Garbology

Garbology in Contemporary Times

In 1987, William Rathje initiated the Garbage Project at the University of Arizona. The goal was to determine what was below the landfills and how much of it was biodegradable. The project demonstrated that there were major disparities between what was actually in the landfills and what Americans perceived was in them. Most people mistakenly believed that the landfills were filled with fast food containers, disposable diapers, and Styrofoam, although these amounted to less than 3 percent of landfill volume. Plastic was 20–24 percent of waste, while paper contributed 40 percent. The project also surveyed different regions of the country to better comprehend what types of garbage survive under different climates and found very little difference between sites, since the garbage is compacted.

The Garbage Project found other misconceptions about landfills. Specifically, the rate of natural biodegradation was found to be much slower than anticipated. It was also found that plastic bottles that were crushed at the top were more easily inflatable than those that were at the bottom. It was also predicted that 50 percent of the landfills that were open would close within five years. Finally, in an effort to avoid large landfills, states often ship their trash to other states.

Garbology is used to assess waste and ascertain new and innovative ideas for waste management. For example, scientists are studying the best way to dispose of a floating mass of trash in the Pacific Ocean. They are also studying the impact of trash on marine life and the process of changing waste into energy. There is also the potential for using methane in landfills to generate small amounts of electricity.

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