Following the waste hierarchy to reduce waste, reuse materials, and increase recycling and composting would decrease landfill and incinerator use and therefore greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This makes zero waste a vital approach to stabilizing the climate by 2050.

The waste management industry accounts for 36.7% of all US greenhouse gas emissions due to resource extractions, transportation, processing and manufacturing, and landfills are the greatest produces of methane in the US.

This report suggests that landfilling and incineration should not be subsidized by the government and they should instead be avoided and phased out of our systems while policies should instead support producer responsibility along with reducing waste and improving recycling and composting efforts.