Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to support local authorities in tackling methane emissions from landfill sites through improved (a) waste separation, (b) capture technologies and (c) food waste reduction.

Reducing emissions further requires ‘turning off the tap’ for landfill gas production by diverting biodegradable waste from landfill, as well as maximising capture and destruction of landfill gas created by previously deposited waste.

Defra is exploring options for the near elimination of municipal biodegradable waste to landfill from 2028 and landfill gas capture and is engaging with the landfill and landfill gas operators on these issues.

Simpler Recycling will deliver changes in waste management including separate food waste collection which explicitly aims to divert this material from landfill.