1.+What+is+a+Landfill?

A landfill is a designed structure built in or above ground which is composed of trash isolated from the environment (Freudenrich, 2000). Landfills can be built in valleys, quarries or above land to form hills.



There are two types of landfill: sanitary landfills and municipal solid waste landfills. A sanitary landfill is a landfill layered on land containing non-hazardous compressed waste material covered with soil to divide the trash from the environment (Freudenrich, 2000).

There are four basic conditions a site must meet before being viewed as a sanitary landfill: 1. The land must be segregated from leachate to prevent contamination in water and land 2. Scientific inspection is required to determine if it is suitable for a landfill to be developed 3. Preparation must be monitored for best outcome 4. Trash must be layered and compressed onto the site.

Sanitary landfill is the major method in disposing waste in North America because it is the least expensive manner to dispose trash. A municipal solid waste landfill is a landfill containing various types of waste including recyclable garbage, toxic waste, non-combustible and combustible garbage and more. The biggest concern in building a landfill is leachate. Leachate is a combination of water and chemical waste. It can threaten humans and the environment by polluting ground water and soil. Landfills are threatening humans' and animals' habitats.

To prevent world destruction, people ought to recognize the consequences of producing garbage in their everyday life.