| Garbage is a complex form of dirt, since it may | | | | process the items "wasted" are also not |
| be recycled and act as a source for materials and | | | | conserved. Environmental Protection Agency |
| money for the recycler. Waste out of control | | | | generally relies on the states to enforce their own |
| occurs when either uncollected rubbish is left to | | | | operating permits and federal laws. |
| rot on the streets or a badly managed landfill | | | | Recent studies have shown the efficacy of such |
| causes emissions and general health problems. | | | | processes; however, they are lacking the data |
| Environmentally aware citizens object to landfills | | | | required to enable adequate implementation at |
| not only because of the potential for pollution, but | | | | field-scale bio-reactor landfills. Research was |
| also because they permanently remove many | | | | conducted to evaluate the kinetics of in situ |
| important raw materials from further economic | | | | ammonia removal in both acclimated and |
| use. All of the energy and natural resources, such | | | | un-acclimated wastes to aid in developing guidance |
| as water, that were used to process the items | | | | for field-scale implementation. Recent |
| thrown away are also not conserved. | | | | correspondence from the Commission indicates |
| Landfills need to be regulated and the regulations | | | | that this is their interpretation of "closure". This |
| tightly enforced. Without them very few landfill | | | | interpretation of "closure" would mean that site |
| operators would look after their own local | | | | restoration has to be carried out in the after-care |
| environment adequately. Environmental Protection | | | | phase. |
| Agencies worldwide, generally rely on the staff | | | | Landfill odors are produced by a variety of |
| working for each of the states to enforce their | | | | sources: decomposing gasses, landfill leachate, gas |
| own operating permits and federal laws. | | | | condensate and in-coming waste materials. Gas |
| If state agencies are not strong and persistent in | | | | extraction systems require constant maintenance |
| insisting upon compliance, violations can worsen, | | | | to insure that odor-causing leaks are promptly |
| multiplying negative environmental impacts | | | | repaired. Landfill odors are of particular concern at |
| exponentially. Environmental pollution of land, air, | | | | the Moretown Landfill. The landfill is situated in a |
| and water created by the world's poorly-managed | | | | narrow valley that intermittently results in poor |
| landfills is enormous. In the early 21st century, | | | | dispersion of odors. Landfill odors are primarily |
| alternative methods to waste disposal have been | | | | made up of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. |
| suggested and many are under construction, | | | | These gases can be detected by the human nose |
| including recycling, converting to biodegradable | | | | at very low concentrations. |
| products, incineration and cogeneration facilities, | | | | Landfill odors are controlled principally by the |
| and sustainable development, all of which assist in | | | | placement of daily cover, usually soil, at the |
| reducing global pollution. | | | | working face. In addition, the landfill operators |
| Environmental activists dislike landfills not only | | | | spray an odor neutralization agent on the waste |
| because of the potential for pollution, but because | | | | as it is being compacted, and they distribute |
| they permanently remove various raw materials | | | | pellets which tend to mask or neutralize odors in |
| from economic use. All of the energy and natural | | | | parts of the facility where the problem is |
| resources (such as water) that were used to | | | | particularly severe. |