Landfills are NOT Compost Piles
LANDFILLS ARE NOT GIANT COMPOST PILES
Americans generate trash at an astonishing rate of 4.9 pounds per person every day, which collectively amounts to 292.4 million tons per year! [source: EPA]
BUT ALL THAT WASTE DOESN'T BREAK DOWN ONCE IT HITS THE LANDFILL!
Landfills are not designed to break down waste, only to store it. Garbage in a landfill does decompose - VERY slowly and in a sealed, oxygen-free environment. Because of the lack of oxygen, bacteria in the waste produce methane gas, which is highly flammable and dangerous if allowed to collect underground. It is also a potent greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming.
What about those biodegradable bags or food waste that you toss, hoping it will decompose? Nope, again, because there is no oxygen, few microorganisms, and everything is packed tightly, even those items that would decompose in a true compost pile.
This is why it's SO important to recycle or compost all the waste you can.
For more information on how landfills work: https://science.howstuffworks.com/.../green.../landfill.htm
This material is based upon work supported under a grant by the Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Rural Utilities Service. Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc., is an equal opportunity provider and employer.