Why Divert Waste from Landfills?

When we throw away the things we no longer need or want, we make a choice about where that trash goes. Recyclables get made into new products. Compostables breakdown into compost.

Trash is sent to the landfill and returned to the Earth. Or is it?

Contrary to common belief, trash stored in landfills is not meant to break down. Rather, landfills are designed to preserve trash so that pollutants produced from decomposition cannot escape to the surrounding environment and nearby water sources.

Landfills prevent breakdown by fostering anaerobic and dry conditions-this means that there is very little oxygen or moisture found in landfills to support the microorganisms responsible for decomposition. Landfill excavations show that many items, like newspapers and food, look roughly the same after spending years buried in a landfill.

Despite these conditions, landfills still release methane and carbon dioxide emissions from the breakdown of organic materials. According to the EPA, “landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States.” Both methane and carbon dioxide are greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change.

The story of a landfill is bleak. Landfills don’t provide a solution for our waste, rather they just provide convenient spots for us to relocate our trash. It’s imperative that we reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.

The University of Michigan is committed to both waste prevention and climate action, as stated in the following Campus Sustainability Goals.

2025 Goals:

Reduce waste tonnage diverted to disposal facilities by 40% below 2006 levels

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2006 levels

U-M’s improving recycling and composting rates show how U-M is actively working towards the goal of reducing waste sent to landfills.

The University progresses towards the emissions reductions goal by pursuing renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency across campus buildings. While U-M does not include emissions from landfills in its calculation of the emissions reduction goal, the effect waste diversion has on greenhouse gas emissions is an uncalculated bonus that aligns with the University’s commitment towards sustainability.  

Recycling allows us to divert materials from landfills that can then be reused to make new, purposeful products. Recycling also reduces emissions because less energy is spent extracting and transporting raw materials-another environmental benefit that goes unmeasured.

Composting food waste is another solution to diverting waste from landfills that produces very little emissions and that provides many benefits for the environment. The US Composting Council reports that the incorporation of compost in soil promotes carbon sequestration and indirectly reduces emissions by improving soil health. Improved soil health results in less reliance upon irrigation and fertilizer use.

Never doubt that that your choice to reduce, reuse, recycle, or compost waste will have a positive impact on the environment and your U-M community.

EPA: "Climate Change and Waste Reducing Waste Can Make A Difference"

For more information about waste reduction and recycling on campus visit the WRRO’s website: www.recycle.umich.edu

For more information about landfills, waste reduction, and greenhouse gases referenced in this post, visit these sites:

PDF published by the U-M Greenhouse Gas Committee

http://sustainability.umich.edu/media/files/Greenhouse%20Gas%20Reduction%20Committee%20Report%202015%20(1).pdf

PDF about the connection between waste reduction and climate change:

https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/downloads/cc-waste.pdf

EPA’s basic information about landfills and methane:

https://www3.epa.gov/lmop/basic-info/index.html

Article by the Environment and Plastics Industry Council about why things don’t break down in a landfill:

http://www.bpiworld.org/resources/Documents/EPIC%20Position%20on%20Biodegradability%20and%20Landfills.pdf

A guide to how composting and GHG’s relate:

http://compostingcouncil.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/GHG-and-Composting-a-Primer-for-Composters-final.pdf