Spring Cleaning Day - Where Does the Garbage Go?

Every year, millions of people across the countrywhat is in America's landfills. In 1989, his team dug up
take a day during the Spring season to clean up anda newspaper from 1952 that could still be read. They
get rid of all of the garbage and clutter that hasalso found an ear of corn with its husks intact mixed
accumulated in their homes over the previous year.in with material dated from 1971.
This can include old paint cans, electronics,When it comes to Spring cleaning, we must do our
recreational equipment, old furniture, clothing,etc.part to make sure unnecessary waste does not end
When the bags of garbage are piled by the curbside,up in the landfills. Remember, the threat of
many do not usually consider where all of the wastecontaminating our water and air does not end once
goes.garbage is put in landfills. It takes a longtime for many
Before awareness about the threats to ouritems to decompose. Also, the soil has to be
environment became widely known, household wastemonitored for toxic contamination that could end up
used to go entirely into landfills. Fortunately, manyin our own water supply. The less waste that is
local and regional governments have now changedcreated means the less waste that ends up in our
how we dispose of household waste. Most regions,landfills. When gathering all of the junk that you have
towns, and cities, have implemented wasteaccumulated, separate the items under the
processing methods that reduce the amount ofcategories compost, reuse, recycle. Any household
garbage going into landfills.newspapers and organic waste should go in a
In many places, trash will be sorted at a Materialscomposter. Items with toxic chemicals such as car
Recovery Facility. (MRF) It can be sorted using afluids and cleaners should be separated and given to
conveyor belt or by hand. Reusable and recyclablea hazardous waste disposal facility. Electronics and
materials are sorted from regular garbage. If you doother items that contain toxic metals should also go
not live in a community that has a materials recoveryto a recycle facility where they can be stripped
centre, a compost and recycling program is verydown and disposed of properly and safely. Large
important. MRFs sort out the reusable and recyclableitems such as tires appliances, and furniture should be
materials that accidentally get put into the trash. Theseparated from landfill items so they can be safely
remaining trash is transported to a landfill. The trash isdisposed. You can donate items to charities such as
poured into the landfill and covered by a layer of soil.clothing, old furniture, electronics that still work,etc.
Each day's layer of trash is stacked on top of oneYou will find that once you have separated and
another and the process is repeated until the landfill iscategorized your items, you will have very little left
full. Once full, more land has to be cleared and thethat will go in a landfill. If you have a great deal of
whole process begins again.waste, there are special waste hauling companies
When it comes to a local residential Spring cleaningthat will come to your home and remove all of your
day, there is so much garbage that is accumulatedgarbage. They are trained and certified to dispose of
from all of the homes, that often many items thatwaste, hazardous materials, compost, and recyclable
should be separated will accidentally get put in thegoods.
landfills. It may seem if newspapers and other itemsBecause of the depletion of our natural resources
that degrade, it would not matter if they went in aand hazards to our environment, it is important that
landfill. However, studies have found that this type ofindividuals and governments dispose of waste that is
trash is slow to degrade in a landfill. Dr. William Rathje,eco-friendly. Green Spring Cleaning is a great way to
a professor at the University of Arizona, formed aconserve and protect the environment.
group called the Garbage Project to learn more about