Modern landfills can actually be used as an energy source to some extent: "More recently, it has been recognized that this landfill gas represents a usable ene

Modern landfills can actually be used as an energy source to some extent: "More recently, it has been recognized that this landfill gas represents a usable energy source. The methane can be extracted from the gas and used as fuel. In the North Wake County Landfill, a company collects the landfill gas, extracts the methane, and sells it to a nearby chemical company to power its boilers." From http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/landfill6.htm http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science...