Here’s what the trio of zero waste initiatives unveiled at COP28 means
Learn more about the waste and environmental sector’s latest initiatives set to help fight the climate crisis, and how the synergy between global efforts and Advetec’s innovations can drive powerful change.
The United States is grappling with a mounting waste problem, where landfilled, dumped, and incinerated trash is contributing to the release of harmful methane emissions into the atmosphere. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this potent greenhouse gas is the second most emitted (16%) on a global scale. What’s more, industrial sectors are largely responsible for the activities that lead their production, comprising 23% of the share.
To address air pollution from waste and mitigate the consequences of improper material handling — particularly in the U.S., where waste generation is substantial — transformative solutions need to be implemented at pace.
The annual Conference of the Parties (COP), now in its 28th year, is an ideal opportunity to discuss how strategies might take shape. And, signaling a departure from traditional linear models to more circular approaches in waste management, the global stage of COP28 certainly laid out some interesting initiatives for the years ahead.
Representing a paradigm shift that resonates with local challenges, these changes are particularly relevant for sustainability managers operating in the United States. So, here’s some insight into what they mean and how you can harness them, to feed into the concerted effort to drive change….
What is the Paris Agreement?
Revisiting the Paris Agreement is key to understanding the significance of COP28’s zero waste initiatives, with the landmark global accord setting the stage for discussions on how to combat climate change.
Aiming to limit global warming, the Agreement includes overhauling waste management practices to promote more responsible production and consumption practices. Importantly, the international treaty is legally binding too. But what does this mean? While there’s no hard enforcement, 196 Parties agreed to regularly prepare, communicate and maintain targets to support the global pledge, at COP26 in December 2015, before coming into force in November for the following year.
The U.S’s contributions in this arena have been tumultuous, with former President Trump revoking the nation’s support in November 2020. But on his first day in office, President Biden re-signed the instrument to allow the U.S. to become a Party again. Per the Agreement, our actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach net zero must therefore be strengthened over time.
Bending the linear waste management economy to a more circular model
Closing the loop on our current waste management practices is imperative for environmental sustainability — promoting a shift from linear disposal methods to circular, resource-efficient approaches that reduce waste, curb methane emissions, and conserve materials for more eco-friendly use elsewhere. COP28 witnessed a collection of commitments take shape to support these strides, aligning with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
- Waste Methane Assessment Platform (WasteMAP)
Created by RMI and Clean Air Task Force, with funding from the Global Methane Hub, WasteMAP integrates reported and modeled data to improve waste methane emissions transparency. Within the sector, which is the third-largest methane emitter after oil and gas and agriculture, municipal solid waste alone is responsible for 11% of total methane emissions, according to the firms.
By bridging data gaps at city and asset levels — utilizing support from the likes of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to understand waste characteristics, landfill design, and more — WasteMAP empowers policymakers and waste managers to make informed decisions on ways to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets and safeguard human health.
View the United States’ summary statistics, and model the waste methane mitigation potential of different waste diversion scenarios, here. - Waste to Zero Coalition
In the face of a projected 50% increase in waste generation by 2050, the Waste to Zero Coalition is a global initiative — made up of governments of all levels, NGOs, and the private sector — designed to formalize waste management practice and decarbonise our sector.
Aligned with the Paris Agreement, Waste to Zero sets a precedent for circular resource management, aiming to contribute to a substantial reduction in CO2 and methane emissions. As the first of its kind, the coalition signifies a coordinated global effort to drive more sustainable ways of handling trash, while unlocking newfound economic opportunities, including investment into new business models and jobs creation.
Learn more about Waste to Zero’s key milestones, here. - Lowering Organic Waste Methane (LOW-Methane) initiative
COP28 also witnessed the launch of LOW-Methane, another coalition with a bold mission to dramatically reduce the environmental impact of the waste industry. Targeting over one million metric tons of annual waste sector methane reductions before 2030, LOW-Methane collaborates with subnational jurisdictions and national governments, backed by significant public and private investments.
This initiative, aligned with the Global Methane Pledge, tackles emissions across the waste value chain by addressing food loss, diverting organics, and cutting emissions from disposal sites. The consortium supporting LOW-Methane, comprising governments and organizations, is committed to boosting data, technical capacity, policy, and finance to amplify the impact of this critical initiative on a global scale.
Catch the full press release, here.
How Advetec’s biotechnology is helping to lead the charge
Among these wider initiatives, leading waste management firms like Advetec North America are helping organizations transform their operations. By removing organics from non-recyclable waste streams, our in-vessel biotechnology solutions enable the responsible disposal of contaminated recyclates in landfills — preventing the production of methane and carbon emissions, plus leachates that pollute local waterways and pose a threat to wildlife — as well as the creation of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), known as floc.
Material which would usually require six to eight weeks to compost takes just two days instead, with the SRF-grade output boasting a high calorific value that perfectly suits coal-replacement applications, helping decarbonize industries such as cement production and aviation fuel.
Keen to continue the conversation? Talk to our experts about transforming your waste disposal practices to curb emissions, reduce costs, and improve human health.