Landfills: Problems and the Closed-Loop Alternative
Landfilling is the lowest rung of the waste hierarchy. Understanding why helps explain why sorting matters so much.
A sanitary landfill is engineered to bury waste safely, but it is still the option of last resort. The goal of good waste management is to keep as much as possible out of it.
The Problems
- Land use β landfills consume scarce space near growing cities.
- Methane β rotting organics emit methane, a greenhouse gas far stronger than COβ.
- Leachate β rainwater through waste can carry toxins into soil and groundwater if liners fail.
- Locked resources β metals, plastics, and fibres buried are lost forever.
The Closed-Loop Alternative
A "closed loop" keeps materials cycling: organics become compost or biogas, recyclables become new products, and residual waste becomes energy. Each step recovers value the landfill would destroy.
Why Your Bin Matters
Clean sorting upstream is what makes the loop possible. A contaminated bin is harder and costlier to process, and more of it ends up buried. Sorting correctly is the cheapest lever you have.
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