Methane isn’t a uniquely waste related problem, but it certainly is important. Landfills are the world’s third largest source of human-related Methane. Methane, or CHâ‚„, is a highly flammable greenhouse gas. This means that, when in the atmosphere, Methane can trap heat from escaping into space, leading to the climate change trends we are seeing now. Methane is significantly more potent than Carbon Dioxide, another common greenhouse gas. The difference is that Carbon Dioxide is used by plants, and therefore taken out of the atmosphere, whereas Methane is not. Being highly flammable, Methane can light landfills on fire if sparked. Methane can also find its way through water and gas lines into homes, and build up and potentially cause an explosion. Methane can be burned to get rid of it, but currently the United states is not investing in that technology, and so our Methane escapes into the atmosphere to heat up the planet.
Methane Fire
