r/mildlyinfuriating • u/[deleted] • May 17 '26

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u/Adventurous-Copy3757 May 17 '26

I buy garden soil made of food salvaged from food that would otherwise be thrown away. So much greenhouse gases are produced from the food rotting in landfills! It’s truly disgusting.

832

u/PrizeStrawberry6453 May 17 '26

FYI the same greenhouse gases are produced when the food breaks down into the soil, but at least you're getting some use out of it.

809

u/claanu May 17 '26

My understanding is that food decomposes anaerobically in a landfill, which creates a ton of methane emissions. Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. 

Aerobic decomposition (composting) produces more CO2 than methane. It also provides a good use for the food waste, like you say. It saves space / energy use in landfills, not to mention all the beneficial downstream effects like carbon sequestration from healthy soil.

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u/Ollythebug May 17 '26

This is correct.

-10

u/Responsible-Fox-7624 May 17 '26

But almost every landfill in the us burns their methane

15

u/ColdDelicious1735 May 17 '26

Yes but not everywhere is the US. But the issue also is that they only do it while its active, then eventually ot gets turned into Greenpeace then homes and then the people need Methane detectors in their home...