But these arguments rely on only selective parts of the picture. At best, they only postpone it to haunt later generations. The mix created within a landfill has many hazardous components. Indeed, nearly a quarter of the sites slated for priority clean-up on the Superfund National Priority List are municipal solid waste landfills. New landfills continue to be hard to site.
Incinerators waste energy compared to recycling.
They also waste resources, pollute the air, and concentrate toxics which then must be landfilled. Landfills and incinerators are usually heavily subsidized by tax dollars. Recycling, in contrast, has been expected to pay its own way. The cost necessary for safe and proper long-term maintenance has not been budgeted or allocated to many of the landfills that are closing. The cost will be far greater than communities have assumed.