# Can we reclaim landfills?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-reclaim-landfills/725186>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 14, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-reclaim-landfills/725186 "2015-07-14T23:54:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-reclaim-landfills/725186/1 "2015-07-14T23:54:22Z")

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It seems that in the time before recycling was so organized, we filled many landfills with things that we’d recycle today. I’m sure the valuable of scrap materials will rise as time goes on, so there must be a point where the value of the scrap metals, plastics, glass, etc., will make this profitable. Is this feasible?

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-reclaim-landfills/725186/2 "2015-07-15T00:30:01Z")

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Wikipedia article:

> **[Landfill mining](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_mining)**
>
> Landfill mining and reclamation (LFMR) is a process which excavates and processes solid wastes 
> which have previously been landfilled. The process aims to reduce the amount of landfill mass encapsulated within the closed landfill and/or temporarily remove hazardous material to allow protective measures to be taken before the landfill mass is replaced. In the process, mining recovers valuable recyclable materials, a combustible fraction, soil, and landfill space. The aeration of the landfill so Th...

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**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-reclaim-landfills/725186/3 "2015-07-15T05:35:48Z")

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It might be impractical in some locations, as landfills sometimes have parks or freeways built on top of them. I believe there is one of each, for example, in the Santa Clara / Mountain View vicinity in the S. F. Bay Area.