GCSE Physics

Biomass: Landfill Gas


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Rubbish tips are the source of landfill gas. In the UK, 25 million tonnes of household waste were collected in 2000/01* - that's about 1,200kg of waste per household every year!

Tractor helping deal with waste in a landfill site

Around 50% of UK rubbish comes from packaging, a high proportion being aluminium cans and milk cartons. Yet most of our rubbish can be recycled. Many councils provide households with a recycling box for sorting glass, paper, cans and other waste packaging.

Waste matter that reaches landfill sites is left to decompose. But some of the rubbish that doesn't decompose naturally is burnt. This produces Carbon Dioxide (CO2) adding to climate change.


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