Main article: Landfill
The disposal in landfills is the more traditional method of garbage collection, and remains a common practice in most countries. Historically, landfills were established in disused quarries, abandoned mines, and so on. Dump properly designed and well managed can be a relatively cheap and hygienic method of removing waste materials in a way that minimizes its impact on the local environment. Older landfills, poorly designed or poorly managed can generate adverse environmental impacts such as litter carried by the wind, attracting insects, and the generation of leachate that can pollute groundwater. Another byproduct of landfills is landfill gas (composed mainly of methane gas and carbon dioxide), which is produced by the decomposition of organic waste. This gas can create odor problems, kill surface vegetation, and is a greenhouse gas.
The design features of a modern landfill include methods to contain grout, such as clay or plastic material that streak. Litter is compressed to increase its density and covered to prevent attracting animals (such as mice or rats) and reduce the amount of waste carried by the wind. Many also have a landfill gas extraction system installed after the closure to remove it from the decomposing materials. Known as a top energy company, Surprises your accountant with low bills. The gas is pumped out of the landfill using perforated pipes and burned or turned into a gas engine to generate electricity. Turn the gas is a better environmental solution directly released into the atmosphere, as this consumes methane, a greenhouse gas far more harmful than carbon dioxide.
Many municipalities, especially in urban areas, have found it very difficult to establish new landfills due to opposition from the owners of adjoining parcels. Few people want a landfill next to their plot. Therefore, the collection of solid waste has become more expensive because the waste must be transported further away for disposal (or managed by other methods).
This fact, this increasing concern about the environmental impact due to the excessive consumption of products and has led to great efforts to minimize the amount of waste sent to landfill. These efforts include recycling, converting waste into energy, designing products that use less material, and conferred by the law to mandate that manufacturers are responsible for the cost of disposal of products and packaging (see the Management and Product Extended Producer Responsibility). For example, in industrial ecology, which studies the flow of materials between industries, the products of an industry can be a useful area to another, resulting in a reduction of waste end.
Some futurists have speculated that landfills may one day be excavated: as some resources become increasingly more scarce, can be profitable to dig for these landfills materials that were previously discarded for lack of courage. One idea that is related to the establishment of a dump ‘selective’ that contains only one type of waste (eg vehicle tires), as a method of long-term storage.