What is a landfill?

A landfill is a site where waste is deposited and covered in order to protect the environment from it and to prevent the spread of odours and pests. Landfilling is a method of disposing of waste that is usually taken as a last resort when other methods such as recycling or recovery are not possible.

Landfills can be divided into:

• Leachate collection pits (for toxic waste)
• Non-leachate collection pits (for non-toxic waste)

A landfill usually consists of several layers, including a soil layer, a layer of waste and a layer of a covering material such as soil or asphalt to shield the waste from the environment. Landfills must be monitored regularly to ensure that they are functioning properly and do not pose a risk to the environment or human health.

Possible negative effects on the environment and health include the release of greenhouse gases, contamination of soil and water and the destruction of natural habitats. This is why landfill is increasingly being replaced by alternative methods such as waste prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery.

What are the alternatives to landfill?

There are several alternative methods of waste disposal that can be used instead of landfill, some of which include

• Waste prevention: By using appropriate materials and production methods, and by promoting reuse and repair, the amount of waste generated can be reduced.
• Recycling: Waste and waste materials can be sorted, processed and transformed into new materials or products.
• Utilisation: Waste can be used as a source of energy, for example by incinerating it or converting it into biogas.
• Composting: Biological waste such as plant residues can be decomposed by microorganisms to convert it into fertiliser.
• Thermal utilisation: Waste is incinerated at high temperatures, the resulting energy is used and the remaining residues are landfilled.
• Biorecycling: The process of using biological waste, such as plant residues, as raw materials for biofuels, fertilisers and other products.

It is important to note that each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The choice of method therefore depends on various factors such as the type of waste, local circumstances and technical possibilities.

A combination of different methods can in many cases be the best solution to manage waste effectively. It is important to develop a comprehensive waste strategy that combines waste prevention, reuse, recycling and other methods.

Requirements and regulations

Landfilling is a sensitive issue. Depending on the type of waste and the hazard it poses, landfills are therefore subject to strict requirements and guidelines, which may differ from country to country. For example, EU Member States are subject to Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste. It also contains the following official definition of “landfills”:

“Landfill” means a waste disposal site for the deposit of waste onto or into land (i.e. underground), including

• internal waste disposal sites where a waste producer carries out its own waste disposal at the place of production, and
• a permanent site (i.e. for more than one year) which is used for temporary storage of waste,

but excluding

• facilities where waste is unloaded in order to permit its preparation for further transport for recovery, treatment or disposal elsewhere, as well as
• storage of waste prior to recovery or treatment for a period of less than three years as a general rule, or
• storage of waste prior to disposal for a period of less than one year.

^{Council Directive 1999/31/EC (accessed: 23 September 2026 | 08:46)}