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T he majority of waste generated by us ends up in landfills—large pits in the ground for dumping waste. They are carefully constructed and waste is separated and compressed to avoid any interaction with groundwater and the atmosphere. However, as the waste stored in land- fills decomposes, it releases many harmful gases. Landfills

Landfill Gas Methane makes up about 40–60 percent of landfill gas and 35 per- cent of it is CO 2 . Methane is a highly flammable gas and leads to global warming. Landfill gas also contains traces of water vapor, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and other contaminants .

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

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