Introduction — all about waste.
Waste has been a major environmental issue everywhere since the industrial revolution. Besides the waste we create at home, school and other public places, there are also those from hospitals, industries, farms and other sources. Humans rely so much on material things and they all (almost) end up as waste. And hey — where does the waste end up?
What is waste (trash, garbage, rubbish, refuse)
Waste are items we (individuals, offices, schools, industries, hospitals) don’t need and discard. Sometimes there are things we have that the law requires us to discard because they can be harmful. Waste comes in infinite sizes—some can be as small as an old toothbrush, or as large as the body of a school bus.
Everyone creates waste, although some people are very environmentally conscious and create very little. Likewise, some countries do a very good job creating less waste and managing the rest. Others are pretty horrible and have created huge environmental problems for the people and animals living there.
Waste management
Waste management is literally the process of extracting value from waste. Waste management and sewage treatment institutions normally are responsible for mass efforts to recycle wastes.
Until recently, in industrialised contries with large amounts of land, it has been customary to place garbage in landfills, or incinerate it.
Some local landfill authorities have found it difficult to locate nearby landfill areas, because of political opposition from landowners concerned about lowered property prices. Some of these areas have begun to tax garbage[?] production, and legally mandate "source reduction" to increase the lifetime of the established landfills.
Most areas in most countries have enough land for landfills. For many areas, a well-run land-fill is a hygienic, inexpensive solution to garbage disposal. Poorly run landfills can pollute groundwater, and the air. (For management methods, see...