Which greenhouse gas is more potent than CO2 and is associated with landfills?

Methane is considered a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (CO2) and is significantly associated with landfills. When organic waste decomposes anaerobically—meaning it breaks down without oxygen—methane is produced as a byproduct. This gas has a much higher global warming potential than CO2, approximately 25 times over a 100-year period. Its potency in terms of the greenhouse effect makes it crucial to monitor and manage methane emissions from landfills to mitigate climate change.

On the other hand, while nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide can also affect air quality and climate, they do not have the same direct link to landfill operations as methane does. Nitrogen dioxide is primarily a pollutant from vehicle emissions, ozone is a secondary pollutant formed in the atmosphere, and carbon monoxide is mainly produced from incomplete combustion. Thus, none of these gases are as relevant or impactful as methane in the context of landfill emissions and their contribution to greenhouse gas concentrations.