Assessment of the main sources of green-house gas emissions in the Waste sector in the Republic of Belarus

Authors

  • Irina I. Poloz Belarusian National Technical University , Institute of Housing and Communal Services, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus
  • Oleg I. Rodkin International Sakharov Environmental Institute, Belarusian State University

Keywords:

greenhouse gases, climate change, waste sector, solid municipal waste, wastewater, IPCC

Abstract

The article presents an assessment of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the «Waste» sector in the Republic of Belarus in the context of global climate change and its impact on the environment. The relevance of this study is determined by the growing problems associated with waste management, as well as the necessity to reduce  greenhouse gas emissions to achieve climate goals established by international agreements. From 1989 to 2019, the average annual temperature in the country increased by 1.3°C. Predictions from Belarusian scientists forecast a further temperature rise of 1–5°C by the end of the century. Belarus, as a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement, has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 28% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The “Waste” sector is a significant source of greenhouse gases, related to the processes of disposal, recycling,and landfilling of large volumes of waste generated by human activities. It has been established that the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in this sector are solid municipal waste landfills and wastewater treatment facilities. This sector accounts for 32.76% of the total national methane (CH4) emissions and 4.17% of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. The total volume of greenhouse gas emissions in the «Waste» sector in 2020 amounted to 5,829.72 Gg in CO2-equivalent, which constitutes 6.56% of the total emissions in the country. The results obtained highlight the importance of developing effective waste management strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize their impact on the climate system.

Author Biographies

  • Irina I. Poloz, Belarusian National Technical University, Institute of Housing and Communal Services, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus

    PhD (agriculture), docent; associate professor at the department of industrial design and packaginga; leading researcherb

  • Oleg I. Rodkin, International Sakharov Environmental Institute, Belarusian State University

    doctor science (biology), professor; director

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Published

2025-10-01

Issue

No. 3 (2025): Journal of the Belarusian State University. Ecology

Section

Industrial and Agricultural Ecology

How to Cite

[1]
Poloz, I. and Rodkin, O. 2025. Assessment of the main sources of green-house gas emissions in the Waste sector in the Republic of Belarus. Journal of the Belarusian State University. Ecology. 3 (Oct. 2025), 89–95.