How Do Landfills Work?

It is easy to forget about your trash once you throw it into the dumpster, but garbage goes on a long journey after it leaves your yard. Landfills are responsible for burying millions of tons of trash every year. Keep reading to learn more about landfills and how they work:

A Majority of Trash Goes to the Landfill

Only about 32.5 percent of the 251 million tons of trash created in the United States is recycled or composted. Another 12.5 percent is burned. That means that about 55 percent of trash ends up in a landfill every year. Since 1960, Americans have practically tripled the amount of trash that they create in a year and the landfills are straining to create space for all of this trash.

The Landfill is Designed to Safely Hold Trash

A landfill is either built on top of or into a piece of land. This land is located for from groundwater and other environmental elements that could be contaminated from the trash. Landfills are lined with sanitary liners or synthetic plastic liners to ensure that no trash mixes with the local environment. The landfill creates the perfect location for burying trash so that it does not get into the air or the water.

Environmental Agencies Monitor the Landfill

Even after the landfill is built and in operation, environmental agencies will watch over it to make sure the trash is not mixing with the groundwater. These agencies continue to check on the groundwater even after the landfill closes. Some landfills are monitored for up to 50 years after they close to make sure the sanitary liners are still doing their jobs.

If you need to get rid of garbage, Santa Rita Waste Systems provides the rolloff dumpster rentals you need to get rid of trash at your home or job site. We also can provide washout containers and portable facilities in the Tucson area. To learn more about our products and services, visit us online or call (520) 624-0550.