Gases are vented from a waste site such as a landfill, and the gases are separated
into at least three streams comprising a hydrocarbon stream, a carbon dioxide stream,
and residue stream. At least a portion of the carbon dioxide stream and hydrocarbon
stream are liquefied or converted to a supercritical liquid. At least some of the
carbon dioxide gas stream (as a liquid or supercritical fluid) is used in a cleaning
step, preferably a polymer cleaning step, and more preferably a polymer cleaning
step in a polymer recycling process, and most preferably in a polymer cleaning
step in a polymer recycling system where the cleaning is performed on-site at the
waste site.