Inventory of Methane Emissions in the Solid Waste Sector of Ukraine

This report presents the results of a methane inventory in the solid waste sector of Ukraine. It considers the theoretical background of the methane generation process in solid waste, reviews methodologies used for methane generation assessment, and describes the methane inventory process in a transparent way. This study has been carried out with the purpose of Ukraine's compliance with the requirements of participation in international cooperation over stabilization of GHGs concentrations in the atmosphere. This cooperation should also open new opportunities for Ukraine to substantially improve the energy efficiency of its economy. Ukraine's solid waste sector is the fourth among other methane emissions sources after natural gas and coal extraction, and enteric fermentation in livestock. The preliminary estimates showed that the solid waste sector in Ukraine generated approximately 4.3% of the total volume of СО 2-equivalent emissions in 1990. The source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in this sector is the activity of anaerobic bacteria in the waste, which decompose the carbon of organic waste under certain conditions. This results in the generation of landfill gas, which is approximately 50% methane (СН 4). The inventory of methane emissions from solid waste disposal sites has been conducted according to IPCC guidelines, which have been adapted for Ukrainian conditions and data availability. The calculations were carried out at the level of the administrative regions for the year 2002. The major adjustment of the methodology concerns the fraction of potentially degradable organic components, which has been calculated for each administrative region with consideration of organic industrial wastes. The results show that methane emissions from solid waste disposal sites in 2002 were 572.5 thousand tonnes (Gg), which corresponds to 12,023 Gg of CO 2-equivalent. The emissions from solid waste disposal sites of cities and towns with populations of more than 200 thousand people were about 285 thousand tonnes or 61% of all methane emissions in the solid waste sector of Ukraine. Most of solid waste disposal sites of the considered towns have sufficient emissions potential to sustain methane recovery, which is a practical way to reduce the anthropogenic impact on climate change and can be an additional energy source.