Where Is the Biggest Landfill in New York?

The biggest landfill in New York state could be getting bigger.

A fact that many of us would rather ignore is that our trash has to go somewhere. But with trash literally just piling up, how big can a landfill get? The biggest one in New York is looking to answer that question.

The Biggest Active Landfill in New York

The Seneca landfill in Waterloo, NY, strategically rebranded as Seneca Meadows, is the largest landfill in the state. While there were plans to officially close Seneca Meadows in 2025, ownership is now lobbying to extend its operation decades into the future instead. But exactly how big is it?

Seneca Landfill in Central New York

Trash can take hundreds (or thousands) of years to decompose, meaning that in many cases, landfills become veritable mountains. In operation since 1983, enough trash has been piled at Seneca Meadows to make the garbage dump as tall as the Statue of Liberty. But will the site remain open?

Should the Seneca Landfill Close in 2025?

Seneca Meadows ownership is currently attempting to keep their landfill in operation until 2040, 15 years longer than the previously slated closing year of 2025. Many opponents of the proposal point to the need to move towards zero-waste lifestyles instead of relying on burying tens of thousands of pounds of trash in the ground. A video with a more favorable view of Seneca Meadows is below, but a similar fight is happening here in the Hudson Valley, too.

Landfill Fights in New York State

In March of 2023, Ulster County announced two candidate locations for a new landfill, both in Plattekill, NY. While the sites were called the "only viable locations" for the new landfill, opposition for the plan included the argument that the studies that determined the potential sites were not made available for review by the public.

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Luckily, not everything in New York is trash, and the natural world that many of the landfill's opposition is looking to protect is still thankfully alive and well in many areas of the state. Check out some of the best places to enjoy it below, and keep scrolling to see what you can expect once the weather turns cold again.