Ask Extension Database, NDSU Extension Service Ask Extension for answers to commonly asked questions. Besides taking up land that could be used for higher uses, landfills present problems of groundwater contamination and other health-related issues.
New landfills are costly to construct, and public opposition has resulted in difficulty in siting.
North Dakota legislation now restricts such articles as used oil, batteries and appliances from landfills. Landowners are liable when selling farmland. Pollution liability transfers with the land owner, and banks are now requiring evaluation audits. Recycling is an important alternative that reduces the amount of waste going to landfills and in some cases can reduce the collection and transportation costs of solid waste disposal. Materials such as aluminum and glass are 100 percent recyclable used over and over in their original form or recycled into other products.