# Biogas and biomethane: Impact on the biosphere Fewer emissions, less fertiliser, and some abandoned digesters Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/biosphere/ What this tab covers Effects on human, animal, plant, fungal and microbial life and on whole ecosystems: in the short term (construction and early years), medium term (operating life) and long term (decommissioning and legacy). Capturing biogas mainly reduces harm: it stops methane from landfills and manure reaching the air and replaces synthetic fertiliser with digestate. The main risks are methane leaks, ammonia from digestate, and cropland used for energy maize. Average methane leakage from biogas plants about 6% of output^[2](https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane) Share of US methane emissions from MSW landfills (2022) 14.4%^[8](https://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-information-about-landfill-gas) Avoidable emissions using global manure potential about 1,400 Mt CO2eq a year (1,000 agriculture + 400 energy, calculated sum)^[2](https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane) #### Effects over time | Life affected | Short term | Medium term | Long term | |---|---|---|---| | **Humans**^[2](https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane)^[10](https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/air-quality-and-health/sectoral-interventions/household-air-pollution/health-risks) | Gas safety hazards (methane is flammable; hydrogen sulphide is toxic); odour around plants. | Household digesters replace smoky wood or dung fires for cooking, cutting exposure to household air pollution. | Abandoned digesters bring no lasting harm, but their benefit is lost: about 30 million of the 42 million units installed in China by 2015 no longer operate. | | **Animals**^[2](https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane) | Little evidence of effect in the sources reviewed. | Little evidence of effect in the sources reviewed. | Little evidence of effect in the sources reviewed. | | **Plants**^[2](https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane)^[5](https://www.worldbiogasassociation.org/ieas-2025-outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane/) | Digestate supplies nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to crops. | Indonesian farmers reported cutting synthetic fertiliser use by more than 30% after installing biodigesters; digestate could meet about 15% of EU and 10% of Indian fertiliser needs by 2050. | Where energy maize is grown, cropland is diverted from food. | | **Fungi and soil life**^[2](https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane) | Little evidence of effect in the sources reviewed. | Digestate returns organic matter and nutrients to soil, but effects on soil microbes are not quantified in the sources reviewed. | Little evidence of effect in the sources reviewed. | | **Ecosystems**^[8](https://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-information-about-landfill-gas)^[2](https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane) | Landfills are the third-largest human source of methane in the US (MSW landfills 14.4% of US methane emissions in 2022). | Using the world's manure potential (about 280 bcm) would avoid about 1,000 Mt CO2eq in agriculture plus about 400 Mt from displaced fossil fuels. | Plants leaking on average 6% of output erode these gains; tight covers and leak detection preserve them. | #### How the effects are reduced Covering digestate stores and burning the off-gas from upgrading lift EU default savings for manure biomethane from 72% to 202%, so leak control matters as much as the plant. Leak detection, gas-tight tank membranes and flares for surplus gas cut losses. At landfills, installing wells early and capping cells promptly raises collection from about 50% towards 85%. Preferring wastes and manure over purpose-grown crops avoids competing for cropland. #### Sources 1. [Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane: A global geospatial assessment (World Energy Outlook special report)](https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane) International Energy Agency, 2025 2. [IEA's 2025 Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane (summary of the IEA report)](https://www.worldbiogasassociation.org/ieas-2025-outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane/) World Biogas Association, 2025 3. [Basic Information about Landfill Gas (Landfill Methane Outreach Program)](https://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-information-about-landfill-gas) US Environmental Protection Agency, 2024 4. [Household air pollution: health risks](https://www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/air-quality-and-health/sectoral-interventions/household-air-pollution/health-risks) World Health Organization, 2024 ## Other sections - [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/index.md) - [Energy overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/energy/index.md) - [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/correlation/index.md) - [Efficiency](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/efficiency/index.md) - [Techniques](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/techniques/index.md) - [Resources and labour](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/resources/index.md) - [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/overview/index.md) - [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/routes/index.md) - [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/production/index.md) - [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/feedstocks/index.md) - [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/cycles/index.md) - [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/trading/index.md) - [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/movement/index.md) - [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/regulation/index.md) - [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/characteristics/index.md) - [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/emissions/index.md) - [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/biomethane/links/index.md)