Mining landfill for gold

Covered in depth in the latest New Scientist, and something I've wondered about in the past.

Main problem is that only 5% of landfill is metal/electronics (electronics makes up 0.1% of that). This compares with 2.1% diapers/sanitary towels.

The majority is garden waste (nearly 60%), followed closely by paper (nearly 30%). Alcoa have considered it: "if we thought it was the most efficient thing, we'd do it."

"[Getting recyclable waste] out of landfill is more expensive than buying aluminium direct from a recycling plant. Plus, no two landfills are the same ... with all kinds of less useful or dangerous materials such as asbestos."