The environmental problems caused due to landfills are numerous. landfills are designated to dump trash & garbage. Most of the waste is dumped and buried and some of the landfills are used as a waste management system. Some are even left unattended which is a major threat to the environment.
When organic material such as food scraps and organic waste is dumped in the landfill, it is generally compacted down and covered, it undergoes anaerobic decomposition This removes the oxygen, and when released into atmosphere methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Landfills are for dumping rubbish, garbage, or other sorts of solid wastes. The landfill is a common circumstance happening especially due to the increased number of wastes from our homes, schools, offices, hospitals, and markets.
Types of waste that causes landfill worst
Solid waste, Agricultural waste, Industry, manufacturing, and construction waste, population growth
Solid waste
There are few waste which increase the amount in landfills. Solid waste includes food waste from home, markets, hotels, houses, schools, malls and some waste like broken furniture, plastics, electrical items, electronic goods, wires, cables, hospital waste are also included in solid waste. Most of the wastes are are not degradable and can cause severe damage to the environment. They stay in the landfills for years.
Agricultural waste
Agricultural waste has also made an increase now to the rise in demand for food. The agricultural waste is mainly from animal manure, crop remains, worn out agricultural produce and farm remains. All these are dumped into the landfills. they are rich in chemical fertilizers it contaminates the soil in the landfills. finally it affects the soil quality.
Population growth–
The increase in the population has also got some negative effects on the environment. As far as the population is growing the waste is also been increasing gradually and dumped in the landfills.
Industrial and construction waste –
These waste are from refineries, wood, metal waste, waste from power plant and from construction sites. All this adds up to fill the landfills. 95% of these are biodegradable.
EFFECTS OF LANDFILLS
Landfill pollutes Air –
Landfill generates different types of toxic gases. All these gasses get mixed with the atmosphere and thus polluting the environment. Due to excessive pollution in these days, the ozone layer gets depleted owing to global warming and drastic change in climate.
Landfill pollutes Water –
When the waste is dumped in landfill the harmful chemicals and toxins from the landfills slowly gets into the ground and mix to the underground water table. The ground water gets contaminated in this process. This is then absorbed by the roots of the plants and trees causing harm to their growth. Thus, these landfills cause water pollution.
Landfill causes land pollution –
The materials dumped in the landfills produces toxic gases that easily mixes with air and water thus polluting it. Similarly, these wastes are put on land which infiltrate the soil and contaminates it. The soil loses its texture and its naturality. The land once used for landfills cannot be used for any other purpose in future. It becomes a waste land.
Health issues–
Due to all the pollutants from these landfills, a lot of health issues like birth defects, lung disorders, and asthma and skin irritations are reported in many places that are near to these landfills. A lot of other health issues are closely linked to landfills.