An aerial view of a pile of trash in a landfill. In the U.S., landfills accept 146 million tons of waste each year. Photo credit: Avigator Fortuna.
For many people, landfills are an abstract concept. Few have ever visited one. Instead, all we know is the loud and malodorous but relatively painless process of trash trucks rumbling through neighborhoods each week to whisk away our discards. Or, perhaps, taking our trash to a local transfer station. As far as we’re concerned, that’s the end of the matter.
Except, that’s rubbish.
Instead, our garbage begins a second, very long life in landfills, which in the U.S. accept 146 million tons of waste each year. In New England, 75 landfills accept what amounts to 4.5 pounds of trash per person per day. Plastic, food, textiles, wood, yard trimmings, glass, metals, and paper end up in these garbage dumps. In other words, many…