User:Mboza013/Biodegradable waste

Globally, if food waste couple be represented as its own country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind China and the U.S.

Emissions from landfill sites account for 30% of the total anthropogenic methane emissions in Europe, 34% of those in the US, and 10% of anthropogenic methane emissions worldwide.

Landfill gas (LFG) is generated by degradation of the biodegradable waste fraction, and is influenced by waste physicochemical composition and environmental variables. LFG mainly consists of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and numerous trace components. Methane is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas after CO2 and is responsible for approximately 40% of global warming over the past 150 years

Further, for the past 25 years, global anthropogenic methane emissions have exceeded those from natural sources.

Studies have shown that the actual rate of gas production in a landfill is a function of waste composition (organic content), age (or time since placement), climate variables, moisture content, particle size, compaction and buffering capacity

Landfill gas emissions are one of the largest anthropogenic sources of methane especially because of food waste.

It has become important to reduce food waste related emissions by distinguishing between waste arising at two different stages in the food system: pre-consumer waste (from the manufacturing, processing, distribution and retailing of food) and consumer waste (arising in households, after purchase). A distinction is also made between two different types of emission; embedded emissions (generated during the production of food that is wasted) and waste disposal (from the processes of disposing waste food).

The main environmental threat from biodegradable waste is the production of landfill gases. Landfill gas (LFG) is generated by degradation of the biodegradable waste fraction, and is influenced by waste physicochemical composition and environmental variables. Studies have shown that the actual rate of gas production in a landfill is a function of waste composition (organic content), age (or time since placement), climate variables, moisture content, particle size, compaction and buffering capacity. LFG mainly consists of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and numerous trace components. Methane is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas after CO2 and is responsible for approximately 40% of global warming over the past 150 years. Further, for the past 25 years, global anthropogenic methane emissions have exceeded those from natural sources. Emissions from landfill sites account for 30% of the total anthropogenic methane emissions in Europe, 34% of those in the US, and 10% of anthropogenic methane emissions worldwide. Landfill gas emissions are one of the largest anthropogenic sources of methane especially because of food waste. Globally, if food waste couple be represented as its own country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind China and the U.S. It has become important to reduce food waste related emissions by distinguishing between waste arising at two different stages in the food system: pre-consumer waste (from the manufacturing, processing, distribution and retailing of food) and consumer waste (arising in households, after purchase). A distinction is also made between two different types of emission; embedded emissions (generated during the production of food that is wasted) and waste disposal (from the processes of disposing waste food).