The mountains of garbage in India are notorious for catching fire too often and putting them down is no easy task. Landfill fires India, The Ghazipur (65 m tall) landfill in Delhi reached its limit of garbage capacity back in 2002 but is still getting approximately 2,300 tonnes of rubbish daily.
What Causes the Fires?
The rotten garbage produces methane, which could start a fire when ignited by a heat source or even a cigarette. Old garbage contributes to keeping the fire going, and fires deep inside the garbage can continue burning for weeks.
How Big Is the Issue?
- Old garbage: The Ghazipur landfill has around 14 million tonnes of rubbish, and Bhalswa has a bit less, or 8 million tonnes.
- Processing vs dumping: There is about 1,000 tonnes of old waste being processed in Ghazipur every day and fresh garbage of approximately 2,500 tonnes is being delivered to the landfill.
- Biomining: By the 2022 year, less than 7 percent of the city’s accumulated rubbish had been processed.
What Could Be Done? – landfill fires India
Leading specialists share that biodegradable waste should never be thrown into the landfills because it creates the methane that causes fires. Indore has its bio-CNG plant where 550 tonnes of wet garbage are turned into 17,000 kg of CNG.
Read more on Environmental Changes:
How Harmful Is Plastic Pollution?
Explore its impact on ecosystems.
How can you recycle electronics safely?
Follow this simple checklist for old gadgets.
Which cities face climate risk in 2026?
Check the urban areas under immediate environmental threat.
What were 2025’s worst disasters?
Review the 12 disasters that shaped the year.
Will Countries Hit Food Goals?
Find out why most may miss 2030 targets.
