Dr. Morton Barlaz: What Really Happens to Our Trash
While in graduate school in the early 1980s, Dr. Morton Barlaz was offered a project studying how municipal waste decomposes. He wasn’t sure it was what he wanted to do, but it sounded interesting so he said yes. Forty-two years later, he’s a leading expert on how landfills work and why their management matters. In this episode, he explains what happens to the things we throw away, what biodegrades (and what doesn’t), and how landfills have changed over time.
Hear Morton talk about:
What it’s like to study landfills for over 40 years
Why he doesn't like calling landfills "dumps"
How methane is created and why collecting it matters
The myths around what does or doesn't biodegrade
The realities of post-closure landfill maintenance
Mentioned in this episode:
Dr. Morton Barlaz, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, NC State University
EPA landfill regulations on post-closure care
How to compost at home (and help reduce methane emissions)
“Landfills are a piece of our public infrastructure, just like wastewater treatment.”
Episode 7 Notes
Coming soon.