Morocco's waste management challenges have been thrust into the global spotlight, as a recent study in the journal Nature reveals significant methane emissions from landfills, with Casablanca identified as a major contributor. Utilizing cutting-edge satellite technology, researchers underscore the urgent need for improved waste management solutions in the kingdom's urban centers. Morocco has been spotlighted in a global survey of greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, as revealed in an international scientific study published this month in the journal Nature. These insights highlight the persistent challenge of waste management facilities, particularly in the kingdom, where this issue is a significant environmental concern in major urban centers such as Casablanca. Scientists have zeroed in on Casablanca to demonstrate the impact of landfills on the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The research utilized satellite technology capable of detecting emissions with high accuracy. To corroborate the international findings, the scientific team also analyzed nearly 1,500 observations conducted at 151 landfills across 47 countries. The study cited instances of methane emission plumes in urban areas including Charlotte (United States), Bucharest (Romania), Hyderabad (India), Guadalajara (Mexico), Cordoba (Argentina), Hong Kong (China), and Bangkok (Thailand). Casablanca: A Significant Source of Methane Emissions Near Casablanca, the primary landfill identified by researchers emits methane, with plumes vividly captured in satellite images from the study. The scale of this pollution, which is challenging to detect through other means, positions the site as a key source of CH4-rich clouds that shift with daily activities. Researchers emphasize the importance of satellite data, noting that traditional emission estimation methods yield markedly different results. The study indicates that the most active areas are those where waste is buried, unearthed, or sorted in the open air, allowing gas to escape into the atmosphere. Without explicitly naming Mediouna, experts state that «the landfill near Casablanca is a striking example». The findings reveal that the sources of the plumes captured in images and the landfill's surface activity «both exhibit a north-south migration over time, while a new section of the landfill is developing to the southwest». This issue is of significant environmental concern, given that Casablanca is the country's most populous city, with a projected population of 3.218 million in 2024. In the Casablanca-Settat region, home to just over seven million people, the metropolis generates thousands of tons of household and industrial waste. A significant portion still ends up in open-air landfills or those plagued by ongoing management challenges. A New Landfill to Tackle the Issue Researchers remind us that methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, accounting for an estimated 30% of human-induced climate change. In landfills, CH4 production escalates due to the decomposition of organic waste and lack of oxygen. This information can be particularly valuable in designing biogas capture programs. In Casablanca, local authorities are striving to address the environmental threat by investing in the New Mediouna Landfill. Spanning 260 hectares in the Mejjatia Ouled Taleb commune, the forthcoming burial and recovery center is expected to «receive household and similar waste from the Casablanca commune and the communes of the Mediouna and Nouaceur provinces, averaging 6,000 tons per day», according to the Regional Investment Center (CRI). Once operational, the project is anticipated to have a daily treatment capacity of 4,400 tons. The scientific study was conducted by a team of researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Space Research, the Free University of Amsterdam, the Canadian company GHG Sat, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, among others.
