| | |  Landfill and Global Warming Facts Smart rubbish, junk and waste disposal choices made by individuals and businesses can dramatically reduce CO2 emissions and slow global warming.
The UK produces 434 million tonnes of waste each year - enough waste to fill the Albert Hall every two hours. Householders produce almost 30 million tonnes of waste on average each year. 73% of this waste goes to landfill, even though 90% of it is recoverable and could be recycled.
Landfill gas consists of 50-60% methane and 35-40% carbon dioxide. It also has trace levels of other gases such as hydrogen sulphide and organic substances that give it its characteristic sweet, sickly smell. Landfill gas poses a threat to the local environment. It can cause fires, explosions and asphyxiations if allowed to migrate to surrounding property. Landfill gas can also kill vegetation by displacing air from around plant roots.
In addition to these local impacts, landfills are now recognised as the UK’s biggest man-made source of methane releases to the atmosphere. Unit for unit, methane has a greater global warming potential than carbon dioxide and is one of the main causes of the greenhouse effect and Climate change. Climate change is among the most pervasive threats to the web of life, yet we have the power to address its root causes and limit its impact on the planet.
Without action, climate change will cause the extinction of countless species and destroy some of the world's most precious ecosystems. A huge amount of the products and materials you throw away can be recycled and put to good use in a range of industries and products. We all need to recycle to help in the fight against global warming and climate change. | |