Methodology for measuring landfill dumping statistics globally using Digital Elevation Change maps

Abstract

Often countries don't have adequate systems in place to measure and centrally report waste disposal statistics, yet such data are necessary to inform waste policy and resource allocation. This study evaluates the possibility of using a global elevation change map dataset to remotely estimate volumetric changes – and therefore waste dumping patterns – in landfill sites around the world. The methodology is applied to 100 landfill sites across 5 continents, and the temporal coverage, error estimates, and a comparison with officially reported statistics for selected landfills are shown. The dataset coverage is 2018 to 2021, and 76 % of study sites had sufficient data to allow for volumetric change estimation. Median estimated volume change error in individual sites is 14.7 $m^3·da{y}^{-1}$, but error increases with short temporal data coverage. Estimated volume changes agree with officially reported tonnages for considered sites. National waste authorities or non-governmental bodies could utilize this approach to improve waste statistics for underreported regions.