My business idea -- Landfill mining rights

.

For your daily dose of debunking, from Steve Milloy,
visit the Junk Science Home Page.

What is Junk Science?

Special rules for this forum.

Debunkers

Business - big and small

profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Author	Topic: My business idea -- Landfill mining rights
Eboy Member	posted 04-17-2008 02:15 PM I don't have a business plan or anything, but this has been in the back of my mind for too long so I am throwing it out. Suppose someday -- 50 years or more maybe -- landfills become valuable for what is buried in them. Perhaps it becomes cheaper to seek resources there than from traditional sources. My business idea is to, today, go to all the landfill companies and pay them a small amount of money for long-term mining rights. The amount of money paid for these options would be so low that if it does not pan out, no big deal. But if the landfills become valuable, the option holders could get rich. What do you think? IP: Logged
KGB Moderator	posted 04-17-2008 02:26 PM Send me a prospectus. IP: Logged
setnahkt Member	posted 04-17-2008 02:41 PM The EPA calls this "landfill reclamation". It's been tried in a couple of eastern states that are short of landfill area: http://www.epa.gov/garbage/landfill/land-rcl.pdf I note that there don't seem to be any recent attempts, which leads me to believe that there are a lot of problems not mentioned in the optomistic EPA data sheet. I suspect the largest one will be local resistance from environmental activists/Luddites, plus convoluted levels of regulations that were not designed for this situation but which the regulatory agencies will decide are applicable. (In Colorado, landfill mining would be impossible due to the asbestos soil contamination regulations). There are a number of landfills that extract methane; it takes a lot of methane for this to be economical. The Denver-Arapahoe Disposal Site (DADS), which IIRC is the fourth largest landfill in the US, only began generating enough methane to make recovery economical about two years ago; before that they were just flaring it off. Low scale landfill mining often takes place at construction sites. When we built a bus-only overpass through an old demolition fill site in downtown Denver, one of the construction workers collected intact glass bottles from the spoil and was eventually able to sell them to an antique dealer for $300. I personally picked up a 1914 Colorado license plate (only the second year they were issued) in pretty good condition; I gave it away without knowing if it was worth anything. IP: Logged
Ryan Atwater Member	posted 04-17-2008 02:49 PM The other issue is that you might be mining someone's park, golf course, or housing development. IP: Logged
LaneH Member	posted 04-17-2008 03:10 PM quote: It's been tried in a couple of eastern states that are short of landfill area: Ok, maybe I live in a landfill rich area (obviously not manhattan) but MD and VA landfills are 50-75% empty. How do you mine a hole? ------------------ lane h. can be reached at laneman@erols.com "Never let your mind remain so open that your brain falls out." IP: Logged
Jeff Norman Moderator	posted 04-17-2008 03:58 PM Won't they have to worry about desecrating early American burial sites, after all electronic people have rights too, or rather they will? IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)	next newest topic \| next oldest topic
Administrative Options: Close Topic \| Archive/Move \| Delete Topic
	Hop to:

Contact Us | The Debunkers

Personal Safety Notice: The discussions on this site may address activities which are inherently dangerous and other activities which could be dangerous if done improperly. Many opinions may be expressed. All or none may be valid. The management of this board has no way of assuring that any of the opinions expressed are consistent with safe practices. If you choose to follow any of the "guidance" expressed on this site and, as a result, blow three of your fingers off, please let us know about it so we can laugh at your stupidity.

Copyright Restrictions: You should know the drill by now. If you post it here, then you promise that you have the right to do so and pledge to defend and hold harmless this board and the staff which manages daily operations. The staff reserves the right to edit or delete material you submit if, in its judgment, your claim is not reasonable.

For your daily dose of debunking, from Steve Milloy, visit the Junk Science Home Page.	What is Junk Science?
	Special rules for this forum.