The way in which humans have historically treated and disposed of our waste has impacted the environment in a number of ways. Disposal of waste to unmanaged landfills, which still forms a significant part of global disposals, releases methane to the atmosphere as the waste decomposes. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, contributing to global warming roughly twenty one times more that a equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. Increasingly in the developed world, and in particular Europe, landfill sites are managed such that the methane released is captured and used to generate electricity, and there is an increase in the recycling and re-use of goods. Other forms of waste management involve the combustion of wastes, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The energy used in producing the goods we consume and throw away contributes to overall energy demand and the associated emissions associated with the combustion of fossil fuels to generate this energy. A linear system, where resources are extracted, used and disposed of, demands high inputs of energy compared with a more circular system involving recycling and re-use.
