MINI-LANDFILLS (Grade 4-6)

Where does garbage go? What happens to the things we throw away? Where is "away"?

Most of the household waste produce in North America ends up in landfills. Landfills are wide, deep pits dug in the earth. The garbage trucks that pick up your trash may deliver it to a landfill. At the landfill the trash is taken from the trucks and spread out. A layer of soil is then spread on top of the trash. This trash-soil sandwich continues to grow taller and taller until the landfill is filled up. Over time, some of the material in the landfill will biodegrade, or break down into useful parts that can be used by soil animals and plants. The time it takes for biodegradation to occur varies from a few days to many many years. Some items should not go into landfills because they are toxic or contain toxic parts. Many things that go into landfills could be reused or recycled. In the landfill they are wasted.

The goal of this exercise is to look at several typical household items, determine whether they are made of renewable or nonrenewable resources and observe what happens when they are placed in a landfill. Try and decide the best way of disposing of each item.

MATERIALS:

PROCEDURE:
  1. Collect the above items.
  2. Put a piece of masking tape on each jar and label the jars:
    1. organic
    2. renewable, recyclable
    3. nonrenewable, recyclable
    4. nonrenewable, hard to recycle

  3. Questions:

  4. Fill each jar about half full with soil.

  5. Put a small sample of each of your collected items into the appropriate jar.

  6. Add enough soil to each jar to cover the trash inside.

  7. Add water to each jar to make the soil damp.

  8. Leave the jars uncovered and place them on a shelf away from people and out of direct sunlight. Stir each jar every day or two.

  9. Recordkeeping:

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