Solid-Waste Disposal

Research Question: What is wrong with our solid waste disposal methods and
how can they improve?

In the United States one American produces 7 pounds of garbage everyday. That
adds up to being 102 tons of waste produced by one American in a lifetime. Only about
30% of the waste is recycled and 70% is put into landfills. Landfills are made by
compacting garbage in between thin layers of soil. Landfills are the most common
method of solid waste disposal, the cheapest, and the process that hurts the
environment the most. Incineration is another effective disposal method, but like landfills
it pollutes too much and isnt a common technique, like landfills and recycling. Recycling
is another method that reduces waste, by reusing old materials that have been used but
can be used again.
More and more landfills are used everyday, but everyday more and more
pollutants are added into the atmosphere because of landfills. It costs more to recycle
than to pile waste into a landfill, but is better for the atmosphere and emits less
pollution. Our solid waste disposal methods are negatively affecting the
environment, but they can be improved by recycling more.
Pros and Cons of Landfills
Landfills are currently the most common approach to disposing of waste in
America. By compacting the garbage into a landfill it effectively gets rid of the trash. If
the landfill is properly made and not damaged it can be turned into a playground, golf
course, or even improve poor quality land.
Landfills are an immense contributor to pollutants and other problems that the

Earth is having. One of the problems is all of the by-products and side effects that
landfills cause. The by-products are very hard and costly to get rid of. One of the side
effects is leachate. Leachate is a poisonous liquid that is made from toxins mixed
together with wastes from the landfill. It can contaminate drinking water if its seeps into
the ground or surface water, which can greatly harm human health. Another by-product
is methane and greenhouse gases that are emitted into the air and soil. Which can also
be poisonous and explosive. One of the most dangerous side effects is Dioxin. Dioxin is
also a toxic pollutant that comes from landfills and can negatively affect human health
by causing increases in certain cancers.
Damaging the land is a big concern of landfills. This year 2012, the largest landfill
in America in LA has 1,500 trash trucks deliver 12,000 tons of solid waste to the landfill
every 6 days. They use a lot of land and when they are full, and the land is damaged it
just sits there, unused, and cant be reclaimed. Landfills emit too many harsh pollutants
and they are not a safe method for the welfare of the planet.
Pros and Cons of Recycling
Recycling techniques, like the new systems and composting are nature friendly
and benefit the environment. Composting is one approach that discards organic
garbage by letting the trash decompose in a controlled fashion, that can be used as soil
or mulch. A new method called the Envac System turns trash into energy and results in
a district heating system and less carbon dioxide emissions. Julian Gaylor, the
managing director of the Envac System noted that The outcome of the process will be
zero waste to landfill. Another new method is a system that makes waste
biodegradable by heating plastic without oxygen and it breaks down to terephthalic acid

(oil and gas). Scientists then found a bacteria that can survive on the acid and produces
PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates), an organic substance, to break down the plastic.
Recycling is so important that Samuel V. A. Kisseadoo, the co-author of the
Encyclopedia of Environment Issues IV, noted that: Some cities, including New York
and Seattle, have passed laws that include fines for failing to recycle certain materials.
These new methods are helping the environment and they are effectively getting rid of
the waste.
Recycling reduces pollution and successfully disposes of the waste. Only a little
waste has to be recycled to make a big difference in helping the environment. Recycling
one can causes 95% less air pollution, 97% less water pollution, and saves 90% of the
energy to make a new can today in the US. If one piece of paper is recycled it reduces
air pollution and saves a dozen trees. Recycling also recycles resources, so it saves
more resources for future generations, (Recycling) and reduced consumption.
Recycling has only a few negative effects, higher cost and less jobs. It costs
more because the new technology is more expensive to run, install, and it costs $240
per ton of recyclable materials, to reclaim. There are less jobs used in recycling than a
landfill because of all the new technology that takes the workers places by running the
machines and being self sufficient. While certain jobs are eliminated, new job
opportunities open up, like more curbside recycling pickups, and managing new manual
recycling sites. These changes would be a small price to pay when it would be
benefiting the well being of the environment.
Conclusion
The waste disposal methods in the United States are harshly hurting the health

of people and the environment. People are tossing their waste into landfills which is
causing many cruel pollutants and harm to the world. Landfills only bring trouble with
them, like disease, various pollutants and more consumption. Recycling is a little costly,
but it causes no pollution, recycles resources, and is more sustainable. All of the new
techniques, like the Envac system and the bacteria are the solutions. As these practices
grow, resources will be preserved and awaiting our future generations because
of recycling.
Recycling is a key part to having a thriving society. Since only a small amount of
the human population recycles, it is a turning point in the way the Earth is affected,
positively or negatively. If more Americans recycle, by composting, reusing materials,
throw less stuff away, and donate to organizations, more natural resources are
preserved for use in future generations. If citizens dont recycle, consumption will get
out of hand and it will no longer be sustainable. All of the difficulties with landfills will be
successfully handled as new ideas of recycling develop. Over time, only the population
can determine how recycling will take its tole aiding the environment in the United
States.