It's seven on the clock. Do I hear a truck? I have to take out the trash! A weekly regime for everyone but usually no one thinks about what happens to our garbage. Once placed in a plastic bag, most people pretend it doesn't exist. They tend to believe that waste disposal is a matter for the government and private contractors. While this is true, these people have to decide how to dispose of everyone's trash. And they must ask themselves: What impact will this waste have on the environment and community once it is out of sight and out of mind? There are three basic ways waste is disposed of: recycling, landfill and incineration. Each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Recycling has been and will continue to be the preferred method around the world, however this method cannot dispose of all waste. The remaining waste ends up in landfills and incinerators. Which of these two disposal methods is the lesser evil? Landfills seem pretty self-explanatory, a hole full of rubbish. However it goes much deeper, no pun intended. Current landfills start with a hole in the ground, but that hole is lined with layers of dense plastic—this process ensures that no contaminants leak into the ground. These contaminants are called leachates and are caused by water seeping through the landfill. Leachates must be periodically removed, processed and disposed of. Landfills also produce an extraordinary amount of methane. Some, not all, landfills collect this methane and burn it or process it to sell as fuel. (Mckinney and Michael 536-37) Contrary to popular belief, incinerators are not the polluting power plants that were previously thought. There are essentially two types of waste-to-energy plants: waste-derived fumes… paper half… environmental incinerators perform the much-needed task of consolidating waste. Therefore causing landfills to fill up much later. This is only a temporary solution, eventually scientists will have to think of another way to dispose or use our garbage. Works Cited Barkman, H. W. "Health Problems Unrelated to Incinerator Emissions." Hazardous Waste Consultant Volume 21. Number 6 2003 Page 1.7Dijkgraaf, Elbert and Vollebergh, Herman Burn or Bury? Volume 50. Numbers 3-4. October 1, 2004 Pages 238-9McKinney, Michael and Schoch, Robert “Environmental Science: Systems and Solutions” Jones & Bartlett Publishers, Inc. Sudbury, Mass. 1998. 530-537. Print.Moy, Pearl et al. “Municipal Solid Waste Management Options in New York City: A Preliminary Comparison of Health Risks and Policy Implications.” Journal of Environmental Management Volume 87 2008 Pages 73-77