Disposal in landfill
Landfill confines waste to a managed location by burying it. This removes polymer waste from immediate use, but the available space is finite and many plastics remain there for long periods.
Advantages
- Waste is concentrated in one managed location.
- Polymers capable of biodegradation can gradually decompose.
Disadvantages
- Suitable landfill space is a limited resource.
- Many plastics persist for a very long time before breaking down.
- Substances from buried waste can leach into the surroundings.
- Decomposition processes can release gases including methane.
Persistence of polymer waste
Non-biodegradable plastics can remain in landfill for many years, whereas biodegradable polymer waste can decompose more readily under suitable conditions.
Using materials that biodegrade can therefore reduce how long some polymer waste persists after disposal.