Problems with Burying

• Garbage dumps are often overtaxed and filled to their maximum capacity with garbage. Numerous harmful effects result from burying trash in this way. Household cleaning materials, old food and other primarily liquid items form a toxic waste when buried, which may seep out of the garbage dump and pollute local bodies of water and land. Other garbage may form toxic gases that form during the decomposition process, which results in smelly and polluted air that plagues local cities and towns. Not only does burying trash pose a problem, but finding a place to bury the abundance of trash also causes a problem.
  
  

Problems with Burning

• Burning trash, which has been seen as a way to alleviate the spatial burden that a huge bulk of trash presents for garbage dumps, can cause just as much or more pollution as burying trash. Garbage dumps often burn trash in incinerators, which release toxic fumes into the air and contributes to global warming. These incinerators may attempt to remove hazardous chemicals before they burn the trash, but removing all of the hazardous chemicals is nearly impossible. Burning trash always releases toxic fumes into the air, which is bad for the environment and those who breath the fumes.
  
  

Problems with Bacteria

• Yyard and food waste accounts for 25 percent of the trash that finds its way to a garbage dump. As a result, the decomposition process occurs in a large garbage dump, and bacteria from the soil aid in this process. The bacteria, as it digests the various organic foods and materials, releases methane. The release of methane contributes to global warming. Methane gas is also extremely flammable, and so garbage dumps and surrounding areas are prone to fires and explosions.
  
  

Potential Solutions

• As a result of the numerous problems that garbage dumps pose for society, numerous solutions have been offered or tested for trash elimination. One solution suggests that trash be sent to outer space. Some say that recycling materials is the key to burying and burning less trash. In addition, many environmentalists claim that people should simply throw away less trash, eliminating the need for massive garbage dumps.