Commercial waste to landfill emission factor by year
| Year | Scope 3 (kg CO2e per tonne) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 520.58 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 520.53 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 520.33 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 520.33 | +11.4% |
| 2022 | 467.01 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 467.05 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 458.18 | +359.3% |
| 2019 | 99.759 | – |
Total kg CO2e for the seven greenhouse gases, from the official DESNZ files for each year. 2026 factor ID: 20_507_5313_15_1. Where a factor jumps sharply between two years, it is usually because DESNZ changed its method or data source, not because the activity itself changed.
Worked example
Take an office sending 12 tonnes of general waste to landfill a year. 12 tonnes × 520.58 kg CO2e = 6.25 tonnes CO2e, reported as Scope 3, category 5 (waste generated in operations).
How to report it
Waste is Scope 3 category 5, which PPN 006 asks for. The method matters more than the weight: landfill releases methane as waste breaks down, so it has far higher emissions than recycling or energy recovery.
If your contractor only gives the number of bin lifts, ask them for tonnes. Most can provide an annual waste report.
Where the data comes from
You'll usually find it in your waste contractor's collection reports or duty of care notes, in tonnes. Keep the source documents: anyone checking your Carbon Reduction Plan or SECR report may ask how each figure was worked out.
Read more about how the factors change each year in our guide to the 2026 conversion factors, or see how we apply them in our methodology.
Related emission factors
- Mixed paper and card recycling: 4.6536 kg CO2e per tonne
- Commercial waste to energy recovery: 4.6536 kg CO2e per tonne
- Water supply: 0.19130 kg CO2e per cubic metre
- All UK emission factors