When you see a towering flame burning gas at an industrial site, you are looking at flare gas. While it might seem like a tremendous waste of a valuable resource, the practice of flaring—the controlled burning of excess or unwanted gases—is primarily a crucial safety measure. It prevents the dangerous, explosive release of flammable and toxic gases during normal operations, maintenance, or emergencies. However, this necessary safety valve comes at a steep price: significant emissions of carbon dioxide and, worse, potent uncombusted methane, making it both an operational necessity and a major environmental challenge. Click here to learn more