Study: Wastewater Treatment Releases Almost Twice As Much Methane As Previously Thought

A recent study has put the spotlight on wastewater treatment as a surprisingly eco-unfriendly practice.

“By using lasers that measure airborne methane, a research team has calculated that municipal wastewater treatment plants in the U.S. emit almost two times more of the greenhouse gas than currently estimated,” C&EN reported. “According to the researchers, the unaccounted-for methane emissions would have the same effect on climate as 5.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide or the addition of approximately 1 million more cars on the road.”