What Are Landfills?

Landfills are places where we put our garbage when we cannot recycle or reuse it. These are big areas of land where waste is stacked up and covered. Every time we throw something away, it might end up in a landfill.

How Much Waste Is in Landfills?

It is surprising to know that landfills hold a lot of waste! In fact, in the United States, millions of tons of trash are dumped into landfills every year. Imagine if every person on Earth threw away about 4.4 pounds of trash each day; that's a lot of garbage!

What Things Are Commonly Found in Landfills?

When you think about what ends up in landfills, here are some common items:

• Food waste: Leftover food that we don’t eat.
• Papers: Old newspapers, magazines, and cardboard boxes.
• Plastics: Bottles, bags, and containers that are not recycled.
• Clothing: Old clothes that we don’t wear anymore.
• Electronics: Old phones, computers, and toys that are broken.

Why Is This Important?

Understanding what’s in landfills is important because it helps us think about how we can reduce waste. By recycling and reusing items, we can keep our planet cleaner and greener. If we throw away less stuff, we can also make sure that landfills don’t get too full.

What Can You Do?

You can help by:

• Recycling your paper, plastic, and glass.
• Using reusable bags instead of plastic ones.
• Composting food scraps instead of throwing them in the trash.
• Donating clothes and toys you don’t use anymore.

Every little bit helps to keep our planet healthy!