We want to reduce the amount of organic material going to landfill where it makes sense to do so. However, when organic materials do end up in landfill, we need good systems to capture and manage the biogenic methane that is produced, so that as little as possible enters the atmosphere.
Consecutive emissions reduction plans and advice from He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission have identified the need to improve how landfill gas is managed in New Zealand. This part builds on the foundation proposed in the 2026 ETS annual regulatory review, testing measures to maximise the coverage of landfill gas capture for organic waste disposed of in landfill.
Audience for landfill gas management options
We welcome feedback from any submitter. The feedback questions in this section are targeted at disposal facility operators, landfill owners and councils (particularly those that also own landfills or are responsible for resource consenting). They may also be of interest to the broader waste management, minimisation and resource recovery sector; emissions trading scheme verifiers; other emissions trading scheme participants; and the biogas sector.
Abatement opportunities from landfill gas management
These options would have significant outcomes in cutting levels of biogenic methane and working towards New Zealand’s 2030 and 2050 methane reduction targets. Analysis indicates that the waste updates being consulted on through the 2026 ETS regulatory review are likely to deliver the most substantial emissions abatement for the waste sector.
The options outlined in part B target emissions from waste once it reaches landfill, while the measures outlined in part A focus on reducing emissions earlier in the waste system. Indicative modelling suggests that the options in part B are likely to achieve greater emissions reductions overall than those in part A, while collectively the two sets of options address emissions across the broader waste system.
