Modern landfill systems have changed significantly from the days of tips or dumps. Many landfills that operate in New Zealand have components designed to protect the surrounding environment, allow for environmental monitoring and capture methane gas for reuse.
In this activity, students use online and/or paper resources to identify and label components of modern landfill systems.
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
- label the components of a modern landfill system
- discuss how these engineering practices help to protect us and the environment
- consider other aspects of landfill systems that are not explicitly labelled in the interactive.
Download the Word file (see link below) for:
- background information for teachers
- student instructions
- activity answers.
Nature of science
This activity is an ideal way to practise the science capability ‘Interpret representations’.
Related content
Find out more about the structure of landfills in New Zealand and the growing waste challenge we face.
Thinking about landfills is a ready-to-use cross-curricular student worksheet for NZC levels 4–5. It does not require internet access – making it suitable for students working away from a school setting.
Activity ideas
Use the activity Looking at modern landfill systems to deepen understanding regarding the history and science of landfills and how students can take action to reduce what goes into landfills.
Read the level 4 Connected article Turning old into new to discover where plastics and other materials come from and how we can minimise our ecological footprint.
