Waste
Note: These pages present final 1990-2024 Inventory data (updated March 2026) and the EPA's latest 2025-2030 projections estimates (updated May 2026)
Waste sector
The waste sector includes emission estimates from solid waste disposal, composting, waste incineration (excluding waste to energy), open burning of waste and wastewater treatment and discharge. The largest of these sources is solid waste disposal on land (landfills) where methane (CH4) is the gas concerned.
Emissions from the waste sector decreased by 3.0% in 2024 (or 0.03 Mt CO2eq), with decreases in subcategory landfills of 1.4%.
Long-term decreases are a result of decreased quantities of municipal solid wastes (MSW) disposed of at landfills which now are combusted in Waste to Energy (WtE) plants. In addition, a decrease in the proportion of organic materials (food and garden waste) in MSW as well as a diversion of paper products from landfills. A large proportion of organic food and garden waste is now treated in composting and anaerobic digestion facilities, which have significantly lower emissions than landfills.
Projected emissions
(Latest update May 2026)
In terms of National emissions targets, the ‘Other’ sector consists of greenhouse gas emissions from the Petroleum refining, Waste and F-Gases IPCC categories reported under EU requirements. Waste is the largest contributor of GHG emissions in this sector, mostly arising from landfills.
Emissions for this sector are projected to reduce by 37% by 2030 compared to 2018. The sector has an emissions reduction target of 50% by 2030 compared to 2018.
The latest projections for the ‘Other’ sector demonstrate emissions are primarily attributable to methane from landfill which reduce over the projected period in line with the projected reduction in waste going to landfill and the age of the waste already placed in them.