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Nationally, landfills and trash incinerators receive 167 million
tons of garbage a year, half of that being compostable.
“Illinois landfills receive almost 20 tons of waste per year,
and it's kind of astounding that nearly 21% of that is food
scraps,” said STEM educator Susan Gasper during a recent
University of Illinois Extension “Everyday Environment” podcast.
Landfills are anaerobic environments, meaning there is little to
no oxygen. When microorganisms break down organic materials in
an anaerobic environment, methane is released.
Gasper said when oxygen is available, like during composting,
carbon dioxide is released instead of methane. Both molecules
are greenhouse gases, but methane is four times more powerful
than carbon dioxide.
“Composting is really the controlled anaerobic, biological
decomposition of organic matter into a stable product called
compost,” said Gasper. “It’s basically the same process as
decomposition.”
Gasper adds that compost can be used to decrease runoff and
control erosion, and can also support soil health by improving
soil water holding capacity which benefits plants.
Scientists have observed a rapid increase in atmospheric methane
levels since 2007. Microbes in the environment, not fossil
fuels, have been driving the recent surge in methane emissions
globally, according to an analysis published this month in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by CU Boulder
researchers and collaborators.
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