Colombian Waste Sector Methane Analysis

Colombia is the third largest emitter of waste methane in Latin America and the Caribbean, with the waste sector accounting for 22% of the country's annual methane emissions. While the country has a robust regulatory framework and high collection rates, it relies heavily on landfills, many of which are nearing capacity. The report identifies significant gaps in organic waste management, data disaggregation, and financial incentives for methane mitigation, recommending the development of a national waste methane strategy and improved technical capacity at the municipal level.

• Colombia is the third largest emitter of waste methane in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, following Brazil and Mexico.
• In 2018, the waste sector (solid waste and wastewater) represented 7% of Colombia's total national GHG emissions, with methane pollution accounting for an average of 93.4% of those emissions.
• Waste emissions from disposal sites account for 52% of the waste sector's total, while wastewater accounts for 45% and incineration for 3%.
• Organic waste is a primary component of the waste stream in major Colombian cities, representing approximately 70% of the total.
• Colombia's waste management relies heavily on landfills, with nearly 70% of total waste generated in 2021 being landfilled; however, over 50% of these sites are expected to reach capacity within ten years.
• Despite the presence of gas collection and control systems (GCCS) in 18 of the 21 largest landfills covered by the Solid Waste NAMA, most only flare the gas onsite; only the Doña Juana landfill in Bogotá utilizes the gas for electricity generation with a current capacity of 1.7 MW.
• Colombia lacks a national policy, strategy, or specific targets dedicated to reducing and diverting organic waste from landfills to mitigate methane pollution.
• The current tariff system creates a conflict of interest that hinders organic waste diversion, as landfill operators are paid based on the quantity of waste disposed and lose revenue when organics are diverted.
• Data visibility is limited because the Unified Information System (SUI) focuses on aggregated waste amounts sent to landfills rather than disaggregated flows like waste composition or organic waste treatment.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2024). Colombian Waste Sector Methane Analysis. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11203037/colombian-waste-sector-methane-analysis.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Colombian Waste Sector Methane Analysis. 2024. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11203037/colombian-waste-sector-methane-analysis.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Colombian Waste Sector Methane Analysis |date=April 2024 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11203037/colombian-waste-sector-methane-analysis.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2024colombian, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Colombian Waste Sector Methane Analysis}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2024}, month = apr, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11203037/colombian-waste-sector-methane-analysis.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }