In garbage dumps: what takes up the most place? ex. plastic, glass, etc..what materials create the majority of

Question

issues? thank you so much

Answer 1

It all depends on where you are. In the U.S. and most other developed countries, paper is the largest component, both in weight and volume. Plastic is fairly high in volume but not in weight. In third world countries, garbage (food scraps) is the largest component of solid waste. That is why, when I was writing a white paper on the problem for the Yemen Arab Republic, I suggested composting the solid waste, together with sanitary waste.

Answer 2

According to the EPA 33% of the "garbage" in landfills is paper and paper products such as paper board and cardboard.

Most if not all of this could be recycled which would reduce the need for virgin fiber (brand new fiber from trees).  Most plastics can be recycled and of course they take a VERY long time to break down, as does glass.

When you ask for the material that causes the most issues I would have to say its the things people illegally dispose of.  Examples are hazardous waste like paint, lawn chemicals, car batteries and other things that are not allowed in land fills.  

Another big problem comes from our food and lawn wastes.  While they decompose they produce methane a highly flammable and  toxic gas.  Methane is also known as natural gas is also a very potent green house gas.  Many well funded land fills have LFG (land fill gas) capture devices which suck the gas out of the land fill and either burn it off or generate energy from it.  

Land fills that don't have LFG systems are at risk of fire and explosion.  Their workers can also get sick from prolonged exposure to it.

One last thing... The EPA requires that all land fills have a liner to collect the nasty liquid that collects at the bottom.  If these liners weren't in place, or if they break, communities risk  this stuff "leachate" getting into their water supply.  Many land fill managers pay companies to pump this thick toxic dark liquid out of their landfills and process it for them.