December 24, 2025
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is a member-based association of professionals from across the waste and resource management industry. Committed to advancing from waste management to resource management, we are empowering our members to deliver essential services to communities today and anticipate their needs for tomorrow.
Recent media coverage regarding New Jersey landfills has undermined their crucial role in the safe management of solid waste. As landfill operators and experts in the solid waste industry, we feel it is vital for the public to understand the larger context and realities related to landfills and waste management in our state.
Landfills are critical infrastructure that play an important role in protecting public health and the functioning of modern society. Every resident produces waste that must be disposed of safely. Landfills fulfill this essential need.
Landfills are currently the most economical, efficient, and ecological way to dispose of solid waste in NJ. Hauling waste out of state is expensive, and new disposal technologies are still under development. While our industry continues to invest in reducing, recycling, and researching alternatives, we must also maximize the existing infrastructure in place. Landfills already exist, and maximizing their capacity is the most cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally sound option for NJ residents.
Landfills are heavily regulated. Landfills must comply with strict regulations set forth by county, state, and federal authorities. In New Jersey, most landfills are owned and operated by public entities that are subject to increased oversight and accountability. These landfills operate out of necessity, not to create profits.
Decisions about where waste is directed are governed by law, not market whim. New Jersey counties are legally required to create solid waste management plans that dictate permissible disposal facilities. Counties are responsible, and held liable, for the waste generated in their communities. For this reason, it’s beneficial for counties to select local disposal sites where oversight is possible.
There are challenges to operating disposal facilities in a densely populated state. In many cases, landfills were established in industrial areas decades before surrounding residential development occurred. Homes are being built in areas previously zoned for industrial use, a fact that underscores the role of local officials and developers in approving such projects.
Accountability should be fairly assigned. It is neither reasonable nor practical to hold landfills accountable for decisions that allow residential development next to these facilities. Residents understandably desire a high quality of life, but due diligence is also a personal responsibility when purchasing property. Developers and municipalities should bear responsibility for siting housing in known proximity to potential nuisances.
Odors are not a direct health threat. The primary compound associated with landfill odors, hydrogen sulfide, is regulated at levels measured in parts per billion (ppb). For perspective, recognized health risks are tied to exposure at concentrations thousands of times higher, measured in parts per million (ppm). Landfill odors are a nuisance issue, not a matter of acute public health danger.
Landfills are here to serve the community. As an industry, we remain committed to improving operations, engaging with communities, and protecting both the environment and public health. Nuisances such as odor should be managed diligently, and we strongly advocate that landfills proactively follow best management practices to help curb and minimize community concerns.
In summary, New Jersey’s landfills are not only lawful and regulated, but essential. They are a shared responsibility that benefit every community. Any discussion of landfills must begin with an acknowledgment of this necessity.
Brian E. Henning
SWANA NJ Chapter President
Amy Lestition Burke, MA, FASAE, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
1. (240) 494-2226 | M. (202) 302-3230
[email protected] | swana.org