Tri-County Recycling Project Analysis

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Table of Contents

Comments
Issue Analysis
Works Cited

Comments

Defining the positive aspects of the project, one must give the developers credit for addressing the issue that seemed so versatile and complex at first with the help of a comparatively basic set of measures. Particularly, the fact that the initial pledge of the Tri-County concerned managing the increase in the number of pests (or as the report put it, “rodents and vermin” (Department of Environmental Protection. 3)) in the designated area deserves to be mentioned.

As a result, of a detailed investigation, the problem regarding the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) was identified. Comparatively rapid and obviously efficient identification of the issue to be addressed needs to be listed among the key assets of the project. Indeed, a closer look at the waste management techniques adopted in Massachusetts will reveal that the problem had been brewing for quite long before it received the attention of the organization. Therefore, by voicing the concern and pointing at the obvious flaws in the current design of the state policy towards waste management, the Tri-County Project should clearly be viewed as a major foot forward in enhancing the sustainable management of the state resources.

Unfortunately, there are some dents in the design of the project and the manner, in which it is approached. To be more exact, the width of the report needs to be brought up. As the very first report shows, a variety of concerns have been identified and raised at first; however, later on, the project was geared towards promoting recycling, i.e., addressing the issue regarding recyclable waste solely. Other issues concerning waste management, such as hazardous waste, were left unattended, even though the concerns identified in the process also determine health rates within the target area to a considerable extent.

Indeed, recent studies report that the issue of non-recyclable hazardous waste is getting threateningly large and may soon grow out of proportions; particularly, electronic waste, also known as e-waste, seems to pose a significant threat to the well-being of the residents:

When disposed of in the trash with other forms of garbage, E-Waste may be incinerated, thrown in a landfill, or exported to third world countries. Once abroad, E-Waste is often improperly recycled y untrained workers, who do not have the knowledge or resources to dispose of E-Waste safely. (Newton and Savoia iii)

Specifically, “several probable hazards resulting from the disposal of prescription medications in wastewater” (Khan et al.) should be brought up as the most likely events in case waste is mismanaged in the Tri-County. Nevertheless, the recycling project, which the report covers, has been carried out in a rather thorough manner and was, in fact, well arranged. For instance, the fact that the exact locations for collecting and recycling waste were identified in the process should be deemed as very thoughtful and adequate, with reasonable methods for locating waste and determining the further avenues for its disposal is provided.

Moreover, the fact that the recycling process has been split into several phases, such as the process of metal recycling, the one involving consumer recycling, which includes “household scale paper, plastic, glass, metal, and electronic waste” (RE: EEA, #12699, Tri-County Recycling, Ware, MA 1).

By creating a taxonomy of the hazardous objects that need further attention and management, the Planning and Community development Department may address the waste management problems in a more elaborate manner by identifying all kinds of existing hazards and determining a unique way of tackling each of the issues identified. As has been stressed above, several problems concerning waste management were identified in the course of the study; moreover, each of the problems located was caused by the mismanagement of a certain type of waste. Herein the need to split waste into several types, such as glass, metal, electronic waste, etc. lay. Consequently, by creating the above-mentioned classification, the state authorities could design a specific recycling strategy for handling each type of waste mentioned above.

Issue Analysis

The recent changes in the consumption rates related to the increase in the world population and the following rise in the use of resources have resulted in the resurgence of environmental concerns. The specified issue is especially topical in industrial cities and states, such as Massachusetts, where “generation, prevention, characterization, monitoring, treatment, handling, reuse and residual disposition of solid wastes” (Gantulga 11) remains an issue of great concern. Seeing that the manufacturing industry remains in the top ten of the state’s largest employers according to the latest research on the topic (Sridhar and Kumar 33), the significance of recycling is clearly high in the above-mentioned area.

Although the Tri-County Project only embraces the reduction of negative effects of manufacturing in one area, it should still be viewed as a prime example of environmental awareness taken to a new level for addressing a topical issue, as the project aims at defining an adequate strategy for waste management.

Science Perspective

As far as the scientific perspective is concerned, further studies regarding the location of recycling facilities, as well as the process of waste collection and delivery to the corresponding facilities, need to be discussed. Moreover, further studies concerning the effects of recycling on the environment will have to be carried out. Thus, potential negative outcomes can be identified and prevented in a timely and efficient manner (Avci and Çeliker 9). One must also bear in mind that the process of recycling is likely to trigger increased air pollution rates and, therefore, contaminate the environment to an even greater extent.

Social Perspective

Often providing an analysis of waste management from the perspective of sustainability, the social perspective of the subject matter shows that significant obstacles need to be overcome prior to the introduction of the aforementioned concept. Particularly, the lack of responsibility as the key reason for people’s unwillingness to accept sustainability (MacBride 9) deserves to be mentioned. In order to enhance responsible attitudes towards recycling among the target denizens of the population, one will have to promote awareness regarding waste management.

Indeed, a closer look at the subject matter will reveal that increased rates of recycling mean a significant increase in the number of chemicals produced. As a result of an increase in recycling rates, a rise in the production of the chemicals required for the process is expected. Therefore, weirdly enough, enhanced recycling will ultimately lead to an even greater rate of environmental pollution (Chen, Chang and Chou 470). Therefore, the means of addressing the issue need to be sought.

Additionally, the possible contamination issues caused by the confusion of different types of waste and using wrong recycling bins for food waste, electronic waste, etc., deserves to be brought up. In case the specified confusions occur on a regular basis, the aftermath may have even more severe effects on the environment than the lack of recycling facilities will have on the local dwellers.

Finally, the fact that waste needs to be treated in a very careful manner should be brought up as a major obstacle in the way of enhancing the recycling process. For instance, plastic bags, which are often considered the number one source of environmental pollution, can only be recycled as long as they are dry. Therefore, the wrong disposal of plastic bags, which involves their getting wet, makes the process of recycling impossible. The above-mentioned issues must be borne in mind so that the recycling process should not be interrupted or hampered and that the environmental pollution rates could be decreased.

Potential Stakeholders

When it comes to evaluating the effects of environmental issues, one must admit that the entire humankind, as well as the existing species, becomes stakeholders in the fight for sustainability. Therefore, unless proper and efficient measures are taken to address the aforementioned concerns, the effects may be dire. Indeed, a closer look at the subject matter will show that inappropriate waste management leads to the pollution of groundwater, which, in its turn, affects plants significantly. The lack of food for herbivores, in its turn, affects the population of predators negatively. Finally, the lack of all three elements mentioned above affects the lives of people all over the world. Thus, the introduction of a more sustainable approach towards waste management, particularly, the concept of recycling, is an essential step towards protecting humankind.

Works Cited

Avci, Dilek Erduran, and Huriye Deniş Çeliker. “Waste Management in Ancient Times and Today from the Perspective of Teachers: Reflections to Diaries.” European Journal of Economics and Business Studies 1.1 (2015): 8–13. Print.

Chen, Kuan-Po, Hsiao-Yu Chang and Ming-Shean Chou. “Chemical Scrubbing of Odorous Fume Emitted from Recycled Nylon Melting Operations.” Sustainable Environment Research 24.6 (2014), 467–474.

Department of Environmental Protection. Tri-County Recycling Facility. Ware, Massachusetts: commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2015. MEPA Web.

Gantulga, Dulguun. Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste Including the Impact of the Commercial Food Waste Disposal Ban in Massachusetts. Worcester, Nassachsetts: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2015. Print.

Khan, Edward, Scott T. Plutchak, Alicia Sledge, Jonathan Stanton and Bruce Waldrop. The Edge of Chaos Household Hazardous Waste Disposal II: Prescription Medication in Jefferson County Wastewater Proceedings from the Wicked Problem Discussion 1 April 2015. Web.

MacBride, Samantha 2013, Recovering Earth or Fire: New Political Contestations over Waste Conversion in 21st Century United States. 2015. Web.

Newton, Brianna and Christopher Savoia. Electronic Waste Recycling Legislation in Massachusetts. Boston, Massachusetts: WPI, 2013. Print.

RE: EEA, #12699, Tri-County recycling, Ware, MA. Ware, Massachusetts: commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2015. MEPA. Web.

Sridhar, Kala Seetharam and Surender Kumar. “India’s Urban Environmental Challenges: Land Use, Solid Waste and Sanitation.” YOJANA 1.1 (2014): 30-34. Print.

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