Brazilian Waste Sector Methane Analysis

The report examines methane emissions from Brazil's waste sector, which accounts for 15% of the country's methane emissions. It identifies significant infrastructure gaps, such as the continued operation of approximately 2,000 inadequate disposal sites and a low organic waste recovery rate of 1%. While Brazil has a comprehensive regulatory framework, including the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) and the 'Fuel of the Future' law, implementation is hindered by financial constraints and a lack of technical capacity at the municipal level. The report recommends expanding composting, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas capture to meet Paris Agreement commitments and the targets of the National Solid Waste Plan (PLANARES).

• In 2023, Brazil generated 78.2 million metric tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), with organic waste comprising approximately 45.3% of the total.
• Methane emissions from the waste sector represent 15% of Brazil's total methane emissions and 4% of its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as of 2022.
• Brazil's waste disposal infrastructure is characterized by a high number of inadequate sites; approximately 2,000 inadequate disposal sites remain operational compared to 688 sanitary landfills.
• There is a significant gap in waste collection services: while over 90% of the population has access to unsorted waste collection, only 36% have access to separated collection services.
• The waste sector's recovery rate is low, with only 4% of MSW recovered for recycling and treatment, and only 1% of the organic fraction treated via composting.
• Brazil failed to meet the 2024 deadline for the closure of open dumpsites, with 1,911 municipalities (34%) still relying on illegal and uncontrolled dumpsites.
• The 'Fuel of the Future' law (Law No. 14.993/2024) introduces a mandatory requirement for biomethane in the natural gas market starting in 2026, with blending targets between 1% and 10%.
• Financial sustainability is a major barrier, as only 1.2% of Brazilian municipalities (67 cities) have demonstrated the economic sustainability of their waste user fee systems.
• The National Solid Waste Plan (PLANARES) sets 2040 targets to recover 13.5% of the organic fraction of MSW and utilize more than 60% of generated biogas.
• Regional emissions are highly concentrated, with São Paulo (18.7%) and Rio de Janeiro (17.0%) being the largest emitting states for MSW disposal in 2022.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2025). Brazilian Waste Sector Methane Analysis. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/14145218/brazil-wastemap-report.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Brazilian Waste Sector Methane Analysis. 2025. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/14145218/brazil-wastemap-report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Brazilian Waste Sector Methane Analysis |date=November 2025 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/14145218/brazil-wastemap-report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2025brazilian, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Brazilian Waste Sector Methane Analysis}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2025}, month = nov, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/14145218/brazil-wastemap-report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }