[nascarnation]

Interesting. I thought stuff buried below XX feet didn’t degrade very much due to lack of of oxygen?

[GingisK]

Landfills are first prepared like a great big bowl, sealed with things like diatomaceous earth and charcoal. The landfill is then divided into sections, and each section receives a certain type of waste material. Each section is then seeded with cultured bacteria that has been bio-engineered to attack the particular waste, and layer after layer is graded in with soil. Next, 8-inch or 12-inch bore holes are drilled and lined with PVC pipe that has screened windows, or ports, along its length. Rain water penetrates the stack. The bore holes are used to prevent excess water from drowning the bacteria and extract the methane gas that is produced.

One a landfill is closed, it sits dormant for sixty years. Full attention is maintained at the bore holes for the entire lifetime. At the end of sixty years, then land can be utilized for other purposes. The junk has been pretty much dissolved into clumps of pseudo-minerals.

I know this because I have designed electronics controllers to operate the pumps and residuals sampling systems. Those places make a stink that stays on your clothes. It is best not to come home without changing.