Because most of the oil reserves weren't contaminating water tables?
Does plastic do that? My understanding is that away from sunlight and heat it basically never breaks down.
Plastic (depending) will become brittle and break into smaller and smaller pieces if buried. The problem of microplastics is kind of a breaking story. It doesn't look like a good thing for us.
How would you feel about a landfill right next to your home?
Why does it have to be next to anyone's home? US still has vast amounts of pretty much empty space. You could drive for hours and see mostly empty space.
There's plenty of space in north america that isn't beside residencial areas.
Even a desert has an ecosystem. I think you'll find your "space", unless it was previously cleared by human beings, is supporting life. Imagine tearing something complex and wonderful up to bury plastic.
I mean the local landfill for me is an hour's drive away. It's well managed, stabilised soil. When it's full it'll be covered over and become a municipal oval like many of the others around my city which now are central points of suburbs.