Landfilling

While it occupies a less desirable spot on the lower end of the hierarchy, landfilling is a common form of waste management. It does not provide the opportunity for recovery of resources from your waste and is one of the least sustainable, long-term approaches to waste management. ¹

Key points to consider about landfills. ²

• As waste breaks down in landfills, it can release methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Landfills pose a serious potential for soil and groundwater contamination if they are not properly constructed and maintained.
• Waste is not destroyed in landfills and requires ongoing management.
• Resource recovery does not occur in landfills.

The effects of landfills

• Companies - pollution concerns create the potential for corporate liability and negative publicity.
• Communities - landfills create jobs in the waste disposal industry, but expose citizens to potential hazards such as methane gas, soil contamination and groundwater contamination.
• Environment - landfills confine waste to a defined geographic area, but create possibilities for numerous hazards, including soil, water and air pollution; they also eliminate habitat for local wildlife.
  
  
  

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1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill