Picture
This is a picture of an example of a piece of biodegradable garbage. Most people think that pieces of trash like this would be good for the environment but there is actually a downside to biodegradable trash.
Summary
In this article it talks about how biodegradable trash can actually be bad to the environment. It says the major downside of rapid decomposition is that it releases a deadly gas into the environment; methane. Normal landfills create methane gas as the trash in it decomposes. In some landfills that methane gas that is released is captured and turned into an energy source. Most landfills wait 2 years for the methane to get trapped and stay in there before they collect it all. The bad part about biodegradable trash is that it decomposes a lot faster then that and the methane that that trash releases get released into the environment before it can be captured. A North Carolina University test shows that slower biodegration is more effective in landfills. They say it is the best way to help this methane problem. http://www.emagazine.com/magazine/biodegradables-dark-side?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EMagazineIssueFeed+%28E+Magazine+Print+Issue+Feed%29
Opinion
I am shocked that biodegradable trash is bad for the environment. I always thought that biodegradable trash was best for the environment. I find it interesting how landfill companies wait and let the methane collect underground for a couple years before they collect it for use to change it into usable energy.
Questions
- How does the biodegradable trash release the methane gas?
- What does it do when it is released into the environment?
- Whats the best way to keep this from happening more?
- Will the landfill companies do anything about it?
I also didn't know that biodegradable trash was bad for the environment. They've always said it was the best way to go when dealing with trash, but I guess they were lying. Why haven't I heard about this until now? Would they put this to a stop?
ReplyDelete- I am suprised that biodegradable items are bad for the environment considering for a while they've been thought to be good. If methane is released from them quicklier then from regular trash then maybe we should stop producing biodegradable things.
ReplyDelete- I found an article about how farmers are uding animals waste for methane and energy, fertilizer, and even bedding. http://sustainablog.org/poop-to-power-the-big-picture/
I always believed that biodegradable trash was the best for the environment. I know that many other people think the same thing too. The facts are getting mixed up so what is the best way to deal with trash? How is this harmful? Why isn't this in the media?
ReplyDelete