Archive for Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A look inside the landfill
Variety of activity — even wildlife — abounds inside the nearly 1,000-acre site
April 25, 2012
Photo Gallery
A look inside the landfill
The Johnson County landfill, covering nearly 1,000 acres in the center of Shawnee, absorbs more than 5,000 tons of garbage a day. Behind the steep berms hiding it from public view, the landfill is home to not only trash, but sophisticated engineering and lush green pockets teeming with wildlife.
Inside the landfill: Mountains of garbage
The Johnson County landfill, covering nearly 1,000 acres in the center of Shawnee, absorbs more than 5,000 tons of garbage a day from more than a dozen surrounding counties. All day, trucks drive into the active area to dump loads of waste while a corps of massive earth-movers levels and buries the garbage as it comes in. Once the active cell pictured here reaches capacity, operations will continue at a new cell that has been constructed in accordance with government regulations. Enlarge video
Inside the landfill: 180 degree view
The Johnson County landfill, covering nearly 1,000 acres in the center of Shawnee, absorbs more than 5,000 tons of garbage a day. In this view of an active landfill cell, trucks drive into the active area to dump loads of waste, and a team of massive earth-movers level and bury the garbage as it comes in. Once this cell reaches capacity, waste will be dumped and buried in a new cell on the premises. Enlarge video
The Johnson County landfill, covering nearly 1,000 acres in the center of Shawnee, absorbs more than 5,000 tons of garbage a day.
No, it isn’t a pretty sight. And yes, it stinks — sometimes beyond the landfill’s boundaries.
But behind the steep berms hiding it from public view, the landfill is home to both arid moon-like landscapes and lush green pockets teeming with wildlife.
This week, The Dispatch takes you on a photo tour of the largest landfill of its kind in the Midwest.
More like this story
- Cemetery stroll next month at Holy Angels with First City PAST group
- Kansas governor uses zombie event to promote preparedness
- The Latest on Jewish shootings: Jury weighing death sentence
- Speaker takes on tragedy in Tonganoxie High assembly
- Leavenworth, Douglas county officials battle grass fires; Tonganoxie chief offers prevention tips
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.