Trash Talking
In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency noted that "[t]he total generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2018 was 292.4 million tons or 4.9 pounds per person per day. Of the MSW generated, approximately 69 million tons were recycled and 25 million tons were composted."
The refuse of those living in the Greater New Orleans area will likely end up in the 200-acre Gentilly Landfill in New Orleans East, Jefferson Parish Landfill, or River Birch Landfill in Avondale. Landfills are no longer mere dumping grounds. Stringent regulations were put in place by the EPA and other federal, state, and local entities over the last 50 years. Landfills are quite sophisticated and are engineered to decrease the impact to the environment as much as possible.
Modern landfill cells are lined with impermeable liners. Incoming garbage is dumped into the cell and compacted with heavy vehicles. Liquid that pools in the bottom of the liner, called leachate, drains into pipes and is then pumped out to a retention pond or treatment plant. A series of specialized vertical pipes, called wells, are used to vent gases made from decomposing materials. Some enterprising landfills collect the gas to be used as fuel for creating electricity.
A major issue occurred in 2017 and 2019 at the Jefferson Parish Landfill, in which deadly amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas built up and seeped through the mounds. Residents of Waggaman, Harahan, and River Ridge endured the malodor, as well as headaches, nausea, and other maladies that came with it. After numerous complaints, investigations were launched, which found the causes of the sickening stench.
Former Landfill Engineer Rick Buller said in an interview, "The one outlier is that 18,000+ tons of hydrated lime that went in there." Buller took responsibility for accepting the industrial waste that had an unexpected chemical reaction in the trash cell, creating huge amounts of hydrogen sulfide that seeped through the piles. Additionally, it was found that the leachate pumps were not functioning properly, which flooded the gas wells, disallowing proper ventilation of methane and carbon dioxide.
Fed up residents filed suit against Jefferson Parish and their contractors Waste Connections and Aptim, which resulted in a $4.5 million settlement in 2025.
The neighboring privately owned landfill, River Birch, which runs a state-of-the-art facility, was selected to take over the contract for Jefferson Parish Landfill and fix the issues. River Birch Landfill touts being the "most technically advanced landfill in the U.S." From the privately owned landfills and Jefferson Parish Landfill, gases are piped into the on-site renewable natural gas plant, the third-largest in the country.
Methane is processed at their refinery and then piped to Atmos Energy to help power nearly 2,000 homes. River Birch is developing several renewable energy initiatives, including an anaerobic digestor that will convert sewage into methane and carbon dioxide, a process to convert old tires into renewable gases and fuels, and a method to create food-grade carbon dioxide.
Organizations Promoting Recycling
Connected to renewable energy is recycling. Curbside glass recycling in New Orleans officially ended in January of 2017. Three years later, in January of 2020, Glass Half Full stepped in to help. Although they originally "began collecting and hand-crushing our friends' glass," they have seen a lot of growth.
Glass Half Full enjoyed rapid success as people excitedly subscribed to the glass recycling service or dropped off used glassware at the facility. Glass is pulverized into various grades of sand that is used for various industrial purposes. In May 2025, 150 tons of Glass Half Full's sand packed into recycled burlap coffee bean sacks, as well as 12,000 plugs of smooth cordgrass, were used for a 500-foot long land berm-building project to protect marshland that fronts a levee wall.
Christina Lehew, Common Ground Relief's executive director, explained the important project, "This was a collaborative effort that was the product of several years of planning and research and funded by the National Science Foundation. Pointe Au Chien Indian Tribe, Glass Half Full, ReCoast, Common Ground Relief, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, and Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement & Development were the primary partners involved. Terrebonne Parish contains the Pointe Au Chien Indian Tribe's ancestral lands and is experiencing the compounding disasters of the highest rates of land erosion and sea level rise in the nation at the same time. What began as a shallow canal through land covered in oak trees, supporting a population of wild horses and a thriving fishing industry, has turned into a churning 40-foot deep and 50+ foot wide canal. The oak trees have died, the land has eroded, and the water has become brackish. Only two wild horses remain."
Land is eroding at record rates now due to industrial activities, but native people experienced erosion before colonization and took steps to mitigate it with their discards. "Many of these tribes were mound builders, such as the Chitimacha, whose intentionally discarded rangia clam shells created elevated islands to be used as places of refuge during high water events. Remaining mounds are sacred sites and often the only refuge left for freshwater species along the coast," Lehew continued.
Recycled glass will be used for sand berm creation in the coming months and years. Lehew explained, "Glass Half Full, Tulane University, and Common Ground Relief were awarded a grant by the EPA through the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation to implement another 100 ft. glass sand berm in Lake Lery. We will plant a mix of Giant Cutgrass and California Bulrush, since these waters are still fresh enough to host these species."
Even though our trash is turning into good stuff, we should be mindful about our waste. Reduce your food waste, consider shopping at low-waste stores such as Vintage Green Review, and recycle.
