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Reports, Papers, and Presentations
The following reports and presentations discuss different aspects of the link between climate change and municipal solid waste.
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Documentation for Greenhouse Gas Emission and Energy Factors Used in the Waste Reduction Model (WARM)
This documentation explains the emission factors used in EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM). WARM explores the linkages between waste management, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and energy and quantifies the emissions and energy use associated with source reducing, recycling, composting, incinerating, and landfilling a variety of materials and mixed materials.
EPA is continuously improving its emission factors and occasionally publishes new or updated factors. When new or updated emission factors are available, EPA will also update the relevant documentation chapters. Note that the emission factors represent the GHG emissions associated with managing 1 short ton of a material in the manner indicated. GHG savings should be calculated by comparing the emissions associated with the alternative scenario with the emissions associated with the baseline scenario, as opposed to simply multiplying the quantity by an emission factor.
Climate Change and Waste Fact Sheet: Reducing Waste Can Make a Difference (PDF) (6 pp, 277K) – Produced by the OSWER.
This folder describes the link between climate change and municipal solid waste management.
WARM Landfill Analysis Overview (PDF) (17 pp, 277K)
This presentation, which was given at an EPA Organics workshop in May 14, 2008, provides an overview of the existing landfill emission factor in WARM, the description of the methodology and key assumptions, and discusses some of the modeling limitations.
WARM Compost Analysis Overview (PDF) (26 pp, 257K)
This presentation, which was given at an EPA Organics workshop in May 13, 2008, describes the methods and data underlying current compost emission factors in WARM, discusses gaps in the analytic framework of and potential improvements to the compost analysis.
Background on WARM Emission Factors (PDF) (10 pp, 456K)
This presentation, which was given at an EPA Organics workshop in May 13, 2008, provides the latest background and motivation for on EPA's WAste Reduction Model (WARM), including its intended audience and scope, purpose, life-cycle methodology, and important caveats for its use. It also provides two sample scenario emissions results using WARM's online version.
Estimating GHG Reductions from State Actions (PDF) (10 pp, 171K)
This is a helpful reference document for states planning to incorporate municipal solid waste management actions into statewide GHG mitigation action plans. It includes a sample plan for waste management mitigation actions. See the State Actions section for other examples of state mitigation plans.
Analyzing What's Recyclable in C&D Debris (PDF) (4 pp, 105K)
This paper investigates the average material content of construction and demolition (C&D) debris. It reports on the percentage composition of concrete, wood, drywall, metal, and other materials in the C&D waste stream and lays the foundation for estimating the waste reduction potential through reuse and recycling efforts.
The Bottomline on Buying Recycled (PDF) (2 pp, 135K)
Using specific business examples, this article explains how companies can improve their bottomline by using recycled inputs in the materials they buy or produce, since recycled-content materials often cost less to purchase or manufacture. Other benefits include better rates from insurance companies and banks, and meeting goals of federal, state, or local GHG reporting programs.