At work hand wash water was targeted to be 42 degrees. If it ever got over 45 degrees it became uncomfortable 49 degrees is too hot you will pull yours hands out of the flow. Whether 55 degree would denature DNA I'm not sure but I think you could cook meat at 55 degrees.
That may be so but it does not negate my comment.
The point goes back to davel's post where he stated, and I paraphrase but the sense does not change, "an enormous amount of heat is generated by landfill enough to destroy etc......"
My points were:
1) Landfill sites are run at 35
0C to 55
0C high temperatures ie 90
0 C and above damage the polymer membranes that are required [Refer EPA and DEFRA].
2) 55
0C is not enough to burn skin hence protective insulation for pipes carrying a hot medium is fitted at 60
0C. [Refer ASTM C1055 & BS5970].
3) Collagen requires a temperature of 200
0C to break down.
4) Bone is destroyed at a temp of 1500
0C
Beyond those points speculate away but deal me out.