Based on a true event, a garbage barge called the Mobro 4000 was hired to transport 3,200 tons of garbage in 1987. Long Island's landfills were overflowing with garbage and affecting the groundwater. The local government outlawed the burying of garbage. The solution was to ship the garbage to dumping grounds in the south. This turned out to be a fiasco. The garbage barge was not welcome at any port and it was a costly, long journey. The situation highlighted the problem of garbage and what to do with it. Recycling became a widely enforced practice. The story provides students with opportunities to discuss landfill use, garbage and how we can help the Earth. --Ministry of Education website.

Science grade 2 (2010). Science grade 4 (2010).