| GRN Recycle Talk FAQ Answer |
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 97 14:43 WET DST From: FRIEDMAN.FRED@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV (Fred Friedman) Subject: Re: Landfills (Amy)
June 30, 1997
Dear Amy,
Uncertain as to what you are seeking, here are the basic relationships between recycling and landfills for you to investigate:
- recycling and landfills are both part of the so-called (by US EPA) Waste Management Hierarchy with recycling being the second most preferable management option and landfills being the least desireable legal option
- recycling saves landfill space; landfills are frequently mined for recyclables that can be reclaimed.
- depending upon what part of the country you live in recycling or landfilling makes more economic sense, however, recycling makes more environmental sense for the commonly recyclable substances, almost everywhere.
- recycling creates jobs; landfilling for the most part, does not create but a few jobs.
- landfills require ongoing monitoring and care even after they are closed; you might try to think of a parallel for recycling, but I can t.
- both landfills and recycling can create pollution! Landfills can create fires, groundwater contamination, and do give off gasses (principally methane) of concern to air pollution and that have an impact on global warming; the same can be said of the remanufacturing processes for some recyclables: they can cause air and water pollution, but typically do not.
-- Research Library for RCRA