Air pollutant emissions from landfill (Indicator)

In 2022, 53 million tonnes of the EU’s total municipal waste ended up in landfills (Eurostat, 2024). Per the EU’s waste hierarchy, landfilling is the least favoured option and should be limited to the absolute minimum required, as it can present risks to human health and the environment. These include the generation of leachate, which can contaminate groundwater, and the emission of methane, a greenhouse gas. Where recyclable waste is landfilled, materials are unnecessarily lost from Europe’s circular economy (EC, 2023). Risks from landfill leachate are addressed separately in Leachate pollution from landfills.

Air emissions data show that methane emissions decreased steadily between 2010 and 2022, partly due to less landfilling of food waste (a source of methane) and partly due to emissions being better managed. Carbon dioxide emissions fluctuated, increasing slightly overall. Recorded ammonia emissions increased due to intermittent reporting by facilities and significant variations in the data received.

As Figure shows, the number of landfills reporting air pollutants in the scope of the European Pollutant Releases and Transfers Register (E-PRTR) Regulation has decreased consistently since the previous edition of this Zero Pollution Monitoring Assessment, with 2020 being the most recent data point (EEA, 2022). This reflects fewer landfills in operation and a larger proportion of emissions below the reporting thresholds of Annex II of this regulation.

Please consult the relevant indicators and signals below for a more comprehensive overview on the topic.