Environmental Resources Management

What is a landfill?

Landfills are engineered areas where waste is placed into the land. Although source reduction, reuse, recycling and composting can divert large portions of municipal solid waste from disposal, some waste still must be placed in landfills. Modern landfills are well-engineered facilities that are located, designed, operated, monitored, closed, cared for after closure, cleaned up when necessary and financed to insure compliance with federal regulations. Landfills usually have liner systems and other safeguards to prevent groundwater contamination.

For more information, please visit the Department of Public Works and Waste Management.

If a facility is not permitted to handle a specific type of material then it may actually be an illegal solid waste site. Please review the Permits page to see which permits are necessary.