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Fast Company
4 hours ago
- Health
- Fast Company
Colorado's landfills generate as much pollution as driving 1 million cars for a year
Remember the banana peels, apple cores, and leftover pizza you recently threw in the garbage? Today, your food waste—and your neighbors'—is emitting climate-warming greenhouse gases as it decomposes in a nearby municipal landfill. Buried food scraps and yard waste at 51 dumps across Colorado generate an amount of methane equivalent to driving 1 million gasoline-powered cars for a year. About 80 times as potent as carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas over a period of 20 years, methane accounts for 11% of global emissions that scientists say are warming the atmosphere and contributing to more intense and severe weather, wildfires, and drought. Landfills are the third-largest source of methane pollution in Colorado, after agriculture and fossil fuel extraction. Draft methane rules released last month by the state's Department of Public Health and Environment would, for the first time, require some dump operators to measure and quantify methane releases and to fix leaks. The proposal mandates that waste managers install a gas collection system if their dump generates a certain amount of the climate-warming gas. It also addresses loopholes in federal law that allow waste to sit for five years before such systems are required—even though science has shown that half of all food waste decays within about three and a half years. The draft rule surpasses U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards in the amount of landfill area operators must monitor for emissions. It's set to be heard by the state's Air Quality Control Commission in August. Proposed regulations require the elimination of open gas flares—burning emissions directly into the atmosphere—and urge the use of biocovers and biofilters, which rely on bacteria to break down gases. The 70-page draft also calls for more routine and thorough monitoring of a dump surface with advanced technologies like satellites, which recently recorded large plumes of methane escaping from a Denver-area landfill. 'We've had our eyes opened thanks to technology that has made the invisible, visible—now we know the extent of the problem, which is much greater than what estimates have portrayed,' said Katherine Blauvelt, circular economy director at Industrious Labs, a nonprofit working to decarbonize industry. 'When landfill operators fail to control leaks, we know harmful pollutants are coming along for the ride.' Cancer-causing volatile organic compounds, such as benzene and toluene, escape with methane leaching from landfills. These chemicals also contribute to the formation of lung-damaging ozone pollution, an increasing problem for the 3.6 million people who live in the greater Denver metropolitan area. Indeed, the region along the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains ranked sixth in the nation for the most polluted air—with unhealthy ozone levels reported on one out of every 10 days, on average, according to the American Lung Association's 2025 'State of the Air' report. The state is also woefully behind in its compliance with federal air quality standards. State officials and environmental advocates agree that reducing methane emissions from landfills, which are easier to mitigate than cow burps, for example, is one of the quickest and most efficient ways to slow warming in the short term. 'Waste deposited in landfills continues producing methane for decades as it breaks down—and it's one sector where Colorado has yet to directly take action to reduce these greenhouse gases,' said Tim Taylor, a supervisor in the state's air pollution control division, in an online hearing last February on the proposed landfill methane rules. Colorado's draft regulations are similar to those in California, Oregon, Maryland, and Washington, he added. More than 10 landfills in the state are already required under federal rules to have gas collection and control systems. Yet even with such technology in place, disposal facilities routinely exceed federal methane emissions caps. The state's health department has also identified a dozen municipal solid waste landfills, based on a preliminary analysis, that would be required to put such systems in place under the proposed rules, Zachary Aedo, an agency spokesman, said in an email to Capital & Main. Many of these facilities are operated by counties, some of which expressed concerns about their ability to pay for such systems. 'We are a small rural county, and a multimillion-dollar containment system is going to be more than we can build,' testified Delta County Commissioner Craig Fuller at the February hearing. 'The financial equation of this whole thing is absolutely mind-boggling—we are struggling as it is to provide health and human services.' Other county officials embraced the proposed tightening of rules. 'Landfills across Colorado, including in Eagle County, are leading sources of methane pollution,' said Eagle County Commissioner Matt Scherr in a March 6 statement. 'As a local elected official I support a robust rule that embraces advanced technologies to cut pollution, protect public health and help the methane mitigation industry thrive.' For larger landfill companies, like Waste Management, which operates 283 active disposal sites nationwide, figuring out which technology works to best monitor emissions from a dump's surface is proving a complex challenge. The company is testing technologies at facilities with different topographies and climate fluctuations to understand what causes emissions releases, said Amy Banister, Waste Management senior director of air programs. 'Landfills are complicated, emissions vary over time, and we have emissions 24/7,' said Banister at an online meeting last September of a technical group created by Colorado health department officials. 'Drones produced a lot of false positives—and we need more work understanding how fixed sensors can be applied in a landfill environment.' State health officials suggested municipalities could offset the costs of installing gas collection systems at disposal sites by converting methane into energy. Several landfill operations in Colorado currently have such waste-to-energy systems —which send power they generate to the state's power grid. 'We are mindful of the costs of complying with this rule and how tipping fees may be impacted,' said Taylor, an air quality supervisor, at the February hearing. 'Analyses conducted in other states of their landfill methane rules found there wasn't an increase in tipping fees as a result of regulations over time.' Tipping fees are paid by those who dispose of waste in a landfill. If operators passed on compliance costs to households, a state analysis found, the yearly average annual fee would increase $22.90 per household. Colorado's push comes as the EPA issued an enforcement alert in September that found 'recurring Clean Air Act compliance issues' at municipal solid waste landfills that led to the 'significant release of methane,' based on 100 inspections conducted over three years. Such violations included improper design and installation of gas collection and control systems, failure to maintain adequate 'cover integrity,' and improper monitoring of facilities for emissions. To address gaps in federal regulations, which require operators to measure emissions four times a year by walking in a grid pattern across the face of the landfill with a handheld sensor, Colorado's draft rules require third-party monitoring. Such measurements must be conducted offsite by an entity approved by the state's air pollution control division that uses a satellite, aircraft or mobile monitoring platform. The infrequency of such grid walks—which skip spots that operators deem dangerous—contributes to the undercounting of methane emissions from landfills, according to a satellite-based analysis. An international team of scientists estimated potent greenhouse gas emissions from landfills are 50% higher than EPA estimates. Satellites like one operated by nonprofit Carbon Mapper found large methane plumes outside the quarterly monitoring periods over the Tower Landfill in Commerce City, northeast of Denver. The satellite allowed scientists to see parts of the landfill not accessible with traditional monitoring—measurements that found that such landfills are underreporting their methane emissions to state regulators, said Tia Scarpelli, a research scientist and waste sector lead at Carbon Mapper. 'Landfill emissions tend to be quite persistent—if a landfill is emitting when it's first observed, it's likely to be emitting later on,' she added. Scarpelli cautioned that it's important for regulators to investigate with operators what was happening on the landfill surface at the time the leak was measured. Tower Landfill's operator, Allied Waste Systems of Colorado, provided reasons for such large methane releases in a January 2024 report to the state's health department, including equipment malfunctions. The fix for about 22 emissions events over the federal methane limits detected in August 2023 by surface monitoring: 'Soil added as cover maintenance.' Like many dumps across Colorado and the nation, the Tower Landfill is located near a community that's already disproportionately impacted by emissions from industrial activities. 'These landfills are not only driving climate change, they are also driving a public health crisis in our community,' said Guadalupe Solis, director of environmental justice programs at Cultivando, a nonprofit led by Latina and Indigenous women in northern Denver. 'The Tower Landfill is near nursing homes, clinics, near schools with majority Hispanic students.' Physicians in the state warned that those who live the closest to dumps suffer the worst health effects from pollutants like benzene and hydrogen sulfide, which are linked to cancer, heart, and other health conditions. 'People living near landfills, like myself, my family and my patients, experience higher exposure to air pollution,' testified Dr. Nikita Habermehl, a specialist in pediatric emergency medicine who lives near a landfill in Larimer County, at the February 26 public hearing, 'leading to increased rates of respiratory issues and headaches and asthma worsened by poor air quality.'
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Trump reveals marriage advice he offered Macron after discussing disturbing Brigitte slap with French president
DONALD Trump has given Emmanuel Macron marriage advice following viral footage of the French President being shoved in the face by his wife. The unbelievable video was captured as the pair landed in Vietnam for the start of a tour of Southeast Asia last week. 5 Donald Trump revealed his advice to Macron following his humiliating smack Credit: Getty 5 The French President was recorded being hit in the face by his wife Credit: Reuters 5 The pair put on a united front following the viral clip Credit: EPA It showed the embarrassing moment he was smacked in the face by his former teacher and wife Brigitte, just before they were about to get off the presidential aircraft. Fox News correspondent Deter Doocy questioned the Don about the bizarre clip. He asked "Do you have any world leader-to-world leader marital advice?" The President responded: "Make sure the door remains closed." His advice was met with laughter in the Oval Office where he was holding a good-bye press conference for departed DOGE head Elon Musk. Trump, who has been married three times, also joked about Macron: "That was not good. "I spoke to him." He said: "He's fine. They're fine. They're two really good people. "I know him very well, and I don't know what that was all about." Trump added: "But I know him very well, and they're fine." Bizarre moment Emmanuel Macron is SLAPPED by his wife Brigitte while 'bickering' as they got off plane in Vietnam His comments prompted an interjection from Musk, who said: "I know a little shiner here." The world's richest man quipped about is clearly visible black eye. He later revealed the source of his injury, saying: "I was just horsing around with Little X. "I said go ahead, punch me in the face." "And he did. Turns out even a five year old punching you in the face," Musk explained. In the jaw-dropping footage of Macron being slapped by his wife last Sunday evening, he is seen facing Brigitte with a stern look. Within seconds, Brigitte's arms pop into view, with both of them raised to Macron's face in what appears to be a small blow and shove. Appearing shocked, the French leader immediately notices the doors open and quickly turns to wave at the sea of cameras at the bottom of the plane steps. 5 French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media in Singapore on May 30 during his Asia tour Credit: AP 5 Trump and Elon Musk in a farewell press conference in the Oval Office Credit: Reuters The couple then emerge together from the aircraft and walk down the staircase, with Macron extending his arm to his wife. But she takes hold of the handrail of the walkway for support instead, potentially due to an explosive argument they could have had inside. The clip of the fighting couple rapidly went viral, with media trying to decipher the interaction that cameras spotted through the just-opened door of the plane. But Macron slammed claims that the pair were in a heated argument and instead said they were joking around. He then appeared to laugh off the viral incident by creeping his hand round the corner of his jet's entrance for a brief, mocking wave as he prepared to be welcomed to Indonesia. What does the body language say? Our body language expert Judi James takes a look at the shocking moment Macron appears to be slapped by his wife. Judi said: "I find it shocking that they've attempted to explain it by saying that it was just play, just a couple letting off steam. "Her hand comes out and presses against his face, and if anybody wants to try this on themselves, you'll feel how vulnerable it makes you feel. "Macron looks rather shocked. We can see later on, if we look at a close up of his hand, we can see that it's bored into a fist. The knuckles look white - so clearly a lot of pent up tension. "These are veterans of being on the world stage. "They know that when the plane lands, if they did want to have a little bit of fun and laughter, they would do it before they got to the plane door. "When we see them emerging, there's this attempt to sort of do a glow up, to pretend that nothing happened. "That's not normal body language behaviour in any relationship. I find it very worrying, as well as disturbing." After a brief moment, he walked out into full view at the top of the plane's stairs. But this time, he locked arms with his wife Brigitte as they headed out to greet officials. Macron gave the cameras a thumbs up as the couple began to descend the stairs. Although French officials have dismissed negative speculation, the eyebrow-raising incident is just the latest in a relationship that has been plagued with scandal and controversy. The French president was just 15 years old (which is the age of consent in France) when he met the woman who he would go on to make his First Lady. At the time she was 39 years old and married with three children - and his drama teacher in school. Body language expert Judi James said that Brigette, 25 years Macron's senior, seemingly attacked her husband in a non-playful manner.
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Trump reveals marriage advice he offered Macron after discussing disturbing Brigitte slap with French president
DONALD Trump has given Emmanuel Macron marriage advice following viral footage of the French President being shoved in the face by his wife. The 5 Donald Trump revealed his advice to Macron following his humiliating smack Credit: Getty 5 The French President was recorded being hit in the face by his wife Credit: Reuters 5 The pair put on a united front following the viral clip Credit: EPA It showed the embarrassing moment he was smacked in the face by his former teacher and Fox News correspondent Deter Doocy questioned the Don about the bizarre clip. He asked "Do you have any world leader-to-world leader marital advice?" The President responded: "Make sure the door remains closed." read more world news His advice was met with laughter in the Oval Office where he was holding a good-bye press conference for departed DOGE head Elon Musk. Trump, who has been married three times, also joked about Macron: "That was not good. "I spoke to him." He said: "He's fine. They're fine. They're two really good people. Most read in The US Sun "I know him very well, and I don't know what that was all about." Trump added: "But I know him very well, and they're fine." Bizarre moment Emmanuel Macron is SLAPPED by his wife Brigitte while 'bickering' as they got off plane in Vietnam His comments prompted an interjection from Musk, who said: "I know a little shiner here." The world's richest man quipped about is clearly visible black eye. He later revealed the source of his injury, saying: "I was just horsing around with Little X. "I said go ahead, punch me in the face." "And he did. Turns out even a five year old punching you in the face," Musk explained. In the jaw-dropping footage of Macron being slapped by his wife last Sunday evening, he is seen facing Brigitte with a stern look. Within seconds, Brigitte's arms pop into view, with both of them raised to Macron's face in what appears to be a small blow and shove. Appearing shocked, the French leader immediately notices the doors open and quickly turns to wave at the sea of cameras at the bottom of the plane steps. 5 French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media in Singapore on May 30 during his Asia tour Credit: AP 5 Trump and Elon Musk in a farewell press conference in the Oval Office Credit: Reuters The couple then emerge together from the aircraft and walk down the staircase, with Macron extending his arm to his wife. But she takes hold of the handrail of the walkway for support instead, potentially due to an explosive argument they could have had inside. The clip of But He then appeared to What does the body language say? Our body language expert Judi James takes a look at the shocking moment Macron appears to be slapped by his wife. Judi said: "I find it shocking that they've attempted to explain it by saying that it was just play, just a couple letting off steam. "Her hand comes out and presses against his face, and if anybody wants to try this on themselves, you'll feel how vulnerable it makes you feel. "Macron looks rather shocked. We can see later on, if we look at a close up of his hand, we can see that it's bored into a fist. The knuckles look white - so clearly a lot of pent up tension. "These are veterans of being on the world stage. "They know that when the plane lands, if they did want to have a little bit of fun and laughter, they would do it before they got to the plane door. "When we see them emerging, there's this attempt to sort of do a glow up, to pretend that nothing happened. "That's not normal body language behaviour in any relationship. I find it very worrying, as well as disturbing." After a brief moment, he walked out into full view at the top of the plane's stairs. But this time, he locked arms with his wife Brigitte as they headed out to greet officials. Macron gave the cameras a thumbs up as the couple began to descend the stairs. Although French officials have The French president was just 15 years old (which is the age of consent in At the time she was 39 years old and married with three children - and his drama teacher in school. Body language expert Judi James said that Brigette, 25 years Macron's senior, seemingly attacked her husband in a
RTÉ News
8 hours ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
EPA report lets cat out of the bag on greenhouse gas emissions
Confirmation from the Environmental Protection Agency over the past few days that Ireland has gone backwards on its greenhouse gas emissions targets is hugely disappointing. People are blue in the face, listening to government ministers and policy makers constantly highlighting the important of climate action and their commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Now however, the EPA has let the cat out of the bag. Despite all that talk, the gap to where Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions must be by 2030 is widening. And it is not widening by a little. It is widening by a lot. The legally binding target is for Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions to be 51% lower, in 2030, than they were in 2018. A year ago, EPA analysis suggested that if every realistic climate policy in the Climate Action Plan was delivered on time, ahead of 2030, it might be possible to cut emissions by 29%, at most. Now, after receiving updates from Government departments and agencies, the EPA says the maximum reduction achievable, is only 23%. Either number - a cut of 23% or 29% - represents a massive failure. There is the global warming potential, and the climate damage, caused by not cutting emissions fast enough. But there is also a huge cost to the taxpayer. Recent analysis from the Irish Fiscal Council and the Climate Change Advisory Council suggested it could cost the taxpayer up to €26 billion for carbon credits by 2030, to make up the shortfall envisaged last year. But now that the emissions gap is bigger, the bill to the taxpayer will be bigger too. This feels like some kind of disaster unfolding in slow motion. The focus must shift from policy aspiration to practical implementation The key reason is that despite all the talk from politicians there is not enough focus on implementing and delivering the climate-related policies the government has signed up to. That is what Laura Burke, the Director General of the EPA, said when she launched the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections Report last Wednesday. "This highlights the economy-wide effort needed to decarbonise our society and the focus must shift from policy aspiration to practical implementation." That was how she put it. A key paragraph on page 10 of the EPA report, goes right to the heart of why we are going backwards. Know first, that these latest emissions projections were done on the basis of the official "Climate Action Plan 2024", published at the end of 2023. On page 10 the EPA report explains that: "Climate Action Plan 2025 is not specifically referenced in this report as it had yet to be published during the preparation phase of the 2024-2055 projections. A review was undertaken and there are no significant additional measures in CAP 2025 therefore no major omissions in these projections." What this paragraph is saying is that, with so few years to go before the crucial 2030 deadline, an entire year has been allowed to pass without a single important climate initiative, or effort, having been added to the policy mix. Yet there is no time to waste. Notwithstanding the need to constantly come up with new policy initiatives, the number one thing should be to deliver, as quickly as possible, on the climate- related commitments already made. Delaying difficult but inevitable changes only makes them harder to implement. It will not make them go away. 'Sustainable transport' Climate Action Plan 2023 introduced a so-called "Avoid-Shift" policy on transport. The aim was to introduce behavioural change and sustainable transport measures to save 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Central to that was a commitment to increase the price of petrol and diesel out to 2030 to encourage people to choose other modes of transport. So far there is no sign of any willingness by Government to follow through on that. But if they are not going to do it, what are they going to do instead to deliver the promised emissions reduction? Last year the target was 945,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030. This year the EPA says the maximum possible is 640,750. Many observers doubt even that amount can be achieved - especially since tax incentives to encourage electric vehicle purchases have been reduced in recent years. What will the Government do to address that? There is also a commitment in the Climate Action Plan to use behavioural and sustainable transport measures to engineer a reduction in total vehicle kilometres travelled. We are still waiting for that, and very much more. Time is running out for climate action. We have one year less to go to an immovable deadline in 2030. The clear message from the EPA this week is that government inaction is the core of the problem and the potential bill for the public, which is already enormous, is rising by the day.
IOL News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Next Gen stars run amok at Roland Garros
Novak Djokovic has a list of Next Gen stars to beat to his 25th Slam title. Photo: EPA Whoever branded Roland Garros as 'Couture On Clay', has clearly never been. The French Open is no catwalk, nor cakewalk. It 's the most physically grueling and unpredictable of all four Slams, synonymous with bad injuries and major upsets: 16th Seed Grigor Dimitrov, one of the fittest on Tour, retired injured at two sets up, in his opener, versus American, Ethan Quinn. Former No 1, Daniil Medvedev and former Finalists, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karolina Muchova- not to mention Top 10, Alex De Minaur were all exiting turnstiles come Round 2, at the hand of rank outsiders. Tsitsipas' loss to Italian qualifier, Matteo Gigante, 6-4,5-7,6-2,6-4, being the most significant, in that it shone a spotlight on yet another emerging, aggressive Next Gen. As for leading Next Gen star, teenage Joao Fonseca, he reached another milestone, in progressing to the third round of a Major on debut, becoming the youngest Brazilian to win a clay court match since 1963 and leapfrogging up the rankings to No 54. He had to fell in form, 30th seed, Hugo Hurkacz, followed by French wild card, Pierre-Hughes Herbert, in a tight three-setter, 7-6(4), 7-6(4),6-4. Meanwhile his nemesis, 19-year-old, Miami champion, Jacob Mensik axed Hamburg Finalist, Alexandre Muller in straight sets. And the youngest of French musketeers, new No 1, Arthur Fils, under immense patriotic pressure on Court Phillips Chatriere, stole the show in an epic five-set thriller, in which he overcame Spain's Jaume Munar to earn his first ever victory on clay. Less fortunate but no less heroic, in terms of Herculean French effort, was veteran Gael Monfils brave 6-3, 4-6, ,6-3, 7-5 stand, against seemingly unstoppable British No 1, Jack Draper. If the French are impressing in their own arena, then so too are their arch-rivals across the channel: For first time in the Open era, three Brits - No's 1-3, Draper, Jacob Fearnley and Cameron Norrie have all progressed to Round 3 at Roland Garros. Take a bow Norrie, who took down Medvedev, in another hard fought five-setter, 7-5,6-3,4-6,1-6,7-5 in achieving this. Interestingly the Top billing, prematurely eliminated, namely Medvedev, Ruud and De Minaur have pointed fingers at the current mandatory scheduling on Tour: 'I don't think they have daughters..' complained the droll Russian. The Norwegian took it a step further: 'It's a rat race, if you skip a tournament, you lose out economically and financially..' Ruud, who was beaten 2-6,6-4,6-1,6-0, by Portuguese No 1, Nuno Borges, while nursing a lingering knee injury, was accusing the ATP system of making players feel obligated to play tournaments, while injured, at the risk of losing, or defending points. That said, those, forced to take an extended break, with an unplayable injury ,eg. World No 2, Carlos Alcaraz, or a drug ban, eg. World No 1, Jannik Sinner, do reap the rewards of rest, on their return: Both Nos 1 & 2 have cruised through to Round 3 on their respective sides of the Draw: Alcaraz producing mercurial shots, whist sending Hungarian No 1, Fabian Marozan- no pushover- packing. Sinner to date, not really tested by either newly married Arthur Rinderknech or retiring Richard Gasquet. Then there is the three ex French Open and current Olympic champion, who cares not a jot about rankings or finances, and is playing only to procure a 25th Singles title, with which to catapult himself into a stratosphere, reached by no other player- male of female, one Novak Djokovic. He too is taking scalps in week one (McKenzie McDonald & Corentin Moutet) but that 15-year-age difference, in a field full of Next Gen phenomena, could prove his stumbling block.
