Sustainable Planet

Landfills: More than Just Dumps

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The statistics are shocking: Humans produce over 2 billion tons of waste annually, with a projected 45% increase in municipal waste over the next 25 years. Yet surprisingly, only 13% of urban waste is converted into energy, while 80% of landfill contents could potentially be recycled or composted. In Part 1 of Landfills, Jorden and Kimberly consider the sophisticated management of modern landfills.

Key Topics Jorden and Kimberly discuss include:

  • The profitable side of waste management
  • Innovative waste-to-energy technologies
  • Successful municipal initiatives making a difference
  • Cultural differences in waste handling between North America and Europe
  • How landfills can power vehicles

    • Recommended Resources

    • An armchair landfill visit video
    • The EPA’s Municipal Solid Waste requirements
    • The UN’s Municipal Solid Waste report
    • The EPA’s waste data
    • The UNEP’s waste report
    • Criticisms of Waste-to-Energy conversion
    • Kimberly’s Substack newsletter post
      • ...more
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      Sustainable PlanetBy Kimberly Weir