What does landfill mean?
A landfill is a place where rubbish and other waste materials are deposited, usually as part of a controlled waste-disposal system. It may also refer collectively to waste deposited in that way or to the practice of disposing of waste in such sites. The word is commonly used in official, environmental, and local-government contexts, as in “municipal landfill,” “landfill gas,” and “landfill waste.” Unlike the broader word “dump,” modern “landfill” often suggests a managed or engineered facility with procedures for accepting, compacting, covering, and monitoring waste. Landfills remain important because they receive material that cannot readily be reused or recycled, although their effects on surrounding land, water, and air can create serious environmental concerns. For this reason, waste-prevention and recycling policies are often discussed in relation to reducing the amount sent to landfill.
nounA site, or the system of waste disposal, where rubbish and other waste materials are deposited. In modern usage it usually refers to a managed or engineered site rather than an uncontrolled dump.
- A site where waste is deposited for disposal.
- Waste material placed in such a site.
- The practice or system of disposing of waste in this way.
"The council plans to close the old landfill and restore the site as public grassland."
"Recycling can divert some recyclable material from the landfill."
"The old landfill was closed after years of industrial use."
The usual plural when referring to multiple waste-disposal sites.
"Several regional landfills handle waste collected from surrounding communities."
Modern landfills are carefully engineered systems, but their name still reveals their basic idea: filling land with waste.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does landfill come from?
“Landfill” is a compound formed from “land” and “fill.” Its modern sense developed from the literal idea of filling ground or land with waste, while the expression gradually came to denote the place where that material was deposited. The word belongs to the broad English family of forms based on “land,” including “landscape,” “landowner,” and “landfall.”
How landfill is actually used
In British English, “landfill” is very common, and “rubbish tip” or “waste tip” may be used informally in everyday speech. In American English, “landfill” is the standard formal term, while “dump” is broader and often less specific about waste-management practices.
Easily confused with landfill
A dump is a general term for a place where waste is left or discarded, whereas a landfill usually denotes a managed facility designed for controlled waste disposal.
A landfill stores waste on or in the ground, while an incinerator burns waste to reduce its volume and dispose of it.