Wood Waste to Landfill
Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026
Wood waste sent to landfill carries a factor of 0.7 t CO₂-e per tonne under NGA Factors 2025. See worked examples, FAQs and a calculator for your reports.
Emission Factor Value
0.7 t CO₂-e/tonne
Try it with your own numbers
Estimated emissions
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Emissions from waste you send to landfill are reported under Scope 3. Calculated as tonnes of wood waste × 0.7 t CO₂-e per tonne (NGA Factors 2025). Cubic metres are converted at 0.15 tonnes per m³.
Official Source & Citation
This emission factor is sourced from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025 , Table 15 — Waste mix methane conversion and emission factors, published by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Citation: DCCEEW (2025). Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025. Commonwealth of Australia. Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-2025
Notes
Scope 3 factor for organisations sending wood waste to landfill, from the NGA Factors 2025. Emissions arise from slow anaerobic decomposition producing methane. 1 tonne of wood waste sent to landfill = 0.7 t CO₂-e. For volume records, apply 0.15 tonnes per cubic metre. The landfill operator reports the direct methane emissions under Scope 1.
Calculation Example
If a joinery sent 18 tonnes of wood offcuts to landfill during the year:
| Working | Result |
|---|---|
| 18 t × 0.7 t CO₂-e/t | 12.6 t CO₂-e (Scope 3) |
Timber offcuts, pallets and formwork make up a hefty share of skips leaving construction sites and workshops. Buried in landfill, wood decomposes slowly and only partially, so its factor of 0.7 t CO₂-e per tonne is one of the mildest among organic streams — but with the tonnages involved, it still adds up on your Scope 3 inventory.
For builders, joineries and manufacturers, knowing this factor also clarifies the trade-off: recycled or reused timber avoids the landfill factor altogether.
Quick Verdict
Wood waste sent to landfill has an emission factor of 0.7 t CO₂-e per tonne under the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025, applying to the 2025–26 reporting year. Waste generators report these emissions under Scope 3, while the landfill operator reports the direct methane under Scope 1. The factor is low relative to food (2.1) and paper (3.3) because lignin resists anaerobic decomposition. Volume records convert at 0.15 tonnes per cubic metre. A Scope 3 emissions calculator can apply the factor automatically from contractor data.
How to Calculate Wood Waste Emissions
Emissions (t CO₂-e) = Waste to landfill (tonnes) × 0.7
Worked Example 1: Joinery
A joinery sends 18 tonnes of offcuts and sawdust to landfill over the year.
18 t × 0.7 = 12.6 t CO₂-e (Scope 3)
Worked Example 2: Construction site
A builder disposes of 40 tonnes of timber formwork and pallets to landfill during a project.
40 t × 0.7 = 28 t CO₂-e (Scope 3)
Worked Example 3: Volume records only
A workshop records 20 m³ of wood waste sent to landfill. Using the NGA volume-to-mass factor of 0.15 t/m³:
20 m³ × 0.15 t/m³ = 3 t
3 t × 0.7 = 2.1 t CO₂-e (Scope 3)
Wood Waste vs Other Landfill Streams
| Waste stream (to landfill) | Factor (t CO₂-e/t) |
|---|---|
| Paper and cardboard | 3.3 |
| Food waste | 2.1 |
| Textiles | 2.0 |
| Garden and green waste | 1.6 |
| Wood waste | 0.7 |
| Sludge | 0.4 |
| Construction and demolition waste | 0.2 |
All factors from NGA Factors 2025, expressed in CO₂-equivalent.
NGER and AASB S2 Reporting
Waste-to-landfill emissions are Scope 3 for the generator, so they sit outside NGER thresholds but inside AASB S2 disclosures, which require material Scope 3 categories to be reported. Keep weighbridge or contractor records as your evidence base and apply the NGA Factors 2025 value consistently across periods.
Related Emission Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general information, not professional or compliance advice. The factor shown is reproduced from the official publication cited above, and while we work to keep it current, government factors change — the publication is always the authoritative source.
- Before using this value in any formal reporting — including under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 — confirm it against the current official publication and the methods specified by the Clean Energy Regulator.
- NetNada is independent of the Australian Government, DCCEEW, and the Clean Energy Regulator. Government data is Crown copyright, Commonwealth of Australia.