Wednesday, April 9, 2008
12:30-2:00pm

The World Bank has signed emission reductions purchase agreements (ERPAs) with 13 landfill gas recovery projects. Landfill gas is typically about 50% methane, which is a greenhouse gas, that has a global warming potential that is 21 times greater than carbon dioxide. Worldwide, landfills account for 12% of anthropogenic methane emissions and are the fourth largest source of non-carbon dioxide emissions.

One of the Bank's ERPAs is with Veolia Environmental Services (VES) for two landfills in Alexandria, Egypt. The project was registered with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in December 2006 and began the project's crediting period at the same time. Previously, Veolia had registered another project in Brazil in November 2005.

Gary Crawford (VES's Vice President overseeing the Company's Greenhouse Gas Department) talked about VES's experience in waste management, the firm's experience with landfill gas recovery projects, especially the landfills in Alexandria, Egypt and Brazil. The Bank, as trustee for the Spanish Carbon Fund, purchases the emission reductions generated by the Alexandria landfills. In its first year following registration, the project has delivered less CERs than expected. VES is making improvements to its gas recovery system in Alexandria in order to increase landfill gas capture and to remedy the shortfall. VES is one of the largest waste management service companies in the world. It operates more than 150 landfills worldwide.

Presentation

Gary Crawford,
Veolia Vice President
"Landfill Gas Capture and Utilisation Project"

(The video of this event, after interactive media formatting, will also be available on this page.)