When You Throw Something Away, Where is Away?

When something is thrown “away,” it typically ends up in a landfill, where it is buried under layers of dirt. Landfills are designed to store waste, but they are not truly a “disposal” solution as the waste remains there for a very long time. Some materials may eventually break down, but many items persist for decades or centuries or longer.

Landfill: At the landfill, waste is spread in layers and compacted, then covered with soil.
Decomposition: Over time, some materials decompose, but many do not.

Leachate: Liquids from decomposing waste can contaminate the surrounding soil and water, so landfills have systems to collect this leachate according to a YouTube video by Earth911.

Methane Gas: Decomposing organic matter in landfills produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas. While landfills are the most common “away,” some materials can be recycled, composted, or converted to energy. However, a large portion of our waste still ends up in landfills.