If you know of a site that offers this information, that would be helpful. I've searched many places but have been unable to find this information. When I say various objects I mean stuff that is regularly thrown away and dumped in a landfill.
2007-03-12 10:20:57 · 5 answers · asked by antidisestablishmentarianism 2 in Environment
I have been to former landfills that had materials in them that were over 30 years old (based on papers and magazines) that were in pristine condition.
Legal landfills are designed to contain all contaminants so they do not impact groundwater or soil.
2007-03-13 15:08:37 · answer #1 · answered by Christmas Light Guy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
With the passage of RCRA in 1976 and its final impementation in 1991 came the definition and establishment for our modern day “sanitary” landfills a.k.a Subtitle D MSWLF. Closed (emtombed) Subtitled D landfills in arid regions can pose a bio-logical hazard for 1000s of years. Bio-hazards in an entombed Sub-title D MSWLF decay at 1/100th the rate of older conventional dump sites.
A better way to deal with Municipal Solid Wastes is through the use and development of Bioreactor Landfills, where the intentional introduction of benivicial microbes would accelerate the the decay process and hopefully "stabilize" the landfill within 30 years. The EPA is currently studying some R&D test sites for effectiveness.
Exactly how long it takes for common Municipal wastes to decompose is difficult to answer. Its depends on many factors such as landfill design, the envronment where it is located, the types of wastes that the landfill contains, and a number of other factors.
2007-03-12 20:56:24 · answer #2 · answered by V-Starion 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Things don't decompose in landfills (or they do it extremely slowly)--that's the point. It's the decomposition that creates a lot of the problems associated with garbage, and landfills are designed to be impervious to air & water, both of which would help items to decompose.
Newspapers are often still readable after 20 years or more in a landfill; meat still looks fresh (though I wouldn't try to eat it!).
2007-03-12 18:13:41 · answer #3 · answered by Darla S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cotton rags, 1-5 months
Paper, 2-5 months
Rope, 3-14 months
Orange peels, 6 months
Wool socks, 1 to 5 years
Cigarette filters, 1 to 12 years
Tetrapaks, (plastics composite) milk cartons, 5 years
Leather shoes, 25 to 40 years
Nylon fabric, 30 to 40 years
Plastic bags, 10-20 years
Plastic 6-pack holder rings, 450 years
Styrofoam cup,1-100 years
Banana peel, 2-10 days
2007-03-12 19:56:23 · answer #4 · answered by Professor Armitage 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
land fills are slow poisoners of the soil because decomposition is slowed down .
for decomposition air and humidity is needed
land fills are dry and compact
the main contributor is always the housewife who mixes organics with rubbish
if everybody would make a small compost heap near the house this would accomodate all the families organic waste ,and stop rubbish from becoming breeding places for polution and disease,
and a compost heap does not smell
70% of all contamination is caused by this
seperate your rubbish /trash,
PLEASE
classification is the name of the game
2007-03-13 02:57:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋