Bury Your Trash

This online resource teaches students about what happens to buried rubbish.

Students bury various pieces of rubbish in a plotted area of land. After two to three months, they uncover the rubbish to investigate what types of materials biodegrade in soil.

Engineering Connection

Waste management engineers use the process of biodegredation to minimise the amount of space that landfills take up. Civil and agricultural engineers take advantage of the biodegradation process in designing waste and water treatment facilities and making soil improvements to improve crop production.

Safety Note:

Food scraps used in this activity should be limited to what would go into a compost heap. See this link for information on items that should and should not be composted. https://www.livescience.com/63559-composting.html

Avoid using raw or processed meats, which could grow hazardous microbes and/or attract local animals, e.g. rodents, which may dig up the material.