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OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsand
LandManagementPractices

U.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency
OfficeofSolidWasteandEmergencyResponse




September2009

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

inanyfuturerevisionsofthisdocument.
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TableofContents
ExecutiveSummary 1
Introduction 1
UnderstandingU.S.GHGEmissions 2
LookingForward 5
Section1Introduction 6
Section2 UnderstandingU.S.GHGEmissions 10
Sector‐BasedViewofU.S.GHGEmissions 10
Systems‐BasedViewofU.S.GHGEmissions 11
MaterialsManagement 12
LandManagement 13
Other 16
Summary 18
Section3 PotentialGHGReductionsThroughMaterialsandLandManagement 19
ReducingGHGEmissionsthroughMaterialsManagementPractices 19
PotentialGHGEmissionsReductionsfromMaterialsManagement 22
ReducingorAvoidingGHGEmissionsthroughLandManagementPractices 23
PotentialGHGEmissionsReducedorAvoidedfromLandManagement 26
Section4LookingForward 28
AppendixA
TechnicalSupportforOpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterials
andLandManagementPractices A‐1

referredtoastotaltechnicalpotentialscenarios—asafirststeptoidentifyingareasofopportunityfor
EPAanditspartnerstoreduceGHGemissionsthroughmaterialsandlandmanagement.

Introduction
OSWERanditspartnersimplementenvironmentalprogramsthatarebroadlycategorizedintothree
areas:materialsmanagementthroughresourceconservationandrecovery;landmanagementthrough
preventionofcontaminantreleasesandcleanupandreuseofcontaminatedsites;andemergency
responseandpreparedness.Thesethreeprogramareasallhavedirectimpactsoncommunitiesacross
theUnitedStates.Materialsmanagementreferstohowwemanagematerialresourcesastheyflow
throughtheeconomy,fromextractionorharvestofmaterialsandfood(e.g.,mining,forestry,and
agriculture),productionandtransportofgoods,provisionofservices,reuseofmaterials,and,if
necessary,disposal.EPApromotesmaterialsmanagementapproachesthatservehumanneedsby
usingandreusingresourcesproductivelyandsustainablythroughouttheirlifecycles,minimizingboth
theamountofmaterialsinvolvedandtheassociatedenvironmentalimpacts.Landmanagementrefers
tohowwemanageanduselandtoprovideopenspaceandhabitat,food,naturalresources,and
placesforpeopletolive,work,andrecreate.EPApromotesintegratedlandmanagementstrategies
thatuselandasproductivelyandsustainablyaspossiblebypreventingandminimizingtheoccurrence
ofcontaminationandcleaningup,reusing,andrestoringcontaminatedlandforbeneficialreuse.EPA’s
emergencyresponseandpreparednessprogramswillhaveakeyroleinadaptingtotheenvironmental
changesspurredbyclimatechange.

Howwemanageourmaterialsandland—twoofOSWER’sthreecoreprogramareas—hasasignificant
impactonU.S.GHGemissionsandsinks.Strategiesforreducingemissionsthroughmaterialsandland
managementalsohavesubstantialenvironmentalandeconomicco‐benefitsforcommunities.

1
 IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange.FourthAssessmentReport(AR4).p.30.Availableat: />report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr.pdf
2
 ProposedEndangermentandCauseorContributeFindingsforGreenhouseGasesUnderSection202(a)oftheCleanAirAct.ProposedRule.74Fed.
Reg.18886‐18910.April24,2009.

theGHGemissionsassociatedwithmaterialsandlandmanagement,asshowninFigureES‐1.Appendix
Aprovidesthemethodologyusedforthisanalysis,includingkeyassumptionsandreferencesfor
sourcedata.

Combined,materialsmanagementisassociatedwithanestimated42%oftotalU.S.GHGemissions
andlandmanagementisassociatedwithanestimated16%oftotalU.S.GHGemissions.Basedona
preliminaryestimateprovidedinthisreport,GHGemissionsfromgreenfielddevelopmentare
equivalenttoapproximatelyanadditional4%oftotalU.S.emissions.
4
Theland‐basedcarbonsink
reportedintheInventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinkshasbeenincludedinthisfigure
tohelpconveytheeffectlandmanagementhasonU.S.emissionsandsinks.Theland‐basedcarbon
sinkisequivalentto13%of2006U.S.GHGemissions.
5


FigureES‐1showstherelativemagnitudeoftheemissionsassociatedwithmaterialsandland
management.ByallocatingtheemissionsreportedintheInventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissions

3
 U.S.EPA.2008.InventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinks:1990‐2006.Availableat:
/>version,InventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinks:1990‐2007,waspublishedin2009andcanbefoundat
eport.html.
4
EmissionsfromgreenfielddevelopmentarenotcalculatedintheU.S.Inventory,butthisestimatemayoverlapwithexistinglandsinkvalue.
5
 U.S.EPA.2008.InventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinks:1990‐2006.p.ES‐14.Availableat:
/>
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OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009

• In2006,waste‐to‐energyrecoverysystemscombustedMSWandresultedintheavoidanceof17
MMTCO
2
EinGHGemissions.
8

• In2005,EPA’sWasteWisepartnersreportedsourcereductionandrecyclingactivitiesthat
resultedintheavoidanceof27MMTCO
2
EinGHGemissions.
9

6
 ThefollowingtoolswereusedtocalculatetheselectedexamplesofGHGemissionsreductions,inadditiontothedatasourcesreferencedforeach
examplebelow:U.S.EPA.March2009.GreenhouseGasEquivalenciesCalculator;U.S.EPA.September2008.WAsteReductionModel(WARM);and
Fogt,Robert.2008.OnlineConversionToolforEnergy.
7
 U.S.EPA,OfficeofSolidWasteandEmergencyResponse.November2007.MunicipalSolidWasteGeneration, Recycling,andDisposalintheUnited
States:FactsandFiguresfor 2006,p.1‐8.
8
 Ibid.
9
 U.S.EPA.October2006.WasteWise2006AnnualReport .p.1.Availableat: />
3
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009
TohelpillustratethepotentialforGHGreductionandavoidanceopportunitiesfrommaterialsandland
managementpractices,thisanalysisincludesseveral“totaltechnicalpotential”scenarios.BoxES‐1

25% 20—50

MMTCO
2
E/yr
Reduce use of non-packaging paper products by:
10

50% 20—70

MMTCO
2
E/yr

25% 10—35

MMTCO
2
E/yr
Extend the life of personal computers by:

50% 25

MMTCO
2
E/yr

25% 15

MMTCO


50% 70—80

MMTCO
2
E/yr
Increase composting of food scraps from 2006 rate (2%) to:

100% 20

MMTCO
2
E/yr

50% 10

MMTCO
2
E/yr

25% 5

MMTCO
2
E/yr
Energy Recovery / Disposal

Combust percentage of currently landfilled MSW:

100% 70—120


50% 70

MMTCO
2
E/yr

25% 35

MMTCO
2
E/yr 10
Non‐packagingpaperproductsincludemagazinesandthirdclassmail,newspaper,officepaper,phonebooks,andtextbooks.

4
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009

5
Box ES-1: Summary of Total Technical Potential Scenarios
Land Revitalization

Estimated GHG
Emission Benefit*
Shift 60% of expected new development to compact development patterns:

2
E/yr Reuse percentage of qualifying EPA-tracked contaminated land for community and utility-scale

wind:
13

50% 20

MMTCO
2
E/yr

25% 10

MMTCO
2
E/yr
100% 0.4

MMTCO
2
E/yr
50% 0.2

MMTCO
2
E/yr
Reduce electricity use for the most energy-intensive treatment technolo
g
ies at National Priorities List


LookingForward
ThereisastronglinkbetweenU.S.GHGemissionsandthemanagementofmaterialsandland.EPA,
alongwithitspartners,canhelpaddressthechallengesofglobalclimatechangethroughmaterialsand
landmanagementprograms.Aswedevelopprogramsandpolicieswithourpartners,moredetailed
studiesthataccountforboththelimitationsandopportunitiesofeconomic,technical,andpolicy
aspectsofthescenariosintroducedinthispaperwillbeneeded.


11
Expectedannualbenefitthrough2030.
12
The100%scenariorepresents141timestheprojectedincreaseinsolarpowerbetween2008and2030.SeeAppendixformoredetail.
13
The100%scenariorepresents75%ofprojectedincreaseinwindpowerbetween2008and2030.SeeAppendixformoredetail.
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009
SECTION1
INTRODUCTION

Climatechangeisaseriousglobalchallenge.Atmosphericgreenhousegas(GHG)concentrationshave
increasedsignificantlyfrompre‐industriallevelsasaresultofhumanactivities.Warmingoftheclimate
systemisunequivocal,asisnowevidentfromobservationsofincreasesinglobalaverageairandocean
temperatures,widespreadmeltingofsnowandice,andrisingglobalaveragesealevel.
14
Furthermore,
theU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)hasproposedthatclimatechangeisprimarilythe
resultofGHGemissions,itseffectswillworsenovertimeintheabsenceofregulatoryactionandthe
overallrateandmagnitudeofhuman‐inducedclimatechangewilllikelyincrease,suchthatrisksto
publichealthandwelfarewilllikewisegrowovertimesothatfuturegenerationswillbeespecially
vulnerable;theirvulnerabilitywillincludepotentiallycatastrophicharms.

4
,N
2
O,and
HFCsfromnewmotorvehiclesandnewmotorvehicleenginescontributetotheatmospheric
concentrationsofthesekeygreenhousegasesandhencetothethreatofclimatechange.
19
EPAhas
alsoproposedtorequireGHGemissionsreportingbylargeemittersandannouncedplanstopropose

14
 IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange.FourthAssessmentReport(AR4).pp.30,74,189.Availableat: />report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr.pdf
15
 ProposedEndangermentandCauseorContributeFindingsforGreenhouseGasesUnderSection202(a)oftheCleanAirAct.ProposedRule.74Fed.
Reg.18886‐18910.April24,2009.
16
 Easterling,William,Hurd,Brian,andSmith,Joel.2004.CopingwithGlobalClimateChange:TheRoleofAdaptationintheUnitedStates.PewCenter
onGlobalClimateChange.
17
 Ibid.
18
IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange.2007.SummaryforPolicymakersinClimateChange2007:Impacts,AdaptationandVulnerability.p.15.
CambridgeUniversityPress,Cambridge,UnitedKingdomandNewYork,NY,USA.
19
ProposedEndangermentandCauseorContributeFindingsforGreenhouseGasesUnderSection202(a)oftheCleanAirAct.ProposedRule.74Fed.
Reg.18886‐18910.April24,2009.

6
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009
GHGemissionsstandardsforallnewcarsandlight‐dutytrucks(modelyears2012‐2016)soldinthe

significantopportunitiestoreduceoravoidGHGemissionsbyimprovingournation’smaterialsand
landmanagementpractices;theseapproachescomplementandsupportend‐of‐pipecontrols,sector‐
basedandothermitigationstrategies.

Materialsmanagementreferstohowwemanagematerialresourcesastheyflowthroughthe
economy,fromextractionorharvestofmaterialsandfood(e.g.,mining,forestry,andagriculture),
productionandtransportofgoods,provisionofservices,reuseofmaterials,and,ifnecessary,disposal.
EPApromotesmaterialsmanagementapproachesthatservehumanneedssustainablybyminimizing
theamountofmaterialsinvolvedandtheirassociatedenvironmentalimpacts.
26



20
Seee.g.,ProposedEndangermentandCauseorContributeFindingsforGreenhouseGasesUnderSection202(a)oftheCleanAirAct.ProposedRule.
74Fed.Reg.18886‐18910(April24,2009).NoticeofUpcomingJointRulemakingtoEstablishVehicleGHGEmissionsStandardsandCAFEStandards,
74Fed.Reg.24007(May22,2009).
21
 Emergencyresponseandpreparedn esswillbeacentralpartoftheresponsetoclimatechange,butisnotthefocusofthisdocument.
22
 U.S.DepartmentofEnergy,EnergyInformationAdministration.EnergyConsumption,Expenditures,andEmissionsIndicators,1949‐2007.
Table1.5Availableat: />23
 UniversityofMichigan,CenterforSustainableStudies.2002.U.S.MaterialsUseFactsheet.Availableat: />18.pdf
24
 U.S.EPA.2006.SolidWasteManagementandGreenhouseGases:ALifeCycleAssessmentofEmissionsandSinks.p.ES‐1.Availableat:
/>25
 KolankiewiczandBeck.2001.WeighingSprawlFactorsinLargeU.S.Cities:AnalysisofU.S.BureauoftheCensus
Dataonthe100LargestUrbanizedAreasoftheUnitedStates.Availableat: />26
 U.S.EPA.2003.BeyondRCRA:WasteandMaterialsManagementintheYear2020.Availableat: />“SustainableMaterialsManagement:TheRoadAhead”buildsonthisreportandisscheduledtobepublishedinFall2009


Bytakingadvantageofopportunitiespresentedbymaterialsandlandmanagement,EPAandits
partnerscancontributetoareductionoravoidanceofGHGemissionsaswellasimprovementto
publichealthandtheenvironment.

LeveragingOSWERprogramstoachievemeasurableclimatechangebenefitsinnowayreplacesor
supersedesotherOSWERprogramgoals.Rather,thisdocumentpromotestherecognitionthat
materialsandlandmanagementprogramshavesignificantclimatebenefitswhileyieldingpositive
environmental,economic,andsocietalco‐benefitsincommunitiesacrossthecountry.

Inthecaseofmaterialsmanagement,themajorityofGHGreductionbenefitsfromrecyclingorwaste
preventioncomefromtheenergysavingsfromavoidedresourceextractionandmaterials
processing.
29
Thisenergysavingscarriesco‐benefitsofimprovementsinlocalairquality.Similarly,the
conservationofrawmaterialreducesenvironmentaldegradationandwaterpollutionfrommining,
logging,andoilextraction.


Materialsmanagementoptionsoftenalsohaveeconomicbenefitsforcommunities.Forexample,
recyclingatonofmaterialcreatesmanymorejobsthansendingthesamematerialtoalandfill

27
 Ibid.
28
 Formoreinformationonthedefinitionofsmartgrowth,includingthetenbasicprinciplesofsmartgrowth,andsmartgrowthapproaches,referto:
/>29
 U.S.EPA.2006.SolidWasteManagementandGreenhouseGases:ALife‐CycleAssessmentofEmissionsandSinks.Availableat:
/>
8
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009

addition,wewillshareinformationonthemitigationimpactsofcurrentmaterialsandland
managementprogramsonGHGemissionsandultimatelydevelopmorespecificapproachesto
implementmaterialsandlandmanagementactivitiesthatcouldachieveGHGemissionreductions.

Theremainderofthisdocumentisorganizedintothefollowingsections.Section2presentsannual
GHGemissionsintheUnitedStatesusingtwoapproaches.Thesector‐basedapproachallocates
emissionstoeconomicorend‐usesectorsincludingtheelectricpowerindustry,transportation,
industry,agriculture,commercial,andresidentialsectors.Thesystems‐basedapproachreliesonthe
samedata,butapportionsemissionstomaterialsmanagement,landmanagement,andothersystems
todemonstratethepotentialimpactmaterialsandlandmanagementhaveontotalU.S.emissions.
Section3presentsresearchintothepotentialGHGreductionsthatcouldbeachievedthrougha
numberofmaterialsandlandmanagementapproaches.Section4summarizesthereportand
describesthedirectionthatfutureresearchmaytake.Finally,thedocumentappendix(Technical
SupportforOpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLand
ManagementPractices)presentsthedatasourcesandmethodologyusedtodevelopthisreport.

30
 ETAAC.RecommendationoftheEconomicandTechnologyAdvancementandAdvisoryCommittee(ETAAC).CaliforniaAirResourcesBoard.February,
2008.Available: />31
 NortheastRecyclingCouncil.“RecyclingEconomicInformationStudyUpdate:Delaware,Maine,Massachusetts,NewYork,andPennsylvania.”
February,2009.
32
 InstituteforLocalSelfReliance.“WastetoWealth.”AccessedJuly,2009.Available: />33
 Wernstedt,Kris.2004.“OverviewofExistingStudiesonCommunityImpactsofLandReuse.”NationalCenterforEnvironmentalEconomicsWorking
Paper#04‐06.U.S.EPA.
34
 Paull,Evans.2008.“TheEnvironmentalandEconomicImpactsofBrownfieldsRedevelopment.”Northeast‐MidwestInstitute.Availableat:
/>35
 Paull,Evans.2008;updatedJune11,2009.“EnergyBenefitsofUrbanInfill,Brownfields,andSustainableUrbanDevelopment:AWorkingPaper.”
Availableat: y_benefits_infill_brfds_final_12‐08.pdf

figure excludes emissions from U.S. territories, which are not allocated to economic sectors. 36
 U.S.EPA.2008.InventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinks:1990‐2006.Availableat:
/>version,InventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinks:1990‐2007,waspublishedin2009andcanbefoundat
eport.html.
37
 EmissionsfromU.S.territoriesarecategorizedasaseparatesector,totaling1%oftotalU.S.emissions;becausetheseemissionsarenotallocatedto
economicsectors,theyarenotdescribedhere.U.S.EPA.2008.InventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinks:1990–2006.Executive
Summary,TableES‐7:U.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsAllocatedtoEconomicSectors(TgCO
2
Eq.)Availableat:
/>
10
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009
Asector‐basedviewofemissions,becauseitdescribeswhereemissionsarereleased,canbehelpfulfor
framingend‐of‐pipestrategies,suchascarboncaptureandsequestrationatpowerplantsorbiofuel
substitutioninvehicles.Itisalsohelpfulforframingtechnologysubstitutionsthataffectaparticular
sector,suchashybrid‐electricvehicleenginesorsolarelectricitygeneration.

Asector‐basedviewofemissions,however,doesnotshowtherolethatmaterialsandland
managementplayinGHGemissions.Theemissionsassociatedwiththegoodswecreateandconsume,
forexample,areembeddedinportionsoftheIndustry(e.g.,miningandmanufacturing),ElectricPower
Industry(e.g.,electricityuse),Commercial(e.g.disposalofwastes),andTransportation(e.g.,freight)
sectors.Theemissionsrelatedtohowandwherewedeveloplandareassociatedwiththe
Transportation(e.g.,vehiclemilestraveled),Residential(e.g.,subdivisiondevelopment),Commercial
(e.g.,buildingconstruction),andElectricPowerIndustry(e.g.,electricityuse)slicesofthepiechartin
Figure1.


asshowninFigure3:ProvisionofGoodsandProvisionofFood.
39
Thematerialsmanagementsection
ofthepiechartrepresentsU.S.emissionsrelatedtotheextractionorharvestofmaterials(e.g.,mining
forestry,andagriculture),theproductionandtransportofgoodsandfood,theprovisionofservices,
andultimatelythedisposalofgoodsandfood(seeBox1).Everystepinthismaterialflowresultsin
environmentalimpacts,includingGHGemissions.
,

Figure 3
Systems-Based View of U.S. GHG Emissions (2006):
Highlighting Materials Management

This figure reflects the GHG emissions data shown in Figure 1, using a systems-based approach, as described in Appendix A.
Emissions from U.S. Territories are not included in this figure.
TheProvisionofGoodssliceofthepiechartrepresentstheemissionsassociatedwiththegoodsand
serviceswecreate,transport,anddisposeofonadailybasis.Itiscomposedofaporti onofemissions
fromalleconomicsectorsinFigure1,exceptAgriculture.Itscomponentsincludemostofthedirect
emissionsfromtheindustrialsector(withsomeexceptions,suchasfoodandfuelprocessing
40
),
38
 SeeAppendixAforadetaileddescriptionofthemethodologyusedtodevelopthepiechartspresentedinFigures2‐4.
39
 SeeAppendixAforadetaileddescriptiontheemissionsassociatedwithProvisionofGoodsandProvisionofFood.
40
 Someindustrialsectoremissionsareallocatedtootherslices,mostnotablyfoodprocessingemissions(allocatedtoProvisionofFood)andmost
emissionsfromextractionandprocessingoffossilfuels.Emissionsfrompetroleumandnaturalgasextractionandrefining,naturalgasdistribution,
emissionsfromalleconomicsectorsexceptResidential.It
includesdirectemissionsfromagriculturalsources,agricultural
sectorelectricityuse,transportoffood‐relatedproducts(freight),wastewatertreatment(exceptfor
emissionsfrompulpandpapermanufacturingandethanolproduction),theconsumptionoffueland
electricityinfoodandbeverageprocessing,leaksofhydrofluorocarbons(HFCs)fromrefrigeration
equipment,andcomposting.Carbonsequestrationonagriculturallandsiscapturedinthelandsink
discussedbelow.ProvisionofFoodisestimatedtoaccountfor895MMTCO
2
E,or13%,of2006U.S.
GHGemissions.
42


NotethattheU.S.GHGemissionspresentedinFigures1through5representemissionsthatare
releaseddomestically.Emissionsassociatedwithgoodsandservicesthatareproducedinother
countries(i.e.,emissionsassociatedwithextractionofrawmaterials,processing,andproductionof
goodsandservicesoutsidetheUnitedStates)butconsumedintheUnitedStatesarenotcapturedin
theU.S.Inventory,andthereforearenotreflectedhere.Correspondingly,theemissionsassociated
withgoodsandservicesproducedintheUnitedStatesthatareexportedforconsumptioninother
countriesareincluded.Manymaterialsmanagementstrategiesreduceemissionsfromproductionof
goodsoutsidetheUnitedStates,butthosepotentialreductionsarenotreflectedinthisdocument.If
U.S.emissionswerecalculatedusingatotallifecycleperspective,basedongoodsandservices
consumedratherthanproducedintheUnitedStates,theemissionsassociatedwithmaterials
managementwouldbegreaterthanisshownduetothelargequantityofgoodsthatareimported.
43


LandManagement
Thesystems‐basedviewalsohelpsconveytheeffectlandmanagementhasonU.S.GHGemissions.The
landmanagementportionofthepiechartshowninFigure4representstheemissionsandsinks


existing land sink value.
Landmanagementemissionsandsinksaredepictedasfourelementsinthesystems‐basedpiechart.
TheemissionssinkprovidedbysoilandgrowingvegetationintheUnitedStatesisdepictedasthe
outerringofthepiechart(LandSink).Also,therearetwoslicesinthepiechartassociatedwithland
management:Infrastructure,whichconsistsoflifecycleGHGemissionsfromconstructingand
maintainingroadsandwaterinfrastructure,andLocalPassengerTransport.Finally,anestimateofthe
emissionsassociatedwithGreenfieldDevelopmentisdepictedasafloatingpieslice.Further
descriptionofthesepiechartelementsfollows.

TheLandSink,shownastheouterringinFigure4,representstheamountoftotalU.S.emissionsthat
areoffsetbytheamountofcarbonthatisabsorbedbysoilandvegetationintheUnitedStates.The
UnitedStatesisamongthetopfourcountriesintheworldintermsoflandmass.Thislandmass
enablesthestorageandactiveabsorptionofcarbon
44
inthesoil,vegetation,andgroundlittercover
andisreferredtoastheLandSinkorland‐basedcarbonsinkinthisdocument.

Theamountofcarbondioxideequivalentthatisstoredbytheland‐basedcarbonsinkisreportedinthe
annualInventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinksasanegativenumberbecauseitoffsets

44
 CarbonsequestrationistheprocessbywhichambientCO
2
isabsorbedandstoredbyvegetation,orothermeans,andremovedfromthe
atmosphere.Foradditionalinformation,referto: />
14
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009
totalU.S.emissions.Thecarbonsinkisanetnumber.Themagnitudegivenforthesinkisnetoftwo
smallsourcesofpositiveemissionsfromlandandisdominatedbythenegativeemissionsfrom

development.
Combined, land management is associated
with an estimated 16% to 20%, of 2006 U.S.
anthropogenic emissions, and an emission
offset equivalent to 13% of 2006 U.S.
anthropogenic emissions.
Box 2: Impact of Land Management on
U
.
S
.
G
H
G
Emi
ss
i
o
n
s

InfrastructureisthenextelementofFigure4associatedwith
landmanagement.Thissliceofthepiechartrepresentsthe
emissionsassociatedwiththeconstructionandmaintenance
ofinfrastructure,includinghighways,streets,bridges,
tunnels,water,sewers,andpipelines.Infrastructureispartof
thelandmanagementsystembecauseinfrastructure
constructionandmaintenanceareintrinsicallylinkedwith
landmanagement.Developinggreenfieldsrequires
infrastructuretoconnectnewlydevelopedlandwithexisting

46
 Ibid,p.ES‐14.
47
 U.S.EPA.October1999.TheTransportationandEnvironmentalImpactsofInfillVersusGreenfieldDevelopment:AComparativeCaseStudyAnalysis.
Availableat: />FringeandBeyond:ImpactsonAgricultureandRuralLand.AgriculturalEconomicReportNo.803.Availableat:
/>andSustainableUrbanDevelopment:AWorkingPaper.”Availableat:
/>48
 SeeAppendixAformoredetailonhowtheestimateofGHGemissionsfrominfrastructuredevelopmenttonewlydevelopedgreenfieldwasderived.
49
Ewing,R.,Bartholomew,K.,Winkelman,S.,Walters,J.,andChen,D.2008.GrowingCooler:TheEvidenceonUrbanDevelopmentandClimate
Change.UrbanLandInstitute.Washington,D.C.

15
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009
extractingandprocessingfuelsusedforlocalpassengertransport.Theslicerepresents1,019
MMTCO
2
E,or15%of2006U.S.emissions.
50


ThefinallandmanagementelementofFigure4istheadditionalsliceoutsidethepiechart
representingGreenfieldDevelopment.Eachyear,millionsofacresofpreviouslyundevelopedor
agriculturalland(“greenfields”)aredeveloped,
51
resultinginGHGemissionsfromthecarbonsink
providedbyU.S.landandvegetation.However,theGHGemissionsassociatedwithgreenfield
developmentarenotcurrentlycalculatedintheInventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinks.
Becausetheseemissionsarerelateddirectlytolandcleanup,revitalizationandreuse,aroughestimate
waspreparedforthisreport.Thisestimateaccountsforforest,grassland,andagriculturalland

53
 ThisestimatewasbasedonmethodologiesandrecommendationsmadebytheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChangeinthe2006IPCC
GuidelinesforNationalGreenhouseGasInventories.TheInventoryofU.S.GreenhouseGasEmissionsandSinksalsoreliesonthisIPCCguidance.See
AppendixAforadescriptionofthemethodologyusedtodeveloptheestimateforgreenfielddevelopment.

16
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009
Figure 5
Systems-Based View of U.S. GHG Emissions (2006):
Highlighting Other Emissions

This figure shows the same systems-based allocation as Figures 2 through 4,
highlighting the slices not associated with materials management or land management.


UseofAppliancesandDevicesincludesemissionsresultingfromtheelectricityandfuelusedby
washingclothes,cooking,refrigeration,
54
andtheuseofofficeequipment,computers,andother
appliances,aswellastheindustrialemissionsassociatedwithextractingandprocessingtheassociated
fossilfuels.Thelifecycleassociatedwithprovisionofgoodsincludesemissionsfromtheuseof
products,soitcanbearguedthatemissionsassociatedwiththisslicecouldbeincludedinthe
ProvisionofGoodsand/orProvisionofFoodslicesundermaterialsmanagement.Wepresentitasa
separateslicefortworeasons.First,thesystemsarepartlychosentorepresentthedomainofa
particularsetofprevention‐orientedmitigationopportunities.Theopportunitiestoreduceemissions
fromtheUseofAppliancesandDevices—throughimprovedenergyefficiencyorchangesinconsumer
usagepatternsforexample—aredifferentfrommostmaterialsmanagementopportunitiesdiscussed
inthisreport,whichreducewasteorpromotematerialsefficiency.Second,energyefficiency
opportunitiestoreduceGHGemissionshavebeenwidelyexploredelsewhereandthisreportaimsto
highlighttheadditionalmaterialsmanagementopportunitiesthatarelesswell‐known.However,it

understoodcomprehensively,includetheusephaseofbuildings.Approximately1,719MMTCO
2
E,or
25%oftotalGHGemissionsareassociatedwiththisslice.

OtherTransportationEmissionsarelargelycomposedofemissionsfromlong‐distancepassenger
travel(90%oftheremaining“other”transportationemissions),includingemissionsfromaircraft,inter‐
cityrail,inter‐citybuses,cars,andlighttrucksmakinglong‐distancetrips,andupstreamindustrial
sectorfossilfuelcombustion.Miscellaneousemissions,primarilyfrommilitaryaircraftandrecreational
vehicles,comprisedtheother10%ofthiscategory.Inall,non‐localpassengertransportation
accountedfor666MMTCO
2
E,or9%ofUSGHGemissionsin2006.
56
Landmanagementpolicieshave
lessofaneffectonnon‐localtransportation,whichiswhytheseemissionsarepresentedseparately.
Prevention‐orientedpoliciestoreduceinter‐citypassengertransportationincludeactivitieswhichshift
traveltolower‐impactmodesandpromotemoreefficientloadingormovementwithinmodes.

Summary
Thesystems‐basedpiechartshowninFigures2through5providesasenseoftherelativemagnitude
ofemissionsassociatedwithmaterialsandlandmanagement.ByassessingU.S.GHGemissionsfroma
systemsperspective,itisevidentthatmanagementofmaterialsandlandhasasignificantimpacton
thenation’stotalGHGemissionsandsinks.AsshowninFigures3and4andhighlightedinBoxes1and
2,materialsandlandmanagementactivitiescombinetoinfluence58‐62%of2006U.S.anthropogenic
GHGemissions,whilealsooffsetting13%of2006U.S.anthropogenicGHGemissions.

Eachsliceofthesystems‐basedpiechartpresentsopportunitiesforprevention‐andsystems‐oriented
strategiestoreduceGHGemissions.SuchstrategiesforreducingGHGemissionsthroughmaterialsand
landmanagementincludematerialsefficiency,industrialecology,greendesign,landrevitalization,

Flow of Materials


Materialsmanagementseeksthemostproductiveuseofresourcesandfocusesbroadlyonimpacts
andpoliciesrelatingtoallofthestagesofmaterialflow.Byconsideringtheimpactsthroughoutthe
entirelifecycle,materialsmanagementworkstoreduceenvironmentalimpacts,both(1)directlyat
eachstageand(2)indirectlyatmultiplestagesbyreducingtheamountsofmaterialsused,andthus
reducingsystem‐wideenvironmentalimpacts,includingGHGemissions.Throughmaterials
managementapproaches,thesamelevelofservicecanbeprovidedwhilesubstantiallyreducingGHG
emissions.


57
 Lifecycleassessment,atechniqueforevaluatingallenvironmentalimpactsassociatedwithaproductthroughoutitslifecycle,canbehelpful
frameworkinthistypeofsystemsanalysis.

19
OpportunitiestoReduceGreenhouseGasEmissionsthroughMaterialsandLandManagementPractices September2009
Thewastemanagementhierarchyisaframeworkthatis
helpfulforunderstandinghowmaterialsmanagement
approachescanbeusedtoinfluencematerialsastheyflow
throughthemateriallifecycle(seeBox3).
58


Sourcereductiondescribesthepracticeofminimizingthe
useofrawmaterialinputsandsubstitutingreusableand
moresustainableinputstoreduceenvironmentalimpacts
andreducewaste.Thismayinvolvemodifyingmaterial
extractionandharvestingpracticesorimprovingproduct

Afterusingproducts,consumerscanreuse,recycle,ordisposeofthem.Reusingandrepurposing
productscandecreaseGHGemissionsbyavoidingtheneedtocreatenewproducts.Inaddition,using
recycledmaterialstocreatenewproductscanreducelifecycleGHGemissions.Whenneitherreuse
norrecyclingispossibleandproductsaredisposed,properdisposalpracticescanmitigateGHG
emissionsandenvironmentalimpactsandrecoveryoftheenergycontainedinmaterialscanreduce
GHGemissionsbyoffsettingfossilfuelcombustion.
59


Throughoutthematerialflow,usingimproveddistributionpracticestoreducetransportation
requirements,andpromotingthereuseandrecyclingofproductsandtheircomponentsthrough
closed‐looporotherapproachescanfurtherreducewasteandGHGemissions.

SignificantGHGemissionreductionshavealreadybeenachievedintheUnitedStatesbyEPA,states,
localgovernments,andstakeholdersthroughnumerousmaterialsmanagement‐relatedactivities(see
Box4).
60


58
 ForadditionalinformationontheWasteManagementHierarchy,referto: />59
 U.S.EPA.2006.SolidWasteManagementandGreenhouseGases:ALifeCycleAssessmentofEmissionsandSinks.ExhibitES‐4(NetGHGEmissions
fromSourceReductionandMSWManagementOptions(MTCE/Ton)),andp.13.Availableat:
/>60
 TheGHGemissionsestimatesinBox4relyonthefollowingdata.(1)HazardousandNon‐hazardousWasteMinimization:U.S.EPA,OfficeofSolid
WasteandEmergencyResponse.November2007.MunicipalSolidWasteGeneration,Recycling,andDisposalintheUnitedStates:FactsandFigures
for2006,p.1.(2)WastetoEnergy:U.S.EPA,OfficeofSolidWasteandEmergencyResponse.November2007.MunicipalSolidWasteGeneration,
Recycling,andDisposalintheUnitedStates:FactsandFiguresfor2006,p.8.(3)EPA’sResourceConservationChallenge:PartnershipPrograms,
MunicipalSolidWaste,WasteWise:U.S.EPA.October2006.WasteWise2006AnnualReport.p.1.Availableat:
/>Initiatives‐Electronics,Plug‐intoeCycling:Theinformationisbasedonpartnerreportedamountsofe‐wasterecycledin2007.(5)EPA’sResource

In 2005, EPA’s WasteWise partners reported source reduction and recycling activities that resulted in an avoidance of 27 MMTCO
2
E
in GHG emissions.
Tofurtherillustratesomeofthepotentialopportunitiesthatmaterialsmanagementapproaches
provideforreducingGHGemissions,thisanalysispresentsseveraltotaltechnicalpotentialscenarios.
TotaltechnicalpotentialscenariosaredefinedanddescribedinBox5.

Box 5: Total Technical Potential

These scenarios can be considered a first-step analysis for identifying areas of opportunity for EPA and its partners. As we consider
developing programs and policies, more detailed studies that account for economic and practical limitations and opportunities will be
needed. The scenarios suggest how to direct these future efforts to pursue options with the largest impact. Appendix A provides
additional details about the data sources, assumptions, and methodologies used to conduct these analyses.
Such scenarios are a common first step in climate policy analysis and allow for the examination of the GHG reduction potential of
various mitigation strategies. These total technical potential scenarios are useful for scoping the order-of-magnitude impact of an
activity and for identifying areas of promise for more detailed analysis. These scenarios suppose a change from current U.S. business-
as-usual practices and provide an estimate of the potential climate-related benefits from those changes (e.g., reduction in GHG
emissions measured in MMTCO
2
E). Some scenarios represent the GHG emission reduction that could be achieved in addition to
existing materials management practices (e.g., reducing packaging by 50%), while others represent the GHG emission reduction that
could be achieved from existing materials management practices that are enhanced (e.g., recycle 100% of construction and demolition
debris). It should be noted that these reduction rates do not represent EPA goals or targets.
The scenarios selected for this document represent a range of potential reductions (e.g., 0.2 to 2,200 MMTCO
2
E). The majority of
hypothetical reductions are on the same order of magnitude as individual options identified in climate change mitigation analyses
conducted by others (e.g., see McKinsey and Company, “Reducing U.S. GHG Emissions: How Much and at What Cost?” (2007)). For
at least one of these scenarios, landfill methane capture, economic analysis has also been performed which found significant lower-

Model(WARM)andavarietyofotherreports.Forfurtherexplanationofhowthefollowingestimates
weredeveloped,refertoAppendixA.

Thetotaltechnicalpotentialscenariosprovidedherearenotrepresentativeofallpossibleapproaches
toreduceGHGemissionsthroughmaterialsmanagement.Manyofthesescenariosfocusonthewaste
streambecausethedataarelimitedonmaterialsmanagementstrategiesthatfocusonotherpointsin
thematerialsflow.Asfurtherresearchiscompleted,additionaltotaltechnicalpotentialscenarioswill
bedevelopedtounderstandtheGHGemissionreductionsthatcouldbeachievedthroughoutthe
materialsflow.PotentialreductionsfromsomeactivitiesaresummarizedinBox6.

Box 6: Summary of Total Technical Potential Scenarios
Source Reduction
Estimated GHG
Emission Benefit*
Reduce packaging use by:
63

50% 40—105

MMTCO
2
E/yr

25% 20—50

MMTCO
2
E/yr
Reduce use of non-packaging paper products by:
64


MMTCO
2
E/yr

50% 75

MMTCO
2
E/yr

25% 40

MMTCO
2
E/yr
Increase national MSW recycling and composting rate from 2006 rate (32.5%) to:

100% 300

MMTCO
2
E/yr

50% 70—80

MMTCO
2
E/yr
Increase composting of food scraps from 2006 rate (2%) to: