Landfills have for a long time now been seen with negativity, but thanks to innovative ideas being implemented across the globe, these sites are turning into useful social assets. Below are some inspiring examples of how trash mounds are being repurposed for recreation, renewable energy and more.

Skiing On Trash: CopenHill In Denmark. CopenHill, in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a waste-to-energy plant that also has an artificial ski slope for year-round skiing in a country that has no natural slopes. The facility incinerates waste to produce power and heat for households while serving as a novel leisure facility for the locals. The 85-meter-high structure includes:

A 450-meter ski slope (Europe’s longest)

A glass elevator which offers views of the plant’s internal workings

Hiking trails and the world's tallest climbing wall

A restaurant and sky bar at the top with panoramic views of Copenhagen

CopenHill is an excellent example of how industrial facilities can integrate aesthetically into cities while creating energy and recreational value.

Landfills as Solar Farms. In the United States, closed landfills are being repurposed as solar energy sites:

The Sunnyside landfill in Houston, Texas, is being turned into a 52 MW solar plant, set to be the largest landfill solar plant in the U.S.

A study by RMI estimates that closed landfills across the U.S. could host 63 GW of solar capacity, enough to power 7.8 million homes.

This approach enables communities to produce clean energy while utilizing barren land effectively. For instance, the Sunnyside project is expected to create 600 jobs and revitalize an otherwise neglected community.

Waste-to-Energy Plants. Current landfills are increasingly being developed into waste-to-energy plants where trash is converted into power:

The Amager Bakke plant in Copenhagen, which houses CopenHill, processes 440,000 tons of waste annually and produces electricity for 60,000 homes.

Landfill gas capture systems collect methane from decomposing organic matter and use it for power generation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Parks and Recreation Areas. Many waste dumping grounds have been transformed into beautiful public gardens and recreational areas:

Freshkills Park in New York City is converting a 2,200-acre landfill into an immense urban park.

Shirley Chisholm Park in New York is built on a landfill and includes hiking trails, biking tracks and skyline viewpoints.

These projects not only revitalize disposed sites but also provide opportunities for physical activity in urban areas.

Urban Ski Areas. Other similar structures have been developed on landfills, including ski areas:

Crystal Ridge Ski Area in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a ski and snowboarding facility built on a landfill, offering winter sports in the city.

Research and Education Centers. Some landfills have been reinvented as hubs for research and environmental learning:

The Metabolon Project in Germany transformed the Leppe landfill into a state-of-the-art waste management facility focusing on resource management and the circular economy.

Conclusion

These creative approaches to landfill utilization may hold important strategies for cities and countries:

Landfills can be reused to benefit society by producing energy, recreation and employment.

Innovation can change public perceptions of waste management facilities.

Landfill reuse can help achieve environmental goals while addressing the need for green space and renewable energy.

As the world embraces sustainable development, it is crucial to see waste sites as opportunities for innovation and community growth. These projects prove that with vision and imagination, even landfills can become valuable assets.

Dawn Carr is a high-powered national and international consultant to charitable and human rights organizations, multinational corporations and governments, and has worked with notable personages in the entertainment industry; arts, health and wellness; philanthropy; global justice and equality; and humanitarian causes.