Google has entered into a multi-year agreement with AMP (formerly AMP Robotics) to purchase 200,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide removal credits by 2030. This collaboration in the United States leverages artificial intelligence to identify and extract organic materials from municipal solid waste streams. The partnership focuses on converting these recovered organics into biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More, representing one of Google’s largest carbon removal investments to date. By integrating advanced sortation technology with carbon sequestration, the initiative aims to transform traditional waste management into a proactive climate solution.

The primary challenge addressed by this agreement is the significant environmental impact of landfilled municipal solid waste, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identifies as the third-largest source of human-generated methane emissions. When organic waste decomposes in an anaerobic landfill environment, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas with a warming potential far higher than carbon dioxide in the short term. Conventional waste processing often fails to recover these organics economically, leading to lost resources and continued atmospheric degradation through both methane release and the long-term accumulation of carbon.

To solve this, AMP utilizes AI-powered sortation systems to isolate organic matter from mixed waste streams that would otherwise be destined for burial. Once separated, this organic material is processed into biochar rather than being allowed to decompose. This thermochemical conversion stabilizes the carbon into a durable solid form, preventing the generation of methane and locking the carbon away for centuries. Initially, the resulting biochar will be utilized as landfill cover to filter leachate and reduce odors, with future plans to expand its application into the construction and cement sectors.

The outcomes of this deal include the expansion of biochar production capacity at what is considered the largest recycling project in the United States. Through a 20-year partnership with the Southeastern Public Service Authority of Virginia, the project is expected to process five million tons of organic waste into biochar. Beyond the immediate sequestration of 200,000 tons of CO2e for Google, the companies will establish frameworks to quantify methane elimination. This data-driven approach is intended to provide a scalable model for the global waste industry to mitigate superpollutants while generating high-quality carbon removal assets.