Where does our trash go?
Trash's Secret Journey
Where does our trash go?
You toss an apple core into the bin. You crumple up a broken pencil box and throw it away. And just like that—gone! But where does it actually go? It's not magic. It's not a portal to another dimension. Every piece of trash you've ever thrown away is still somewhere on Earth. Let's follow it.
First stop: the garbage truck. Once a week, a huge truck rumbles down your street, and workers toss all those bags into the back. Inside the truck, a metal blade called a compactor crushes everything down—squeeze, squeeze, squeeze—so more trash fits. Your apple core is now pressed flat next to somebody else's yogurt cup and pizza box, all packed tight like the world's least appetizing sandwich.
