Sydney Tomlak | US Environmental Policy Student
The average American discards four pounds of waste per day[1]. Waste is defined as an unwanted or unuseful material, substance, or by-product[2]. As a society, we generate lots of waste. We generate solid, liquid, and gaseous waste every day. These wastes come from manufacturing plants, households, schools, and everywhere. But when we put something into our trash bin – where does it go? It may disappear from our lives, but does it disappear from the planet? The reality is our waste takes a long time to break down or be reused, if ever, and our current waste management practices only extend this process.
After we place our trash in the bin, it is collected by government agencies or private corporations like General Waste Management and transported to landfill sites. There, it sits – waiting to be decomposed by bacteria, heat, sunlight, and other erosion processes. However, modern-day landfills are designed with layers of clay and rubber to prevent liquid runoff from leaking into the surrounding soil and water. While this protects the environment in one way, it significantly delays decomposition[3].
Just how long does a waste product take to decompose? An orange peel takes 6+ months to decompose. A paper towel takes 2 –4 weeks to decompose. A cotton shirt takes 2 –3 years to decompose. A piece of cheese takes 4 years to decompose. A cigarette 1 –5 years. A plastic bag 10 – 10,000 years. An aluminum can 200 – 400 years. A plastic bottle 450 years. A glass bottle thousands of years. Some items never decompose, like styrofoam and tinfoil[4]. Even when something does decompose, does that mean it disappears? Not necessarily.
The definition of decompose is to break down into smaller pieces or elements[5]. What happens to the smaller pieces following decomposition? For the waste that is organic, such as food or glass, the smaller pieces can be put back into the environment and used again in other products or processes such as the nutrification of soil or making sand. But for waste that is inorganic, such as plastic bags and plastic bottles, the environment cannot identify what this unknown product is and cannot use it. Leaving us with a ton of small and toxic plastic pieces called microplastics, plastic fragments up to 5 mm, in our environment. A staggering statistic is that 10 to 40 million metric tons of microplastics are released every year into our environment[6].
Not only does the waste in our landfills lie untouched or become small and toxic fragments but it also creates gases that harm our environment. Landfills that pour a layer of clay and rubber over the waste prevent oxygen from getting to the waste and therefore create anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition which produces landfill gas (LFG)[7] . Landfill gas is fifty percent Methane and fifty percent Carbon Dioxide. Methane and Carbon Dioxide are powerful greenhouse gases and great contributors to climate change which has several consequences for our planet such as ocean acidification, rising sea levels, increasing natural disasters, etc.[8].
How do we fix our waste problem? Research and development has been done into the creation of substituting harmful or undegradable products for biodegradable or compostable products[9] and the creation of bacteria that can actually eat microplastics[10]. Building off this research there are polices and actions that can be implemented and the federal, state, local, and individual levels.
The federal government could tax and set regulations for the use and creation of plastics, stryofoams, and other harmful products. As well as providing funding or grants into the research, development, and implementation of reusable, recyclable, compostable products, and plastic-eating bacteria. State governments should enforce these regulations and taxes through monitorization.
Local governments could increase educational programs on the harm of our waste and waste-management practices. While expanding their systems for recycling and composting in terms of spatial area and products accepted. As well as encouraging citizens to recycle and compost and educating citizens on what is accepted and how to do so. As of now there are issues of recyclable items not being recycled by citizens, either not putting recyclable items into the recycling or incorrectly recycling products, or recycling facilities and the limited use of composting by citizens and local municipalities[11].
Individually, you can help our waste problem more than you probably think. You can invest in compostable items and composting at home. You can choose compostable or biodegradable items instead of styrofoams or plastics. You can choose to use reusable products, such as a reusable water bottle or carryout containers, and use them many times instead of using single-use products. You can check with your local recycling facilities and make sure you are recycling everything you can be and are recycling them correctly. If you believe your local area could be recycling, composting, or just doing more you can write to your legislators and ask them to do so. Lastly, you can fund or give your time to research adequate substitutions and solutions.
Together we can help solve the waste problem we have created.
[1] “How Long Does It Take for Trash to Decompose? – Sourgum Waste.” n.d.
[2] Oxford Languages. 2025. “Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press. 2025.
[3] “How Long Does It Take for Trash to Decompose? – Sourgum Waste.” n.d.
[4] “How Long Does It Take for Trash to Decompose? – Sourgum Waste.” n.d.
[5] Oxford Languages. 2025. “Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press. 2025.
[6] Savchuk, Katia. 2025. “What’s the Deal with Microplastics, the Material That ‘Never Goes Away’?” Stanford.edu. Stanford University. 2025.
[7] US EPA. 2024. “Basic Information about Landfill Gas.” US EPA. United States Environmental Protection Agency. September 20, 2024.
[8] Jones, Matthew W., Glen P. Peters, Thomas Gasser, Robbie M. Andrew, Clemens Schwingshackl, Johannes
Gütschow, Richard A. Houghton, Pierre Friedlingstein, Julia Pongratz, and Corinne Le Quéré. 2023.
“National Contributions to Climate Change due to Historical Emissions of Carbon Dioxide, Methane,
and Nitrous Oxide since 1850.” Scientific Data 10, no. 1 (March).
[9] Team, Enviroliteracy. 2024. “How Can We Reduce Microplastic Pollution? – the Environmental Literacy Council.” The Environmental Literacy Council. October 18, 2024.
[10] Dutfield, Scott. 2022. “Plastic-Eating Bacteria: Genetic Engineering and Environmental Impact.” Livescience.com. March 23, 2022.
[11] Barnett, Michaela J., Patrick I. Hancock, Leidy E. Klotz, and Shahzeen Z. Attari. 2023. “Recycling Bias and
Reduction Neglect.” Nature Sustainability 6, no. July (July): 1–8.
Sydney, this is such an interesting blog post! I find it shocking that the average American produces four pounds of waste a day, that is a staggering statistic. I decided to look up which country produces the highest average amount of waste per person per day—naively thinking it would be a different country—and found that the United States has the highest rate. Therefore, I believe this issue points to a societal or cultural problem. American society, when compared to other societies, is lazy when it comes to environmental issues. Many of us do not want to bring renewable cups to coffee shops and bring them home to wash them, or sit down at a restaurant to eat our lunch, we’d rather have it to-go. The “to-go” aspect of society exacerbates our waste issue, and while individual actions are important, what we really need is a collective shift that de-emphasizes “to go” culture. Longer lunch breaks that allow people to sit down and eat their food, less fast-food and more “slow-food” restaurants with reusable dishware, and support for clean energy are all ways American society can create a culture that minimizes waste.
Hey Sydney – I really like this blog post. It is eye opening. Many people do not think about what happens to waste. Once you drink your soda and eat your candy bar, where does that can and plastic wrapper go. A lot of people consider it enough to dispose of it. Some people, me included, like to recycle. Some people go as far as to reuse or not even use that waste in the first place. I personally always try to use reusable tupperwares, silverware, plastic water bottle, shopping bag, etc. But sometimes, I forget. Personally, I think I have this sense of responsibility because of the educational programs that were at my elementary school and also through following my parents’ example. So I agree with you, educational programs are definitely effective. Do you think that elementary school is the best time to start explaining the waste problem, or should it be more geared towards high schoolers and college students?
You had a great hook; that fact surprises me. I think that a lot of the waste we produce outside of our direct consumption (ex: plastic water bottle, plastic grocery bag), is the indirect waste. Just today, I received a package from Amazon for a photo frame. There was so much unnecessary cardboard; I felt guilty opening the package. So, I think that the waste we produce from shipping products is definitely understated in people’s minds. However, shipping reduces the need for me to get in my car and burn gasoline; there is a tradeoff. I wonder whether the increase in internet purchases is more or less environmentally friendly compared with buying in stores.
What are some of the advances on the microplastic eating bacteria? If that research materializes into something special, that will be revolutionary. Keep me posted!
Wow, your opening was incredibly effective. That statistic immediately made me want to reduce my daily waste. I’ve always wanted to cut back on my plastic use, but as a college student constantly on the go, it often feels difficult. I also think about how fortunate I am to even have the choice to switch to reusable or compostable products because many people don’t. Reusable products tend to be more expensive, and most people can’t afford to make that kind of investment on a daily basis. I wonder if there’s a way to make reusable options scalable and more affordable for the general population. Without that, waste reduction remains an individual burden, when it should really be a broader systemic shift. I think the tax cuts and grant proposals you suggested are the most effective path forward. Large corporations shape the pace of change when it comes to plastic use. If the federal government offered grants or tax breaks, companies could invest in sustainable packaging without passing the cost onto consumers. A top-down approach would remove the burden from individuals and make reusable products the standard.
Sydney, thanks for your thoughtful blog post!
I found it so interesting to learn about the design of landfills. I didn’t know about the clay and rubber layers in place to protect waste runoff nor that they actually delay the waste decomposition process. I wonder if playing with the porosity of these layers could help with the prevention of anaerobic decomposition process, reducing the amount of LFG produced. The comparison of decomposition timelines of different daily goods is fascinating. I did not think an orange peel took 6 moths to decompose or that cheese took 4 years. I think this is a common misconception, just because it is organic material, doesn’t mean the decomposition timelines are quick.
I definitely agree that combatting this waste issue should be with upstream policy and regulations on producers. Over consumption and wasteful habits are a huge reason for the sheer amount of waste that is produced. Combatting waste at its source seems the most logical and productive strategy for change.
Wow, your opening was incredibly effective. That statistic immediately made me want to reduce my daily waste. I’ve always wanted to cut back on my plastic use, but as a college student constantly on the go, it often feels difficult. I also think about how fortunate I am to even have the choice to switch to reusable or compostable products because many people don’t. Reusable products tend to be more expensive, and most people can’t afford to make that kind of investment on a daily basis.
I wonder if there’s a way to make reusable options scalable and more affordable for the general population. Without that, waste reduction remains an individual burden, when it should really be a broader systemic shift. I think the tax cuts and grant proposals you suggested are the most effective path forward. Large corporations shape the pace of change when it comes to plastic use. If the federal government offered grants or tax breaks, companies could invest in sustainable packaging without passing the cost onto consumers. A top-down approach would remove the burden from individuals and make reusable products the standard, not the exception.
Sydney, wonderful blog post about a very pressing issue that every human on earth feels the consequences of, whether they realize it or not. I have tried to become more conscious about my waste generation while at Duke, after learning more about the inadequate waste management system still in place in most human settlements. I avoid buying single use plastics whenever possible, and try my best to reuse plastic items whenever possible, like ziplock bags. I like the idea of setting up additional education systems through local government—even though it’s large corporations and other large entities that generate the majority of waste that ends up in landfills, every act helps, and it makes each person feel better about their impact on the environment. Highlighting that the United States ships a lot of its trash out of the country, where impoverished individuals pick through the garbage that we create to earn a living. This fact has stuck with me since I learned of it, and has driven me to produce less waste. Unfortunately, most of America is now use to generating so much waste without a second thought. As such, economic incentives at the state and federal level are likely the best way to reduce waste generation within our country without facing serious backlash. It is going to take many years for our system to be completely overhauled, but through continued education, policy backed by economic considerations, and the personal choice to be more sustainable, we can fight to reduce the massive amount of waste we generate each day.