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The assignmentEven many decades after they have been closed down, landfills continue to develop odorous gases that are sometimes toxic and explosive. In addition, water seeping through the landfill is heavily laden with organic contaminants representing a hazard to the ground water. The cause is the anaerobic microbial degradation of organic waste material in the landfill that takes place very slowly, releasing undesirable substances. One of the main products of anaerobic degradation is methane, which is explosive and has an extremely adverse effect on the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.
By contrast, aerobic microbial degradation processes take place much quicker and are far less problematic for the environment since essentially only climate-neutral carbon dioxide and water are formed. In order to promote aerobic conditions within a landfill it is necessary to actively introduce air or air enriched with oxygen. The most important factor is the uniform distribution of oxygen throughout the waste material.
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