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Issues: Oil & Energy

Is Landfill Gas Green Energy?

Landfills, long reviled by the environmental community, have in recent years benefited from numerous subsidies for landfill gas energy. This May 2003 NRDC paper looks at the health impacts from burning landfill gas, the sustainability of landfill gas, and the ability of the subsidies to promote landfilling over recycling. Landfill gas is a threat to human health and global warming. Energy projects reduce these impacts, but landfill gas is not renewable. As a result some subsidies are warranted, but they must be targeted carefully.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Links indicate sections available as individual webpages)
Executive Summary
Chapter 1: An Overview of Landfills and Landfill Gas
Chapter 2: Air Pollution
Chapter 3: Subsidies and Landfill-Gas Energy Economics
Chapter 4: Recommendations
Endnotes
Bibilography
Appendix A: Explanation of Calculations
Appendix B: Section 29 Tax Credit Calculations