Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Real-Time Satellite Monitoring of Solid-Waste Dumpsites

This project plans to develop and deploy a satellite-based monitoring system to monitor compliance with safety measures at waste dump sites to mitigate the probability of fires. Waste sites are important sources of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, mainly because of methane emissions and waste dump fires. Several waste dump sites in developing countries are poorly managed and vulnerable to natural or anthropogenic fires. Regularly capping waste sites is considered a basic safety measure that mitigates the risk of fires, thereby reducing the emissions potential of dumpsites. In Peru, there are thousands of irregular dumpsites where municipalities and private parties direct the waste of households and economic activities, often generating local terrain degradation, proliferation of diseases, and emission of pollutants like methane and carbon dioxide. The national enforcement agency (OEFA) is responsible for monitoring the management of these sites, but due to limited staffing capacity, only very few sites are supervised every year. Satellite imagery can bolster the agency’s capacity by enabling remote monitoring, remote inspections, and optimized inspection selection. The development of a satellite-based monitoring system can improve compliance through higher awareness of enforcement by economic agents and higher efficiency of enforcement activities. The researchers are supporting OEFA in implementing a remote-sensed monitoring system for waste disposal sites and evaluating its impact. The technical support will include the purchase of satellite imagery, developing indicators, an embedded staff member to institutionalize the use of evidence, and data collection for randomized impact evaluations