Last reviewed on 12-01-2023
Documentation of California's Greenhouse Gas Inventory
(2023 Edition - Last updated on 12-1-2023)
♦ Category: Waste
IPCC: |
4D1 - Wastewater Treatment and Discharge - Domestic Wastewater Treatment and Discharge |
Sector: |
Industrial : Wastewater Treatment : Domestic Wastewater : Plant Emissions |
♦ Activity: California population -
♦ Greenhouse gas: Nitrous oxide ( N2O )
► Year 2020 —
● Greenhouse gas emission estimate —
Amount: |
144.13 tonnes of N2O Emitted (42,949 tonnes CO2 Eq.) |
Basis: |
Calculation |
Calculation: |
(([CA Population served by biological denitrification] * [Emission factor with nitrification denitrification]) + (([California Population] * [Fraction using wastewater treatment plants]) - [CA Population served by biological denitrification])* [Emission factor w/o nitrification denitrification]) * [Industrial and commercial codischarge factor] |
Reference: |
USEPA (2015). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2013. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chapter 7: Waste. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html |
● Activity level used in calculations —
● Parameters and Constants used in calculations —
Parameter: |
CA population served by biological denitrification = 390,111 Person |
Reference: |
CARB (2016). Technical support document on GHG inventory methodologies for the 2000-2014 inventory. See Discussion of emissions from wastewater treatment available at: https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/cc/inventory/pubs/reports/2000_2014/ghg_inventory_00-14_technical_support_document.pdf |
Parameter: |
Emission factor w/o nitrification denitrification = 3.2 g / person |
Reference: |
USEPA (2015). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2013. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chapter 7: Waste. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html |
Parameter: |
Emission factor with nitrification denitrification = 7 g / person |
Reference: |
USEPA (2015). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2013. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chapter 7: Waste. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html |
Parameter: |
Fraction using wastewater treatment plants = 0.9 |
Reference: |
CWTRC, (2003). Status Report: Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems in California. Jointly presented by: California Wastewater Training & Research Center, California State University Chico and USEPA Region 9 Ground Water Office. August 2003. http://www.csuchico.edu/cwtrc/Pages/InfoandReoprtspage.htm |
Parameter: |
Industrial and commercial codischarge factor = 1.25 |
Reference: |
USEPA (2015). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2013. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Chapter 7: Waste. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html |
Constant: |
Global warming potential of N2O = 298 |
Reference: |
IPCC (2007). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Solomon S., Qin D., Manning M., Chen Z., Marquis M., Averyt K.B., Tignor M., and Miller H.L. (eds.). http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_synthesis_report.htm |
● Greenhouse gas emitted per unit activity (derived from values listed above) —
Amount: |
3.65 g of N2O per person 1,087 g (i.e. 1.09 kg) of CO2eq. per person |