| The UK produces 434 million tonnes of waste every | | | | During landfill site operation, a liquid known as |
| year. That is enough to fill the Albert Hall every two | | | | 'Leachate' is produced. This is a mixture of organic |
| hours. Householders produce almost 30 million tonnes | | | | degradation products, liquid waste and rain water. |
| on average each year. 73% of this waste goes to | | | | Leachate is extremely variable in composition |
| landfill, even though 90% of it is recoverable and | | | | depending on the nature of the waste in the landfill |
| could be recycled, reused or composted. Landfill is still | | | | and the landfill design, but typically it has high organic |
| the principal means of managing most of the waste | | | | carbon content, high concentrations of nitrogen and is |
| in the UK. Landfill tax was introduced in 1996 in an | | | | usually slightly acidic. Landfills are designed and |
| attempt to reduce the amount of waste going to | | | | operate to seal the waste as much as possible from |
| landfill. | | | | the surrounding environment. Central to this |
| Landfill Gas (Methane) | | | | environmental protection is avoiding groundwater |
| One tonne of waste tipped in a landfill produces | | | | contamination. |
| between 200 and 400 cubic metres of landfill gas. | | | | Recycle |
| Landfill sites released 32% of the UK's methane | | | | The more rubbish, waste and junk that gets recycled |
| emissions in 2009. Methane is about 21 times more | | | | is the less that has to go to landfill. This in turn means |
| potent than carbon dioxide and allowing methane to | | | | less methane is released, causing less global warming, |
| escape into the atmosphere has significant global | | | | and less leachate seeping into the earth and |
| warming implications. | | | | damaging our already fragile eco system. |
| Landfill Leachate | | | | |