Landfills contribute 20% of Canada's methane emissions and are a priority target for emission reduction. In 2015, 63% of methane emissions from landfills evaded capture and were emitted into the atmosphere, representing a significant gap in mitigating methane release.
With landfills mainly managed at the municipal level, they are critical for achieving net-zero emissions at both the local and national scales. With the burden on municipalities to manage landfill emissions, new and innovative mechanisms are urgently required for improved methane capture.
The Mitigation of Methane Emission Hot-spots from Municipal Landfills project aims to assess the impact of hot-spots associated with landfill infrastructure on methane emissions through new developments in hyperspectral imaging and state-of-the-art expertise in methane monitoring.
Working with municipal partners across southern Ontario, our hope is to provide tools that will help municipalities to better monitor and reduce landfill emissions, applicable to landfills across the country, and contribute to federal priorities for reducing national emissions and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
News
Laura Hug selected among delegates for the 2024 edition of Science Meets Parliament
Congratulations to Laura Hug, Lead Principal Investigator, NSERC Tier II Canada Research Chair in Environmental Microbiology, and Associate Professor in Biology for being selected as a Delegate for the 2024 Science Meets Policy program!
Laura Hug featured on final episode of BBC Radio 4 Series “Bacteria: The Tiny Giants”
Laura Hug, Lead Principal Investigator, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Microbiology, is featured in the third and final episode of the BBC Radio 4 Series Bacteria: The Tiny Giants.
Undergraduate student Emma Roy reflects on working at landfills
Undergraduate senior thesis researcher Emma Roy reflects on her term conducting fieldwork at landfill sites.