Methane forms in landfills due to decomposing foods, so people are encouraged to compost food. Why is composting (i.e. separating food from other garbage to decompose in dirt) any better?

Question

Methane forms in landfills due to decomposing foods, so people are encouraged to compost food. Why is composting (i.e. separating food from other garbage to decompose in dirt) any better?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

In some cases, it is better off in a landfill. I work at a “class A landfill” where it is encouraged that organic waste is disposed of here. There is a sophisticated underground network of gas capturing pipelines that feed the methane to a plant where it is burnt for the production of dried lime fertilizer. This has eliminated the need to burn coal at our facility.