Health hazards associated with solid waste disposal

The landfilling and disposal of domestic solid waste should be considered as great or greater a public health hazard as raw sewage. Solid waste is toxic and contains a greater variety of pathogenic microorganisms than does sewage sludge. Of all the procedures for solid waste disposal, landfills have and will continue to give rise to serious public health problems of land and water pollution. Although the general public is opposed to landfilling our inept health officials have offered small communities and cities no choice. Small communities do not have the technical knowledge or the funds to initiate alternative procedures. As the volume of solid waste increases each year the magnitude of the health hazards will eventually force public health agencies to implement correct disposal procedures ultimately resulting in recycling.