Waste
Waste emissions increased by 4% in 2024, reaching 1.9 megatonnes.
There has been little change since 2015 when TAF began conducting regional inventories, with waste emissions consistently accounting for around 3% of GTHA emissions.
Methane is the predominant component of waste emissions and is released when organic matter is broken down in landfills. As a greenhouse gas, methane is much more potent than carbon dioxide, particularly during its first 20 years in the atmosphere. While this inventory uses the conventional 100-year carbon equivalency for methane, a standard used by many organizations including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a 20-year carbon timeframe would roughly triple the emissions and better represent the actual amount of greenhouse gases released in the short term.
To reduce emissions, organic waste can be diverted from landfills to composting or anaerobic digestion facilities. For the organic waste that does reach landfill, emissions can be mitigated using landfill gas management systems that enable methane to be captured and subsequently flared or used to create low-carbon energy. Transitioning away from single-use products and building out a robust circular economy can also significantly reduce GTHA’s waste emissions.
Toronto’s Green Lane Landfill is expected to reach capacity within the next 10 years, according to the City’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee. As such, Toronto is actively considering whether to expand the existing landfill, develop a new landfill, or pursue a waste-to-energy facility where trash would be burned to generate electricity and heat.
TAF has analyzed the carbon footprint of landfill versus incineration and found that landfilling waste with methane recovery produces 1.5 to 3 times fewer carbon emissions than incineration. There are also considerable local air quality and health risks associated with incineration, as the nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter released are linked to increased mortality and respiratory illnesses.
A decision to incinerate Toronto’s waste could lock in higher emissions and adverse health impacts for decades.