Methane (CH4) is one of the trace gases in the atmosphere that is considered to play a significant role in what is called the “greenhouse effect.” There are six major sources of atmospheric methane: emission from anaerobic decomposition in (1) natural wetlands; (2) paddy rice fields; (3) emission from livestock production systems (including intrinsic fermentation and animal waste); (4) biomass burning (including forest fires, charcoal combustion, and firewood burning); (5) anaerobic decomposition of organic waste in landfills; and (6) fossil methane emission during the exploration and transport of fossil fuels. Human activities play a big role in terms of contributing methane in the atmosphere with the said sources of atmospheric methane. Activities like worldwide expansion of paddy rice cultivation, fossil fuel exploration, and livestock production increases the methane concentration in the atmosphere.
Landfills are a great source of greenhouse gasses. This greenhouse gasses can be harmful, but at the same time, become an opportunity. Methane, for example, can produce more heat and light energy by mass than other hydrocarbons, or fossil fuel but also creates less carbon dioxide. But on the other hand, methane is also harmful because of its ability to store heat and displacing oxygen if concentrated in one area.
This study about the dangerous effects of methane gas in the atmosphere by Haradhan Mohajan (2011) discusses the impact of methane gas, which causes severe global warming in the atmosphere. Global warming is one of the major issue present in the 21st century. Because global climate change becomes more dangerous and every nation realized that this is due to greenhouse gas emissions. Due to global warming, ocean levels are increasing. As a result, most of the coastal areas will submerge by 2050, and some insects and animals will become extinct. In this paper, an attempt has been taken to discuss the aspects of methane gas emissions and the importance of methane gas emissions reduction.
There are six (6) Greenhouse Gases (GHG’s) that greatly affect the temperature of our atmosphere, and one of these is methane. Methane gas that is present in the atmosphere is shallow compared to carbon. But even if the methane present is only low, it is still a very dangerous gas. It is 21 times more potent per unit as a GHG (EPA 2006a, Mohajan 2011). But even though methane is this harmful for our environment, all nations still focus on reducing the carbon dioxide emission.
