Waste Management Carbon Offsets Explained: All You Need to Know
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At our current rate of waste generation, the world’s cities will produce over three times more waste than they did in 2009 by 2025. This waste pollutes our ecosystems and generates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that exacerbate climate change. So, we had to ask: What are waste management carbon offsets really, and could they help us mitigate climate change?
Waste management carbon offsets are a specific type of carbon offset that focuses on minimizing waste’s impact on human, animal, and environmental health. They reduce GHG emissions and pollution but may lack additionality and are not yet scaled to compensate for our global waste emissions.
Keep reading to find out all about what waste management carbon offsets are, how they work, how effective and efficient they are, what their pros and cons are, and what the best ones are. At the end of the article, we’ll also share with you how waste management carbon offsets can help mitigate climate change and what better alternatives to them are.
The Big Picture of Waste Management Carbon Offsets
Carbon offsets are reductions in carbon emissions that are used to compensate for carbon emissions occurring elsewhere. They are measured in tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents and are bought and sold through international brokers, online retailers, and trading platforms on what is known as the global carbon offset market.
“Carbon Offset: a way for a company or person to reduce the level of carbon dioxide for which they are responsible by paying money to a company that works to reduce the total amount produced in the world, for example by reforestation”
Oxford Dictionary
Everyone and everything on Earth creates waste, which is defined as an unwanted or unfavorable byproduct of certain processes.
“Waste: unwanted matter or material of any type, especially what is left after useful substances or parts have been removed”
Cambridge Dictionary
Waste management is a broad term that refers to the handling of waste in ways that minimize its impact on human, animal, and environmental health.
“Waste Management: The management of waste materials, usually based on the management of wastes at all stages (production, handling, storage transport, processing, and ultimate disposal) in such a way as to minimize the risks to human health, wildlife, and environmental systems.”
Oxford University Reference
One of the main goals of waste management carbon offsets is to reduce the total amount of methane (CH4), a GHG that is more potent than CO2 and can accelerate global warming due to its excessive heat-trapping abilities.
| What are waste management carbon offsets | Waste management offsets are a specific type of carbon offset that focuses on handling waste in ways to minimize its impact on human, animal, and environmental health. Projects can include landfill gas, recycling, composting, and food rescue. |
| How do waste management carbon offsets work | Waste management projects reduce greenhouse gas (CO2 and CH4) emissions associated with various types of waste by reducing the amount or capturing emissions from waste. |
| How effective and efficient are waste management carbon offsets | Effectiveness: Waste management carbon offsets reduce methane emissions and land, water, and air pollution; however, they can also lack additionality and do not reduce your own carbon emissions. Efficiency: Waste management carbon offsets are relatively cost-effective; however, they are not yet scaled to compensate for our global waste emissions. |
| What are the 5 pros of waste management carbon offsets | 1. Waste management carbon offsets reduce methane emissions 2. Waste management carbon offsets reduce pollution 3. Waste management carbon offsets protect the biosphere 4. Waste management carbon offsets are relatively cost-effective 5. Waste management carbon offsets allow us to reduce carbon emissions in ways we wouldn’t be able to accomplish individually |
| What are the 3 cons of waste management carbon offsets | 1. Waste management carbon offsets are not yet scaled to compensate for our global waste emissions 2. Waste management carbon offsets can lack additionally 3. Waste management carbon offsets do not reduce your own carbon emissions, which can lead to greenwashing |
| What are the best waste management carbon offsets | The best waste management carbon offsets are offered by CoreZero, GreenTech, and Carbonfund which involve food rescue, plastic recycling, and landfill gas capture/conversion to energy, respectively. In addition, Terrapass and South Pole offer landfill gas combustion and biogas to energy projects. |
| How can waste management carbon offsets help mitigate climate change | Waste management carbon offsets can specifically help mitigate climate change because they primarily target CH4 emissions, which are the second-most abundant GHG after CO2 and are 25 times more potent than CO2 at trapping heat in our atmosphere. |
What Are Waste Management Carbon Offsets
Waste management offsets are a specific type of carbon offset that focuses on handling waste in ways to minimize its impact on human, animal, and environmental health.
Waste can be classified as solid, hazardous/nonhazardous, agricultural/animal, medical, radioactive, extraction/mining, oil/gas production, and fossil fuel combustion-waste as well as construction/demolition debris and sewage sludge. Because we all create waste, managing it is important to the overall health of our planet.
“Waste Management: The management of waste materials, usually based on the management of wastes at all stages (production, handling, storage transport, processing, and ultimate disposal) in such a way as to minimize the risks to human health, wildlife, and environmental systems.”
Oxford University Reference
Some of the most common types of waste management carbon offsets involve:
- Landfill gas capture/combustion
- Landfill gas to renewable energy
- Biodigesters
- Biogas
- Recycling
- Food Rescue
- Composting
How Do Waste Management Carbon Offsets Work
Waste management projects reduce greenhouse gas (CO2 and CH4) emissions associated with various types of waste by reducing the amount or capturing emissions from waste.
One of the main goals of waste management carbon offsets is to reduce the total amount of methane (CH4), the second most abundant greenhouse gas (GHG) behind CO2 with a global warming potential 25 times more potent than CO2. Even a little CH4 can greatly exacerbate global warming and its effects.
How Effective and Efficient Are Waste Management Carbon Offsets
In terms of effectiveness, waste management carbon offsets reduce methane emissions and land, water, and air pollution. However, they can also lack additionality and do not reduce your own carbon emissions.
In terms of efficiency, waste management carbon offsets are relatively cost-effective. However, they are not yet scaled to compensate for our global waste emissions.
Waste management carbon offsets are effective at mitigating climate change because they:
- Reduce CH4 emissions via food rescue or CH4 gas capture, combustion, and conversion-to-energy projects
- Can help reduce land, air, and water pollution by reducing the amount of waste entering our landfills and ecosystems
Waste management carbon offsets can also lack effectiveness because they often lack additionality, as many projects receiving revenue now would have been built regardless.
Waste management carbon offsets are efficient at reducing CO2 emissions because they are relatively cost-effective when compared to other methods of carbon emission reduction.
However, waste management carbon offsets can also lack efficiency because they are not yet scaled to offset emissions from our global waste generation.
Also, waste management carbon offsets do not reduce your own carbon emissions, which can lead to greenwashing. This occurs when emissions are only offset and not reduced from the source, and the consumer is deceived into thinking they are offsetting their emissions but in reality, they are not. This is why we should first reduce our emissions before relying on offsets.
What Are The 5 Pros and 3 Cons of Waste Management Carbon Offsets
Waste management carbon offsets reduce methane emissions, reduce land, water, and air pollution, protect the biosphere, are relatively cost-effective, and allow us to reduce emissions in ways we wouldn’t be able to accomplish individually.
Waste management carbon offsets are not yet scaled to compensate for our global waste emissions, can lack additionality, and do not reduce your own carbon emissions.
What Are the 5 Pros of Waste Management Carbon Offsets
Waste management carbon offsets have various pros that make them effective at avoiding carbon and methane emissions.
| 5 Pros of Waste Management Carbon Offsets | Quick Facts |
| #1: Waste management carbon offsets reduce methane emissions | Waste management offsets involving CH4 gas capture, combustion, or conversion-to-energy prevent CH4 from entering our atmosphere. Because CH4 is more potent than CO2, removing it is a quick way to slow the rate of global warming, at least in the short term. |
| #2: Waste management carbon offsets reduce pollution | Waste management carbon offset projects can help reduce land, air, and water pollution because they aim to reduce the amount of waste entering our landfills and ecosystems. |
| #3: Waste management carbon offsets protect the biosphere | Waste management carbon offsets remove GHG emissions from the atmosphere and cut down on pollution, thereby improving air quality and protecting the biosphere. |
| #4: Waste management carbon offsets are relatively cost-effective | Waste management carbon offsets from leading providers (e.g., Carbonfund, Terrapass, and Native) cost less than $20 per ton of CO2 offset. Compare this to direct carbon capture offsets which can cost anywhere from $100-$1,200 per ton of CO2 offset. |
| #5: Waste management carbon offsets allow us to reduce carbon emissions in ways we wouldn’t be able to accomplish individually | Waste management carbon offsets allow us to reduce emissions from activities where sustainable alternatives are not yet widely available. |
What Are the 3 Cons of Waste Management Carbon Offsets
Understanding the drawbacks of waste management carbon offsets is important in order to effectively mitigate climate change.
| 3 Cons of Waste Management Carbon Offsets | Quick Facts |
| #1: Waste management carbon offsets are not yet scaled to compensate for our global waste emissions | Because waste management offsets are only a small subsection of the larger carbon offset market, they are also inadequate in terms of offsetting emissions from our global waste generation. |
| #2: Waste management carbon offsets can lack additionality | The global waste management market is expected to grow to $2.5 billion by 2030 due to the increasing rate at which and the amount of waste we generate annually. The large demand for waste management in general means that the infrastructure could have been built independently of waste management carbon offsets. |
| #3: Waste management carbon offsets do not reduce your own carbon emissions, which can lead to greenwashing | If emissions are only offset and not reduced from the source, this could lead to greenwashing, when the consumer is deceived into thinking they are offsetting their emissions but in reality, they are not. |
How Could You Offset Your Own Carbon Footprint With Waste Management Carbon Offsets
The voluntary carbon offset market (VCM) is where everyday consumers can purchase carbon offsets to offset their carbon emissions. The market for carbon offsets was small in the year 2000, but by 2010 it had already grown to represent nearly $10 billion worldwide.
The Ecosystem Marketplace predicts the VCM could grow to $50B by the year 2050. And because we dump over 2 billion tons of CH4 and CO2-producing waste each year, waste management carbon offsets could prove crucial in the fight against climate change.
| Waste Management Carbon Offsets | Quick Facts |
| CoreZero | About: Purchases support waste management projects including food rescue, upcycling, waste-to-energy, and composting. Costs: Costs are determined after initial contact |
| GreenTech | About: They take plastic (e.g., plastic bottles) and sort, grind, wash, and process it into sustainable recycled flakes to make products (e.g., PET flakes, PET straps, and r-PET granules). Costs: $40 per 1,000kg of CO2 |
| Carbonfund | About: Purchases support waste management projects including landfill gas to renewable energy and landfill gas capture. Costs: $16.25-$17.16 per 1,000kg of CO2 for individuals, $390-$1,560 per year for small businesses, determined after initial contact for large businesses |
| Tradewater | About: Purchases support waste management projects that find and destroy some of the most potent greenhouse gasses, including refrigerants, halons, and methane emissions from abandoned wells. Costs: $15.50 per 1,000 kg of CO2 for individuals and determined after initial contact for businesses. |
| Terrapass | About: Purchases support waste management projects including landfill gas combustion in Virginia and hydrofluorocarbon recovery/repurposing in Ohio (US). Costs: $16.51-$17.63 per 1,000kg of CO2 for individuals and $16.99 per 1,000kg of CO2 for businesses. |
| South Pole | About: Purchases support waste management carbon offset projects including biodigesters in Vietnam and wastewater biogas in Thailand. Costs: Costs are determined after initial contact |
| 3Degrees | About: Purchases support waste management projects including landfill gas capture in Colorado and landfill gas-to-energy in Montana (US). Costs: Costs are determined after initial contact |
| Native Energy | About: Purchases support waste management projects including landfill gas to energy in New York, US, and methane digesters in Pennsylvania, US. Costs: $15.50 per 1,000 kg of CO2 |
| Cool Effect | About: Purchases support waste management projects including biodigesters in India and China. Costs: $8.79 – $21.97 per 1,000 kg of CO2 |
| Co2nsensus | About: Purchases support waste management projects including landfill gas to energy in Turkey. Costs: Costs are determined after initial contact |
| myclimate | About: Purchases support waste management projects including composting to avoid CH4 emissions in India, converting waste to fertilizer in Nepal, and plastic recycling in Romania. Costs: $23-$30 per 1,000kg of CO2 |
| Clear | About: Purchases support waste management projects including landfill gas recovery in Tanzania and methane capture in Thailand. Costs: $18.99-$25 per 1,000kg of CO2 |
How Can Waste Management Carbon Offsets Help Mitigate Climate Change
Climate change is a severe and long-term consequence of fossil fuel combustion. Waste management offsets can help mitigate climate change because they eliminate fossil-fuel-derived CO2 and CH4 from our atmosphere which has a higher warming potential than CO2 and, if left untreated, can remain there for tens of thousands of years and exacerbate the negative effects of climate change.
How is Climate Change Defined
Climate change is arguably the most severe, long-term global impact of fossil fuel combustion. Every year, approximately 33 billion tons (bt) of CO2 are emitted from burning fossil fuels. The carbon found in fossil fuels reacts with oxygen in the air to produce CO2.
“Climate change: changes in the earth’s weather, including changes in temperature, wind patterns and rainfall, especially the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gasses, especially carbon dioxide.”
Oxford Dictionary
Atmospheric CO2 fuels climate change, which results in global warming. When CO2 and other air pollutants absorb sunlight and solar radiation in the atmosphere, it traps the heat and acts as an insulator for the planet. Since the Industrial Revolution, Earth’s temperature has risen a little more than 1 degree Celsius (C), or 2 degrees Fahrenheit (F). Between 1880-1980 the global temperature rose by 0.07C every 10 years. This rate has more than doubled since 1981, with a current global annual temperature rise of 0.18C, or 0.32F, for every 10 years.
As outlined in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, we must cut current GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
How Do Carbon Offsets Generally Help Mitigate Climate Change
Levels of carbon in our atmosphere that cause climate change have increased as a result of human emissions since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. The global average concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today registers at over 400 parts per million. Carbon offsets can help prevent these levels from increasing even more.
When you hear the words “carbon offset”, think about the term “compensation”. Essentially, carbon offsets are reductions in GHG emissions that are used to compensate for emissions occurring elsewhere.
Carbon offsets that meet key criteria and verified project standards, are additional and permanent, and are part of projects carried out until the end of their lifespan have the best chance of reducing carbon emissions and climate change.
When we offset CO2 we also slow the rate of global temperature rise, which in turn minimizes the effects of climate change.
How Do Waste Management Carbon Offsets Specifically Help Mitigate Climate Change
Waste management carbon offsets can specifically help mitigate climate change because they primarily target CH4 emissions, which are the second-most abundant GHG after CO2 and are 25 times more potent than CO2 at trapping heat in our atmosphere. Higher levels of CH4 speed up and exacerbate the effects of global warming (e.g., sea level rise, melting of glaciers, temperature rise).
As outlined in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, we must cut current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including CH4, by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Waste management offsets are important to meet these targets because they curb CH4 and carbon emissions that, when emitted, can remain in our atmosphere for tens of thousands of years.
What Are Better Alternatives to Waste Management Carbon Offsets
If used correctly, waste management carbon offsets can provide environmental, economic, and social benefits beyond reducing carbon emissions. They have the potential to instigate meaningful environmental change and begin to reverse some of the effects of climate change.
However, we can’t let this method be a guilt-free way to reduce carbon emissions. Waste management carbon offsets must be used in conjunction with direct carbon reduction measures to reduce GHG emissions long-term.
These reduction measures don’t have to involve drastic changes either. Actions that may seem small can have a big impact because those small changes add up! You can reduce your carbon footprint in three main areas of your life: household, travel, and lifestyle.
Reduce your household carbon footprint:
- Wash with cold water: Washing clothes in cold water could reduce carbon emissions by up to 11 million tons. Approximately 90% of the energy is used to heat the water, so switching to cold saves also saves energy.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs: Fluorescent bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent ones, saving energy and thus reducing electricity demand and GHG emissions.
Reduce your travel carbon footprint:
- Fly less: Aviation accounts for around 1.9% of global carbon emissions and 2.5% of CO2. Air crafts run on jet gasoline, which is converted to CO2 when burned.
- Walk or bike when possible: The most efficient ways of traveling are walking, bicycling, or taking the train. Using a bike instead of a car can reduce carbon emissions by 75%. These forms of transportation also provide lower levels of air pollution.
Reduce your lifestyle carbon footprint:
- Switch to renewable energy sources: The six most common types of renewable energy are solar, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal, and biomass energy. They are a substitute for fossil fuels that can reduce the effects of global warming by limiting global carbon emissions and other pollutants.
- Recycle: Recycling uses less energy and deposits less waste in landfills. Less manufacturing and transportation energy costs means fewer carbon emissions generated. Less waste in landfills means less CH4 is generated.
- Switch from single-use to sustainable products: Reusing products avoids resource extraction, reduces energy use, reduces waste generation, and can prevent littering.
- Eat less meat and dairy: Meat and dairy account for 14.5% of global GHG emissions, with beef and lamb being the most carbon-intensive. Globally, we consume much more meat than is considered sustainable, and switching to a vegan or vegetarian diet could reduce emissions.
- Take shorter showers: Approximately 1.2 trillion gallons of water are used each year in the United States just for showering purposes, and showering takes up about 17% of residential water usage. The amount of water consumed and the energy cost of that consumption are directly related. The less water we use the less energy we use. And the less energy we use, the less of a negative impact we have on the environment.
Because waste management carbon offsets are an indirect way and not a direct way of reducing emissions, they alone will not be enough to reduce global carbon emissions significantly. Direct measures of emission reductions, such as reducing individual energy use and consumption, are better alternatives to these offsets.
Final Thoughts
Waste management carbon offsets help avoid carbon and methane emissions by reducing various sources of waste and thereby reducing the emissions from the waste. They are relatively cost-effective, protect the biosphere, and reduce land, water, and air pollution. However, they can lack additionality and are not yet scaled to compensate for our global waste generation.
The top waste management offset companies support third-party verified projects involving landfill gas, biodigesters, recycling, food rescue, and composting. But although waste management offsets can instigate meaningful change, they should not be seen as the only solution to climate change. They are effective at reducing CO2 in the short term, but in the long term, they fail to reduce CO2 enough.
When used in conjunction with direct CO2 reduction measures, carbon offsetting can be much more effective. We should reduce our own carbon footprint as much as possible first, and only then choose the most effective waste management carbon offsets.
Stay impactful,
Sources
- The World Counts: World Waste Facts
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Offsets and RECs -What’s the Difference?
- Britannica: Carbon Offset
- David Suzuki Foundation: Are carbon offsets the answer to climate-altering flights?
- US Environmental Protection Agency: Wastes
- Conserve Energy Future: What is Waste Management and Various Methods of Waste Disposal?
- US Environmental Protection Agency: Importance of Methane
- Impactful Ninja: What Are Waste Management Carbon Offsets and How Do They Work? The Big Picture
- World Wildlife Fund: Fight climate change by preventing food waste
- The World Counts: World Waste Facts
- The World Counts: Hazardous Waste Statistics
- World Food Programme: 5 facts about food waste and hunger
- Statista: Plastic waste worldwide – statistics & facts
- Carbon Offset Guide: Additionality
- Vox: RECs, which put the “green” in green electricity, explained
- Edie: Carbon offsetting – How are businesses avoiding greenwashing on the road to net-zero?
- Impactful Ninja: How Effective and Efficient Are Waste Management Carbon Offsets? Here Are the Facts
- Impactful Ninja: Waste Management Carbon Offsets: All 5 Pros and 3 Cons Explained
- United States Environmental Protection Agency: Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gasses under the Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act
- Carbon Brief: Climate change will hit ‘endemic’ plants and animals the hardest, study warns
- Impactful Ninja: What Are Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets and How Do They Work? The Big Picture
- Impactful Ninja: 10 Best Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets (Complete 2023 List)
- Allied Market Research: Waste Management Market by Type (Municipal Waste, Industrial Waste and Hazardous Waste) and Service (Collection and Disposable): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030
- Carbon Offset Guide: Voluntary Offset Programs
- Ecosystem Marketplace: Voluntary Carbon Markets Top $1 Billion in 2021 with Newly Reported Trades
- Impactful Ninja: Best Waste Management Carbon Offsets
- CoreZero: Homepage
- GreenTech: Homepage
- South Pole: Homepage
- 3Degrees: Homepage
- Cool Effect: Homepage
- Co2nsensus: Homepage
- myclimate: Homepage
- Clear: Homepage
- World Nuclear Association: Carbon Emissions from Electricity
- Natural Resources Defense Council: Global Warming 101
- myclimate: What does “net zero emissions” mean?
- Natural Resources Defense Council: Carbon Offsets 101
- Terrapass: Carbon Offset Projects
- Carbon Offset Guide: Permanence
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Paris Climate Agreement
- American University: Fact Sheet – Carbon Removal
- The Ocean Foundation: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
- Energy Information Administration: Renewable Energy Explained
- Energy Star: Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) and Mercury
- Our World in Data: Where in the world do people have the highest CO2 emissions from flying?
- Zero Waste Europe: Reusable vs Single Use Packaging
- Carbonbrief: Interactive – What is the climate impact of eating meat and dairy?
- Stop Waste: Recycling and Climate Protection
- Impactful Ninja: Is Taking Long Showers Bad for the Environment?
- United States Environmental Protection Agency: Showerheads
- Impactful Ninja: 4 Main Reasons Why Reducing Your Carbon Footprint is Important
