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Waste

Waste is responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Waste

Did you know that waste is responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions in Newfoundland and Labrador? As a result, taking action to reduce waste at home and at work is an important step in taking action on climate change.

Waste and Climate Change

Climate change is being caused by the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere as a result of human activities. Methane is one of most abundant greenhouse gases released as a result of human activities, second only to carbon dioxide. Methane is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere. One of the largest sources of methane globally (and in Newfoundland and Labrador) is waste, as methane is produced when buried organic materials, like food scraps, decay in a landfill.

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Taking Action

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The MMSB estimates that Newfoundland and Labrador produces about 400,000 tonnes of waste each year, with each person in the province generating 2 kg of waste per day. As a result, one of the key ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Newfoundland and Labrador is to reduce the amount of waste we generate. Fortunately, there's a lot we can do to cut back on the amount of waste we produce.