ABSTRACT
Human society produces large quantities of solid waste. The yearly production of municipal waste increases with population and wealth and is related to product durability, use of packaging material, and reuse and recycling. Recycling refers to the reprocessing of discarded materials into new, useful products. Composting may be considered a special form of recycling. In composting, the organic fraction of MSW decomposes under carefully controlled conditions. A modern landfill can considered a safe and energy-producing method for MSW treatment— collecting and treating the leachate as well as collecting the landfill gas and using it as a substitute for fossil fuel, the minimising adverse impacts on the environment and on human health, and valorising the energy content of the disposed waste. Landfilling was the most economical and most frequently applied method for the disposal of solid waste. Incineration leads to a dense and sterilise residue which can be landfilled with minimal risk to human health and the environment.
