be
changed as cities experience climate change
events and find vulnerabilities in their plans.

5.1 Stakeholder Engagement

Engaging stakeholders across the solid waste
management system is critical to building resilience.
Stakeholders include those who receive and provide
waste management services in the public and private
sectors, and especially marginalized populations
such as informal sector workers and those who live
in proximity to waste treatment and disposal facilities.

Cities can raise awareness of the impacts of climate
change on solid waste management and best
practices to reduce these impacts. Stakeholders can
also collaborate with cities to prepare for and respond
to hazardous climate events. Decision-makers can
consider the following best practices when creating a
stakeholder engagement plan for climate resilience:

•	Identifying stakeholders with an equity
lens. Marginalized groups—including women,
informal sector workers, residents of informal
settlements, indigenous groups, and ethnic
minorities—may face economic, political,
social, and cultural barriers that inhibit their
ability to interact with government bodies and


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

16

participate in decision-making.These groups are
often the most vulnerable to climate impacts
because of their low socioeconomic status.
For more information on equity in solid waste
management, see the Equity and Solid Waste
Management companion chapter.

•	Assessing the risks and vulnerabilities of each
stakeholder group. Each stakeholder group
may be impacted by climate-related hazards in

a different way. For example, informal recycling
workers may be more vulnerable to climate-
related hazards than formal ones because of their
limited access to shelter and proper health and
safety equipment.

•	Informing stakeholders about climate risks.

Stakeholders should be frequently informed
about climate risks to enable them to prepare
and react to these risks. Decision-makers can
establish a platform or campaign to regularly
inform stakeholders on climate change impacts
and adaptation activities. This can come in the
form of newsletters, social media posts, website
updates, public service announcements on radio
and television, texts, and emails.

•	Actively involving stakeholders in resilience
planning. Decision-makers may consider creating
a community engagement plan to understand
community needs.The engagement plan could
be focused on the high-priority climate risks the
community is facing and could involve holding
regular public meetings.

5.2 Solid Waste Management
Integration into Resilience
Planning

The solid waste sector is highly dependent on
the energy, water, and transportation sectors. The
systematic linkages of solid waste management
with other economic sectors require its integration
into broader climate resilience planning (UN-Habitat
2011). Disruptions to other economic sectors can
have a ripple effect on solid waste management. For
example, power system failures because of storms
may impact operations at waste processing sites.

Transportation infrastructure such as roads or bridges
can be blocked by floods or landslides, disrupting the
transport of waste from waste collection, recycling, or

treatment sites. Poor waste collection can also affect
other sectors, as plastics and other wastes can block
drains and further exacerbate flooding in cities. Best
practices for integrating solid waste management
into climate resilience planning include:

•	Reviewing national-level climate resilience
plans. An understanding of existing national-
level policies on climate change mitigation and
adaptation can help decision-makers identify
linkages and opportunities to align solid
waste sector resilience strategies. Decision-
makers can start by compiling and reviewing
national-level climate change policies, including
Nationally Determined Contributions and
National Adaptation Plans (OECD 2021).

Methane mitigation from improved solid
waste management practices can be included
in Nationally Determined Contributions.
Enhancements to solid waste infrastructure,
including landfills and treatment facilities, can be
addressed in National Adaptation Plans (World
Bank 2011).

•	Establishing linkages between solid waste
sector resilience plans and national plans
(Exhibit 7). Infrastructure development is one
of the main components of national and local
economic development plans. Decision-makers
may benefit from creating an inventory of solid
waste infrastructure and assets at risk of climate
impacts. Such an inventory can help national
and subnational governments identify facilities
at risk and determine priorities for climate-
resilient investments (Hallegatte, Rentschler, and
Rozenberg 2020).

•	Engaging with sectoral government entities
and relevant non-state actors. Coherence
between solid waste sector policies and national
and subnational development goals involve
careful coordination across government agencies
at both the national and local level. Decision-
makers responsible for solid waste management
can engage with other government agencies
and relevant non-state actors to determine
policy objectives and priority actions for
climate resilience and assign responsibilities for
overseeing and implementing the actions (OECD
2021).


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

17

Solid Waste Management in the Solomon Islands' National Adaptation

Programme of Action (NAPA)

!n the Solomon Islands, solid waste management adaptation strategies have historically been implemented under
various legislations and by-laws. In 2008, the Solomon Islands established solid waste management as a priority in
its NAPA. Through the NAPA, the Solomon Islands developed an integrated climate resilience plan for solid waste
management that would enable better coordination across all relevant departments and organizations.

5.3 Disaster Solid Waste
Management Planning

Large-scale natural disasters may generate more
disaster waste than many communities can handle.
Recovering and recycling some of the waste left
behind after a natural disaster—including building
debris and vegetation, such as downed trees and
plants or leaves—can help communities with overall
waste reduction and materials management. Best
practices for creating a disaster plan for solid waste
management include the following:

• Improve disaster waste management

preparedness (Exhibit 8), which may involve:

Conducting risk and vulnerability
assessments of existing waste infrastructure

Identifying potential waste streams that a
disaster might generate in a community

Evaluating the capacity of existing reuse and
recycling programs to handle disaster waste

Considering post-disaster waste collection
and transportation strategies

Determining and selecting potential waste
management sites and facilities

Involving public and private actors and
identifying their roles in post-disaster waste
collection and disposal

•	Create an early warning system, which
commences once a climate-related hazard (e.g.,
flood or cyclone) is announced. Following this
warning, the disaster preparedness plan can be
activated, directing responsible decision-makers
to begin identifying potential locations for waste
removal.Temporary solid waste management
sites can be established to prepare for the safe
storage of disaster waste that it may not be
possible to transport to regulated landfills.

•	Implement an emergency response plan,

which involves a rapid assessment of the type,
scale, and location of disaster waste.

•	Implement a disaster waste recovery plan,

which involves restoring, resuming, and
reconstructing all affected waste services and
facilities.Trained field operators can be deployed
to collect, recycle, and remove disaster waste
based on the recovery plan.

•	Create a plan for managing waste from
reconstruction operations, which will likely
involve rehabilitation of any damaged solid waste
management facilities.


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

18

Managing Disaster Waste in Japan

Japan is one of the most disaster-prepared countries in the world. After theTohoku earthquake and tsunami in
March 2011, Japan's Ministry of Environment established a task force—consisting of more than 100 experts from
government agencies, research institutions, academia, and industry—to manage the waste generated from the
disaster.The Ministry of Environment created guidelines for municipalities to manage disaster waste, including
guidelines for maximizing the recycling of disaster debris and relying on local employment for waste recovery.

For more information about managing disaster waste in Japan, see the World Bank's What a

Waste 2.0 report.

5A Climate-Resilient Solid Waste Infrastructure and Operations

Climate stressors can impact both solid waste infrastructure and operations. Exhibit 9 provides a list of
established measures for minimizing climate-related damages to solid waste infrastructure and operations at
each stage of the solid waste management process.

Exhibit 9. Measures for Improving Resilience in Solid Waste Management

Solid Waste Management Stages

Generation

Collection

Recycling and Treatment
Disposal

Measures for Improving Resilience

Promoting the reduction of waste through awareness-raising activities
Implementing at-source waste segregation
Developing protocols for managing disaster waste

Ensuring waste collection bins and vehicles are adequately secured and
covered to prevent the blowing of waste and bins from strong winds
Rescheduling waste collection during extreme weather conditions (e.g.,
heat, cold, storms) to reduce worker health risks
Increasing waste collection frequency to prevent waste build-up

Developing defenses against sea-level rise

Improving the siting of recycling and treatment facilities away from flood
plains (e.g., low-lying areas near rivers or coastal areas)

Implementing landfill leachate control systems to reduce leachate migration
off-site

Diverting organic waste from landfill through segregated organics
collection to reduce the likelihood of landfill fires from extreme heat
Managing disposal sites to prevent slope failures during heavy rainfall
because they can be fatal to residents near the site and informal sector
workers on site

Developing defenses against sea-level rise

Implementing fire prevention practices during extreme heat (e.g., the
application of daily landfill cover with inert waste)

Inspecting and monitoring the risk of landslides and groundwater
contamination

Siting landfills away from drinking water supplies

Compacting waste at disposal sites daily to prevent landslides	


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

19

Questions for Decision-Makers

What are potential local extreme weather changes due to global climate change (e.g., increased precipitation,
increased frequency of storms)?

What are the current infrastructure assets for solid waste management, and how might potential extreme
climate events impact them?

Are solid waste collection and transportation systems designed to operate in changing climactic scenarios?

Are waste management treatment and disposal sites designed to minimize the impacts of floods or other
climate risks?


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Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

20

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