Far Cheaper to Avoid Landfill Than to Create It

Minimal source separation, together with dense medium separation, together with the bioconversion of putrescent organic waste, together with the thermal conversion of non-putrescent organic waste (either cement kilns or gasifiers), allow us to recycle virtually all of the waste normally destined for landfill. Even the non-metallic inorganic material isolated by this dense medium process can profitably serve as a low grade aggregate. When the infrastructure needed to implement this strategy is well established, we should not be surprised to discover that it is far cheaper, even in the short term, to avoid landfill than to create it. A landfill is undoubtedly one of the worst things we can pass on to future generations. Surely this dangerous and inherently evil activity has to stop.