How Many Landfills are in Iowa? More Than You Think

According to Big Rentz, the average American produces around 4.5 pounds of trash every day. All of that garbage has gotta go somewhere, and that's where landfills come into play. But how many are located in Iowa and where are they? The answer to these questions may surprise you.

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There are currently 2,622 landfills in operation in the U.S., with California having the most at 118. The top three states with the most trash per capita are Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. And while Iowa is much farther down the list, it has more landfills than you might think.

According to the EPA, there are a total of 48 landfills in the state of Iowa. This includes 18 candidate landfills and 4 operational projects. But is this too many or not enough? To find out, let's look at its neighbors:

• Minnesota: 35 total landfills
• Wisconsin: 56 total landfills
• Illinois: 96 total landfills
• Missouri: 106 total landfills
• Nebraska: 32 total landfills
• South Dakota: 9 total landfills

As you can see, Iowa ranks fourth on this list, behind Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Perhaps most surprising is that Iowa has more landfills than Minnesota, with a significantly smaller population.

To see the entire list, and to find out where all of Iowa's landfills are located, check out the article from the EPA here.

Story Sources: Environmental Protection Agency Website, Big Rentz Website