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Contrary to popular belief, new research is showing that landfills are far too crowded for biodegradable waste to properly decompose. Landfills are packed so tightly that they become anaerobic which affects the decomposability of biodegradable materials. What this means is that the rubbish is being stuffed so tightly together that this waste does not have enough oxygen to properly decompose. Unfortunately, a small amount of waste that is decomposing is being released into the atmosphere as methane. As rain water seeps into a landfill, it carries dangerous chemicals under the landfill causing groundwater contamination. Typically in a landfill, there’s very little room for microorganisms to survive due to the lack of oxygen. This becomes a real issue because it means that land that is being cleared for a landfill is literally uninhabitable by life. As our population continues to grow, we’re going to need to find more land to clear for a landfill. For this reason, it’s important that we find new ways to innovate and substitute our current methods of waste disposal for a more sustainable one that does not release so many toxic chemicals that affect our air and water quality.