Nuclear waste is life-threatening and for much greater lengths of time. It requires isolation for many
thousands of years and, in this respect, is unlike any other hazardous waste.
The primary concerns are water and explosive gas. Monitoring wells are employed to detect the escape
of leachate from a landfill site and to observe the quality of existing groundwater resources. But
decomposition-derived methane gas can also escape from the site and can be explosive if it is
concentrated enough. In some instances, methane is harvested and burned to produce electricity,
thereby eliminating the hazard while simultaneously producing power.