There’s not much that can be done with closed landfills. When these sites fill up with garbage, they are capped with layers of soil, clay and plastic liners. As the garbage decomposes, the ground can shift and become unsteady. Disturbing the capped landfill can release fumes like methane.
Still, some have found opportunity on these sites. Places across the country have turned old landfills into solar array fields, including one in New Jersey that has been operating since 2015. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the New Jersey site, which has about 42,000 panels, produces enough power for 2,000 households.
Now, Pierce County is working to turn the old Purdy landfill into a green energy producer that will eventually benefit the Key Peninsula community…