Facts About Landfills

Many people don’t recognize the devastating impact food waste has when it is tossed in the trash and subsequently sent to a landfill. Most people just assume the food will eventually break down. The problem is that landfills are an anaerobic environment so organics that end up there will take significantly longer to break down.

When waste breaks down in the absence of oxygen, it creates methane gas instead of carbon dioxide. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

This is why we promote composting. Creating compost requires the proper ingredients to help waste decompose much more quickly. Air, Water, Nitrogen and Carbon are essential in creating a hot compost pile. Organics placed in a composter break down more quickly through aerobic processes. This is because compost piles are turned regularly, to allow air to move through.

If you are interested in learning how to compost, we invite you to join the Second Mile Mission and subscribe now.