Question

Lawn wastes, such as grass clippings and leaves, were once collected with household trash and dumped into landfills. Identify one way that this practice was harmful to the environment:

a) Increased soil fertility
b) Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
c) Enhanced water quality
d) Produced methane gas from decomposition

Answer 1

Dumping lawn wastes in landfills produces methane gas, a harmful greenhouse gas, during anaerobic decomposition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The practice of collecting lawn wastes such as grass clippings and leaves with household trash and dumping them into landfills was harmful to the environment because it produced methane gas from decomposition.

When organic matter decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen) in landfills, it generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

This is a key reason why many communities have moved toward composting or other forms of organic waste management that reduce methane emissions and recycle nutrients back into the soil.