Poor Waste Disposal and Pollution in California

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Table of Contents

Waste Management
Effects of Poor Waste Management
Solutions
Benefits of the Solution
Challenges that Can be Encountered When implementing These Solutions
Works Cited

Waste Management

Waste management is the activities and actions that determine waste disposal from when it is generated to the final dumping. The activities include collection, transportation, treatment, and final discarding. The population’s rise in urban areas such as California has led to the increased number of people producing waste in their households. Inadequate funding and planning on managing municipal waste have also been encountered in many areas. The pile-up of waste is also caused by the increase in the cities’ economic activities. For instance, the rapid increase in the number of factories and industries in California has led to more waste products in the state. Therefore, the paper aims to analyze various issues involving waste in California, such as the effects, solutions, benefits of the approaches, and shortcomings of waste management plans.

Effects of Poor Waste Management

The effects of waste management are determined by the number of chemicals and substances found in the waste. There are several effects; for instance, it causes soil contamination (Singh 265). Some of the solid waste contains toxic and hazardous chemicals that may pollute lands and lead to infertility. For example, plastic waste excretes a carcinogen that may affect plant growth. Many farmers in California have experienced a decrease in their farm yields due to the increased waste in the state (Almaraz et al. 3477). Moreover, it may be a threat to human health after consuming those plants (Singh 267). Therefore, every individual in California needs to be responsible for his or her waste. The communities in the state can also work together to ensure that they limit pollution in cities.

Waste causes air pollution due to the presence of some hazardous chemicals. Air pollution has also been experienced in California due to the increased human activities, including agriculture (Almaraz et al. 3477). Farmers use chemicals that produce greenhouse gases that are a significant threat to the environment. Typically, waste produces dioxins, which is a menace to human health since the gas can lead to health complications. Dioxins are a group of highly toxic chemical compounds that are harmful to health and can remain in the environment for a lengthy period. They can be produced when burning plastics and other materials made of different chemicals. Production of greenhouse gases has become a major issue in various states, whereby respiratory complications have been recorded. Waste in the cities produces a bad stench that can threaten people living in these areas. Thus, proper disposal of waste can be encouraged to curb air pollution in the area.

Water pollution is another effect experienced in many areas in California. Hazardous waste found in the environment enters into the groundwater. This can be a threat to humans since many people use water for various reasons, including domestic and environmental purposes. As a result, there is a rise in water-borne diseases and poor agricultural production in California. Waste also contaminates the rainwater since the liquid chemicals mixed with rainwater seep into the lakes, rivers, and other water bodies. For instance, solid wastes, such as plastic papers and bottles, are carried away by the running rainwater to the streams and lakes, leading to the threat of marine creatures.

Solutions

There is a need for different states to design a solution to limit poor waste management. Humans produce waste in different activities and places, which cannot be avoided. For instance, the resolutions can be provided at home, workplaces, hotels, and various companies. Different solutions can be applied to decrease the amount of waste produced daily and lead to a waste-free environment in California. For example, practices such as, reducing, reusing, and recycling can be exercised.

Reduction of waste products and harmful gases is one of the methods used in the minimization of waste. Use of chemicals, plastics, polythene bags, and fossil fuels should be reduced since they are the major causes of pollution. The approach also decreases the rate of pollution during the production of some materials. For instance, it reduces greenhouse gases emitted by companies in their different business procedures. Some methods can also be exercised by individuals at home to limit pollution and improve waste management. For example, educating and encouraging people to use recyclable materials can be an integral approach. The use of biodegradable materials is a fundamental approach since it can limit the amount of waste in the environment. Individuals can also be educated about ecological footprint and learn ways they can limit their contribution to pollution.

Waste reuse is another solution that can be exercised to limit pollution in California. The approach involves using materials that have not yet become waste for different or same purposes. Reusing is also vital because it is economical and environmentally friendly. In this technique, the product’s nature is neither transformed nor changed, but the solid waste is reduced. It involves transferring the products from those who no longer use them to those who do (Singh 269). There are different ways of reusing products, such as selling old clothes or donating them, using cereal cans to store sugar, and repairing broken furniture. Thus, these strategies can be exercised in California to minimize waste in the state.

Recycling is another solution that has been encouraged by organizations that focus on environmental conservation. For example, plastics can be melted and form new materials that can be useful (Ferronato et al. 367). Paper is also recycled by being broken into small pieces through processing called pulping and being developed into a new paper product that can be used for printing. Metals and glasses can be melted and form new raw materials used in different industries. All the organic waste can be recycled by being composted to form organic fertilizer. Therefore, individuals should be encouraged to exercise some of these approaches to limit waste and pollution in the environment.

Benefits of the Solution

Reusing and recycling products have different benefits to the community. For instance, waste management has led to economic benefits due to increased production in the agriculture and fishing sectors. Reusing materials is less expensive than buying or creation of new products (Ferronato et al. 366). The reuse of products has reduced raw material production costs, meaning that it is less expensive to purchase these goods. Recycling has led to increased job opportunities since the recycling plants require employees to work in various positions such as salespersons and garbage collectors.

Protection of the environment is another benefit that can be achieved. Waste management has reduced water, air, and soil erosion by reducing the mass generation of hazardous chemicals in the soil and plastics. The approach has promoted environmentally friendly practices that do not limit climate change. Furthermore, climate change has become a major threat, which human activities and pollution have steered. Proper waste management is vital since it has led to the protection of individuals from biohazards that can lead to health complications. Thus, California residents can largely benefit from these approaches regarding waste management.

Improvement of community health due to proper management is another benefit. Some of the respiration diseases, such as lung conditions caused by the emission of toxic gases, can also be reduced. Diseases related to poor sanitation have also been minimized in many areas using proper waste management (Ferronato et al. 362). For instance, illnesses such as cholera, bilharzia, and other water-borne diseases, are reduced. The reduction of soil pollution has led to the production of healthy crops suitable for human consumption. Thus, this has reduced the risk of some diseases related to the consumption of contaminated foods. Waste management also ensures physical safety, whereby sharp metals or broken glasses disposed of carelessly can be life-threatening. Consequently, proper disposal of these products can limit accidents caused by these materials. Recycling is also essential since fewer resources are used than when producing a new product. This approach has also led to decreased prices of different products. Therefore, many people in California and other areas can benefit from the solution in various ways.

Challenges that Can be Encountered When implementing These Solutions

Despite the solutions of the poor waste disposal having their benefits, they also have their disadvantages. For instance, building up recycling plants is costly since machines in upgrading the recycling units are expensive and hard for some people to obtain. Recycling paces are always unhygienic since the waste products are used as raw materials. Thus, workers in these plants may also develop some health complications. Additionally, most of the products that are recycled are of low quality compared to their original products. Thus, some obstacles can be encountered when implementing these solutions.

To conclude, due to the rapid increase of the population in most urban areas, it is becoming difficult for governments to provide enough facilities and services needed to curb poor waste disposal. Considering the effect caused by waste products, the problem can be solved through various ways such as recycling, reusing, reducing, and composting products. The urban council should consider having adequate funds for managing waste, create awareness on proper disposal of garbage, implement innovative ideas on sustainable waste management, and partnering with non-government organizations. Companies should also be encouraged to minimize pollution and guarantee that they dispose of the waste products appropriately. For example, industries in California can ensure that they limit their carbon emission in their business activities. In essence, waste management and pollution should be addressed as they threaten humans and the environment on a global scale.

Works Cited

Almaraz, Maya, et al. “Agriculture is a Major Source of NOx Pollution in California.” Science Advances, vol. 4, no. 1, 2018, pp. 3477.

Ferronato, Navarro, et al. “Introduction of the Circular Economy within Developing Regions: A Comparative Analysis of Advantages and Opportunities for Waste Valorization.” Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 230, no.1, 2019, pp. 366-378. Web.

Singh, Ajay. “Managing the Uncertainty Problems of Municipal Solid Waste Disposal.” Journal of Environmental Management vol. 240, no. 1, 2019, pp. 259-265. Web.

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