The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that there are more than 10,000 closed landfills in the U.S. Reclamation of these sites is big business; many locations have been remediated and turned into parks, gardens, and well-known golf courses across the country.
Landfills also can host energy projects. Research groups, including the World Resources Institute, have said U.S. cities and counties announced more than 20 brownfield solar power projects in 2021, turning these sites into “brightfields,” with more than 200 MW of electricity generation capacity. More such projects are on the way, with additional tax credits available for landfills and other brownfield sites through the Inflation Reduction Act.
