Re: [greenyes] Decomposition Rates

[OrionCA <orionca@no.address>]

On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 08:55:18 -0700, you wrote:

>
>
>
>Good Monday Morning,
>
>Can anyone suggest a reliable source on the internet regarding decomposition
>rates in landfills?
>
>
>Thanks in advance for your assitance.

Depends on the landfill, the type of fill, temperature, the moisture
content of the material, the pH of the soil mixed in with the
material, etc.  If the landfill is properly prepared (with an
underliner barrier and a cap) decomposition will be slower because
there will be less groundwater seeping into it.  The "wetter" the
material the faster it will decompose.   A "dry" landfill may take
over 100 years to fully decompose.  A "wet" landfill may decompose in
under 10 years - but there's more risk of the material seeping through
the barrier and into the groundwater.See

http://www.osu.edu/oncampus/v30n12/research.html

for some research into the subject.

And of course inorganics decompose at a different rate from organics.
There's that famous landfill excavation where they found
well-preserved newspapers from 20 years before.  The paper was
yellowed but the inorganic ink used was as clear and sharp as the day
the paper was printed.    Which is good in a way:  If the ink had
degraded it would have contaminated the groundwater eventually.
--
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