Despite recycling and Zero Waste initiatives across the county, the volume of waste generated hasn’t decreased to the point where we see reduced demand on airspace or an offset in the growing costs of proper disposal.
So WASTE and LANDFILLS are a certainly for the foreseeable future.
Zero Waste initiatives – where, ideally, 100% of waste is put to beneficial reuse in some form – are noble to strive for, but they require significant compromises to life as we know it. How many of us are willing to go that extra mile and give up our trashcans? How long will it take to achieve zero waste?
It’s a problem that doesn’t have generations of time to solve. It’s growing larger and more pressing every day.
The solution is ALL OF IT! Recycle more, divert more and work towards zero waste. However, creating more landfill airspace to assist in the transition is part of the process.
Communities that operate landfills can begin contributing to the solution today with a shift in attitude. Instead of considering their solid waste facilities eyesores that must be closed as soon as possible to appease residents whose mantra is, “Not in my backyard!” (the “NIMBY effect”), they should instead consider those landfills assets to be leveraged and maximized.
