“Sometimes it’s surprising to see a methane cloud getting out of the site and running for five kilometers.” — Antoine Lair, Solid Waste Landfill Business Expert, Veolia.
If you’re managing a landfill, you already know that methane management is not an easy task. For years, landfills have quietly done the job of taking in the world’s waste and breaking it down but producing methane in the process. Gas collection systems, ground monitoring, and periodic surveys have been the standard for years, but are you truly seeing the full extent of your landfill’s methane emissions?
Many landfill operators assume that they have a good grasp on their emissions based on models, regulatory reports, and manual inspections. But when Veolia—a global leader in waste, water and energy solutions—started using satellites to track landfill methane, they discovered that methane plumes were moving up to five kilometers beyond the landfill boundary.
This isn’t just a Veolia problem. It could be happening at your landfill, too.
Methane from landfills is dynamic and shifts emission source due to the ongoing activity, unlike factory emissions, which come from chimneys or pipelines. Methane, being invisible, moves with the wind and can be persistent and dispersed beyond the landfill itself. Without the right tools, these emissions go undetected, unmeasured, and unmanaged.
They weren’t the only ones facing emissions challenges. WM Inc., North America’s largest waste services provider, operates more than 250 active landfill sites and has long relied on models and periodic surface monitoring. But as Amy Bannister, Senior Director at WM Inc., put it: “Landfills are very dynamic and complex. They’re a biologic kind of entity. They’re also in a constant state of construction. No two landfills behave the same way.”
This complexity makes methane difficult to track with traditional methods alone. In a recent webinar hosted by GHGSat, experts from Veolia, Waste Management, and CATF shared how satellite data is changing the way methane emissions are managed.
Are You Seeing the Whole Picture?
For decades, landfill operators have relied on a mix of surface-level scans, models and manual surveys to estimate the methane emissions. While these methods offer some insights, they are limited by access, frequency, and accuracy. “Landfills are highly dynamic environments. They don’t behave like fixed industrial sites with controlled emissions,” explained Bannister. “We’re constantly expanding, repairing, and replacing gas collection systems, and emissions can vary from one day to the next.”
Landfill methane emissions are not static. This unpredictability creates major blind spots in traditional monitoring methods:
- Ground sensors only detect methane in a few specific spots, but emission sources shift with the wind, dispersing over large distances. If emissions are only measured at specific locations, entire methane hotspots can go undetected. What about the areas that sensors aren’t covering?
- Gas wells, waste composition, and operational activities impact methane production. A fixed monitoring system can’t track these shifts effectively.
- Drone surveys are expensive and only capture a snapshot in time, leaving emissions undetected for months.
- Some methane leaks only occur under specific conditions, making them difficult to detect through periodic inspections.
- Placing sensors across an entire landfill is impractical. Operators must guess where to place them, risking incomplete coverage.
- Mathematical models rely on assumptions about how much methane a landfill should be emitting, but these estimates don’t always match reality. What if the actual emissions are much higher than reported?
Emissions go undetected, and operators miss opportunities to fix problems before they escalate. “We had quantification data from 15 years ago using lidar methods,” said Lair. When Veolia first used satellite monitoring, they thought it would simply validate their existing models. Instead, they saw methane clouds traveling up to five kilometers from the landfill site.
For many operators, this is a wake-up call. What if unseen methane is costing you money, putting you at risk of non-compliance, and damaging your environmental reputation?
What you don’t see is costing you
- If methane is leaking beyond landfill boundaries without your knowledge, you’re at risk of non-compliance and regulatory fines.
- If your landfill underestimates methane emissions, your reports may not be accurate, leading to penalties.
- If you fail to capture and monetize methane, you’re losing a valuable revenue source.
Methane that isn’t measured = methane that isn’t managed.
As the push for sustainable practices intensifies, new technologies are providing landfill operators with fresh tools to meet this challenge, satellite data being one of the most powerful of them all. Lair stated that, “We can see the real impact of the activity. Before we could see this, the only level was to reduce the organic input to landfills or reduce the waste to landfills. Now we see that there is something to tackle – directly on the landfills site.”
The Satellite Advantage: Seeing What Others Can’t
Satellite technology offers a level of accuracy and coverage that traditional methods simply cannot match. Imagine being able to see your entire landfill’s methane emissions in a single scan, pinpointing leaks to its source. According to the panelists, this technology enables near-real-time monitoring of methane emissions, making it possible to detect emissions hotspots, track changes over time, and take immediate action.
This shift toward proactive monitoring is changing the way operators are tackling emissions. Where once landfill operators were reactive, satellite technology enables them to detect and mitigate methane emissions before they become a significant issue.
“We were able to see the real impact of the activity.” said Lair. This discovery wasn’t just about understanding the extent of the emission; it was about rethinking how the company can tackle it. Armed with accurate satellite data, operators can refine models and deploy more effective solutions.
Bannister explained, “The technologies and models we need to figure out how do we customize those?” Each landfill being distinct requires tailored solutions. Satellites provide a complete view of your emissions so you can optimize your operations and accelerate progress towards your emissions goals.
This level of precision and adaptability is especially powerful when considering the variety of landfill sites operators work with globally. Whether it’s a remote site, a closed landfill with difficult access, or a newly operational site in an urban setting, satellite technology ensures consistent emissions monitoring across diverse locations.
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF), a non-governmental organization (NGO) that works to reduce air pollution and promote zero-emissions, high-energy technologies and policies has been leveraging satellite remote sensing data in under-monitored regions, bringing critical insights to operators and policymakers alike.
For instance, in regions like Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where the landfill started receiving waste just a few years ago, satellites have been able to detect significant methane emissions—up to 2.7 tons of CH4 per hour. These emissions, detected by satellites such as those from GHGSat, highlight how advanced technology can identify leaks that traditional methods might miss, especially in new or rapidly developing landfills.
For landfill operators in regions where infrastructure is still growing or gas capture systems are newly installed, the ability to quickly detect methane emissions and pinpoint their sources is invaluable.
Traditional emissions estimates, often based on outdated models like first-order decay (FOD), are increasingly under scrutiny for their lack of accuracy and reliance on decades-old assumptions. Satellite data, however, provides a clear, verifiable picture of emissions in real time—ensuring operators can comply with evolving methane reduction targets. In the case of the Côte d’Ivoire landfill, the emissions detected by satellites serve as a wake-up call for regulators, proving that even newer sites can generate substantial emissions that require attention.
“Historically, the methane team at CATF has a ton of experience using infrared cameras to detect leaks at oil and gas facilities around the world. But now, we can apply similar remote sensing strategies to landfills, helping to detect emissions.”— Kait Siegel, Director of Waste Methane, Clean Air Task Force.
How satellite data keeps you ahead
“The first thing we learned was that, globally, our emissions weren’t far from our inventory estimates,” Lair explained. “But at individual sites, there were surprises. Some sites emitted much more than expected, while others emitted less. This helped us refine our models and see where adjustments were needed.”
One of the biggest advantages of satellite technology is that it allows landfill operators to continuously learn and improve their methane mitigation strategies. Unlike traditional monitoring, which provides snapshots at a single point in time, satellites offer a continuous, evolving dataset that captures trends over months and years.
Indeed, with global pressure mounting to reduce landfill methane emissions, regulators are now starting to demand more frequent and accurate reporting. Satellite data offers a solution, allowing operators to track emissions with greater frequency and accuracy, thereby avoiding fines and penalties.
But more than just compliance, the data provides operators with a way to demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship. This continuous learning loop ensures that landfill operators are not just addressing emissions reactively but are equipped to make long-term improvements. Operators who have integrated satellite monitoring are seeing major benefits in three key areas:
- Faster leak detection and response
- ️A multi-tiered approach for maximum accuracy
- Verified independent data.
For landfill operators, this means no more guessing—just real, measurable data that allows for immediate action.
Why Acting Now Makes Business Sense
1. Lost Methane = Lost Revenue
- Methane is not just an emission; it’s a revenue-generating resource when properly captured.
- Operators who capture methane can sell it as Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) or use it to power landfill operations.
- The U.S. RNG market was valued at $15 billion in 2023 and is expected to double by 2030.
2. Regulatory Pressure is Increasing
- Governments worldwide are setting aggressive methane reduction targets.
- The EPA’s updated methane reporting rules are pushing industries toward direct measurement instead of estimates—a shift expected to impact landfills next.
- The EU’s methane regulations are enforcing stricter emissions reduction targets, requiring frequent and accurate reporting.
3. Lower Compliance Costs & Avoided Fines
- Satellite monitoring helps operators take proactive action, avoiding regulatory fines.
- Operators can prove compliance with satellite-verified emissions data, reducing legal risks.
In plain words, operators who act now will be ahead of the curve and have a competitive edge and those who don’t will be playing catch-up.
Satellites are changing how you monitor emissions
Landfill methane is no longer an invisible issue. Regulators, investors, and communities are watching. If you don’t track and manage emissions, someone else will.
The key insights from industry experts made one thing clear that traditional monitoring is no longer enough. Examples from Veolia, Waste Management, and CATF show how satellites are transforming the way we approach methane mitigation. From pinpointing hidden emissions to optimizing gas collection systems, satellite technology is helping landfill operators take more effective action to reduce methane emissions.
Watch the full webinar to hear directly from industry leaders and take the first step toward smarter emissions management.
