landfills Archives - State of the Planet

trash piled up in cubes

We Need to Advance Solid Waste Technology

To implement a true circular economy, we need to systematically and automatically reuse most of the material placed in our trash bags.

by |April 3, 2023
biodegradable container on grass

You Asked: Should I Buy Biodegradable Materials If My Trash Just Goes to a Landfill?

Our expert says: It’s better than adding another piece of plastic to the problem.

by Emily Halnon |August 2, 2022

Mining Garbage and the Circular Economy

The construction of waste management and material mining facilities is essential for the development of a circular economy, and the evolution toward a circular economy is a prerequisite for sustainable cities.

by |March 28, 2022

Divert Biodegradable Waste From Landfills to Cut Climate-Warming Methane Emissions

Landfills should also be outfitted with facilities to monitor and control existing methane emissions.

by Nickolas J. Themelis |November 9, 2021
A waste-to-energy power plant in Ningbo, China

The U.S. Should Phase Out Landfilling, as China and the E.U. Are Doing

Compared to landfilling, waste-to-energy plants reduce carbon emissions and conserve land. China provides a good example of how waste-to-energy can be expanded.

by Nickolas J. Themelis |May 5, 2021
food waste is a big problem in the U.S.

The Hidden Costs of Food Waste

Nearly 40 percent of all food goes uneaten in the U.S. Environmental policy alumni examine the impacts of food waste and how we can make a difference.

by |August 23, 2019

Putting Garbage to Good Use with Waste-to-Energy

Burning garbage to produce electricity is a strategy for sustainable waste management that is finding favor in Europe and China. Why isn’t it practiced more in the U.S.?

by |October 18, 2016

A New Park Rises From an Old Garbage Dump: Parks as Critical Elements of Urban Infrastructure

New York’s Freshkills Park may be a tough sell for those of us who remember the huge landfill that used to be there. But anyone born in the 21st century will not associate that space with garbage, and over the next half century it will become of increasing importance to the development of Staten Island and New York City.

by |May 16, 2016

What Happens to All That Plastic?

Americans discard about 33.6 million tons of plastic each year, but only 9.5 percent of it is recycled and 15 percent is combusted in waste-to-energy facilities. What happens to the rest of it?

by |January 31, 2012