Although conservation, reuse, recycling, and composting have reduced municipal waste, most of the waste we generate still ends up in landfills. At present, there are more than three thousand landfills in the United States. Many are modern well-engineered facilities that are located, designed, operated, monitored, and financed to insure compliance with federal regulations. These regulations include: restrictions that require landfills to be located away from wetlands, flood plains and other restricted areas; clay reinforced liners; operating practices that reduce odor and control insects and rodents; groundwater monitoring; postclosure care; and corrective action to clean up landfill sites. In addition, the EPA encourages the use of landfill gas as a renewable fuel source through its Landfill Methane Outreach Program.

Recommended EPA Web pages

• MSW Disposal
  Provides information on municipal solid waste disposal.
• Landfill Methane Outreach Program
  This is the homepage for the Landfill Methane Outreach Program.
• Land Disposal Units
  Congress authorized EPA to promulgate regulations establishing design and operating requirements for land disposal units.