A sustainability perspective

When we think of climate solutions, wind turbines, solar panels, and electric vehicles typically come to mind. But one of the most promising, and often overlooked opportunities for meaningful climate action lies in how we engineer and manage landfills.

Traditionally seen as the end-point for waste, landfills – when properly designed – can become strategic assets in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane.

Carbon dioxide may dominate climate discussions, but methane is the stealth force accelerating global warming. On a 100-year timescale, methane contributes over 28 times more to global warming per ton than carbon dioxide, according to the IPCC.

The waste sector alone is responsible for around 11% of all human-driven methane emissions, much of it escaping from poorly managed landfills. Yet despite its outsized climate impact, methane from landfills remains under-addressed in global policy and climate funding frameworks.

A landmark 2025 study published in Nature Climate Change (Tong et al.) used five years of satellite observations to analyze 102 landfills across 28 countries. The findings were alarming: methane emissions from open dumps were more than five times higher than previously estimated, revealing a major blind spot in global climate inventories.

In contrast, sanitary landfills equipped with gas collection systems and engineered liners emitted 80% less methane per unit area than open dumps. The potential for impact is immense: converting open dumps into engineered landfills worldwide could eliminate up to 760 million tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions each year – nearly 30% of the global methane reduction goal for 2030.

Methane from landfills is not just a pollutant: it is a recoverable energy source. With integrated gas collection systems, it can be harnessed to generate electricity or heat, turning environmental risk into economic return.

Global analyses show that up to one-third of landfill methane reductions could be achieved at zero or negative net cost, due to savings from avoided damage and captured energy. In some cases, methane recovery can offset nearly 50% of a landfill’s operating costs.

Compared to the oil and gas sector, landfill methane mitigation is among the most cost-effective climate actions available.

The difference between unmanaged and climate-aligned landfills is not just policy – it is materials used. Conventional landfill construction materials are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and less durable. In contrast, geosynthetics, including geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), HDPE geomembranes, and drainage composites, offer faster installation, superior performance, and long-term environmental security.

At Naue, decades of real-world application and product development demonstrate that geosynthetics:

These are not just engineering materials but tools for climate resilience. Naue’s geosynthetic solutions are already delivering measurable results. For example in Osojnica, Croatia: A high-performance capping system enabled this site to meet EU landfill closure requirements while improving gas control and reducing leachate emissions. In Bali, Indonesia, an unmanaged landfill was transformed into a sealed, recoverable landfill using Naue Bentofix® X and Secugrid®, offering a scalable model for sustainable waste management across the region.

These are not isolated cases. They are replicable blueprints for how engineering can accelerate climate progress.

The narrative is evolving: landfill design is climate design. With geosynthetics, gas capture systems, and smart closure strategies, landfills are no longer passive environmental risks -they can be active climate infrastructure.

At Naue, we believe every engineered layer can serve a dual purpose: protecting the environment today, and preserving the climate for tomorrow.

Modern landfills are no longer just about managing waste. Even beyond their operational life, closed landfills with long-lasting covers can be repurposed for solar energy, ecological restoration, or urban green spaces, unlocking long-term land value. They are climate infrastructure, and the future is already under construction with Naue.