Note: Disposal includes total landfill in state and total exported tons reported at the time but does not include transformation.
Data Source: CalRecycle, Landfill Tonnage Reports and California Air Resources Board, California Greenhouse Gas Inventory - by Sector and Activity
Analysis by CEC Economics
Highlight
- In 2022, landfill emissions (as part of the included emissions) were down 1.9% (7.9 MMTCO2e) and landfill emissions from biogenic materials were down 0.5% (7.9 MMTCO2e in 2022)21 compared to 2021. Landfill emissions as part of the included emissions have changed little from the 2010s while landfill emissions from biogenic materials have plateaued since 2020.
21 Biogenic materials, which are organic in nature, can produce methane gas as they decompose in landfills.
Challenge
- Californians have been disposing of an increasing amount of waste in landfills since 2012. Californians exported or sent 39.5 million tons of waste to landfills in 2022, down 1.3 million tons from 40.8 million tons in 2021, but up 10.2 million tons compared to 29.3 million tons in 2012. The recycling rate was 41% in 2022,22 similar to 2021 (42%) and 2020 (40%), but has been falling since 2014, when recycling rate peaked at 50%. This represents just little over half of the 75% recycling rate goal defined by AB 341.23
22 CalRecycle. State of Disposal and Recycling and Exports in California for Calendar Year 2022. February 2024. Accessed October 5, 2024. Retrieved from: https://www2.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Details/1732
23 California Legislative Information. AB-341 Solid waste: diversion. Retrieved from: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120AB341
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