Incredible Edible Landfill

Following this simple schematic of a sanitary landfill, your class can learn about modern landfill construction and eat the results!

A landfill is carefully designed to protect groundwater and the environment.  A liner system consisting of two feet of compacted clay goes on the bottom (graham cracker crust) and a synthetic geomembrane liner (fruit roll-up) is laid on the clay.  Gravel (crushed graham crackers) with leachate collection lines (licorice) is then placed on the liner.  Leachate is the liquid the percolates through the trash.  It must be collected and removed from the landfill to protect groundwater. 

Trash (pudding) is then taken in by the landfill in daily cells that are covered with 6 inches of soil cover (crushed Oreos).   As the trash breaks down, gas (primarily methane and carbon dioxide) is generated that must be removed with gas collection lines (licorice).  When a real landfill closes, a final cap consisting of 1 foot of compacted clay, a second geomembrane liner and a vegetative layer that will support grass.  For ease of eating, the edible landfill closed with just grass cover!

Ingredients and Tools Needed

2 plastic/vinyl drop cloths or tablecloths
2 spatulas
Roll of paper towels
1 sharp knife
1 large zip-top plastic baggie
2 rolling pins
waxed paper
2 large, deep bowls
eggbeaters
2 graham cracker piecrusts in foil pans (unbaked)
1-box fruit roll-ups (you need 8-10 roll-ups, total)
2 packages graham crackers
2 handfuls coconut, green food coloring
2 boxes (reg. size) INSTANT vanilla pudding
1/2 gal. Cold milk (2% or whole)
16 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1 large pkg. regular Oreos
8 pieces licorice, each about 3-4" long

Preparation

1. Everybody wash hands
2. Save all wrappings and packaging
3. Following directions, mix pudding in bowl
4. Stir in chocolate chips
5. Let pudding set up
6. Put graham crackers between 2 pieces of waxed paper and
   roll w/rolling pin to crush 
7. Crush Oreos
8. Put coconut in plastic bag, add green food coloring,
   MAKE SURE BAG IS SEALED, and shake till coconut turns
   green
9. Divide class into 2 groups

• You will need 2 areas on the floor
• Put tablecloths/drop cloths down to protect floor
• Have kids sit around edge of cloth
• Split above ingredients between the 2 groups

Constructing the Landfill

1. Place pie crust w/o wrapper in center of each 'tarp' PIE PAN IS HOLE IN THE GROUND, CRUST IS THE 2 FEET OF COMPACTED CLAY LINER
2. Line crust with strips of fruit roll-ups  SYNTHETIC GEOMEMBRANE
3. Sprinkle crushed graham crackers in pie shell on top of roll-ups  GRAVEL
4. Lay 2 pieces of licorice on top of “gravel”  LEACHATE COLLECTION LINES
5. Cover leachate lines with more crushed graham crackers

THE LANDFILL IS NOW READY TO RECEIVE TRASH

6. Cover the crushed graham crackers with half of the pudding
   mixture  TRASH

10. Cover trash with crushed Oreos DAILY SOIL COVER
11. Continue to layer pudding and Oreos till pan is full
12. Poke licorice down thru mixture in two areas GAS COLLECTION LINES

THE LANDFILL IS NOW FULL AND MUST CLOSE

13. Cover the landfill with coconut   FINAL GRASS COVER
14. Let landfill set up for a few minutes, then cut as for pie, cut those sections in half, serve

While landfill is setting up, have discussion on how much waste was generated from the activity (packaging, etc.).  What can be recycled? How can you reduce waste? 

 

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