A Yale-led study reveals waste disposal rates are more than double EPA estimates.
Waste creation and disposal figures have historically been based on information provided by ‘industry participants’, versus actual waste-collectors, thus one might not be surprised to understand the facts are skewed. A 2010 change in the law (shockingly) no longer allows for landfill operational data to go unreported.
Yale researchers have found that, in fact, 262 million tons of waste made its way to land-fill in 2012. That is more than double, or 115% ahead of EPA estimates.
The Yale study, seemingly the first of its kind, covered 1200 landfills – a requirement under the US Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule, and goes on to suggest that the average lifespan of existing landfills is 33 years. Further, any adjustment would be to the downside ie <33 years as disposal rates continue to grow.
Please see here for the full article and below for additional attempts at piquing a tangent.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reports 25-40% of national ‘solid waste stream’ (note the term when reading the article above) is building related. Link to the article.
The University of Southern Indiana reports the following waste & landfill facts:
The US is the #1 trash-producing country in the world…1609 lbs per person means 5% of the population generates 40% of the world’s waste. SWEET!
The highest point in Hamilton County, OH is a fooken landfill (1045 ft.)
10% of the cost for the needless junk we buy is packaging that is thrown away, ultimately equating to 65% of household waste. Again, SWEET!
Link to the article.
WOOL INSULATION IS COMPOSTABLE!
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