How waste management can impact the environment and people’s health
Managing waste is one of civilization’s fundamental needs, and maintaining public health as well. This includes planning, saving and taking care of waste at every step through to its final disposal. That encompasses (but not limited to) waste collection, transportation, treatment and disposal; as well as monitoring regulation. Proper waste management has a big effect on the environment and can help or hurt people in many different ways.
The problems with waste
By managing waste efficiently and responsibly, waste can earn alleviating the potential harm to health of human from both environment. This is done by minimising the amount of waste produced, re-using whatever we can and recycling refuse into new products. This allows us to save on natural resources, decrease the need for new materials, consume less energy and in turn reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
On the flip side, lack of waste management can result in dire consequences. If waste is not managed properly it causes contamination of soil, water or even air. The breakdown of these toxic substances from waste can leach into the soil and seep onto endangering crops or infect bodies of water which may in turn affect health hazards among humans and animals.
Another major issue that is associated with improper waste management, is air pollution. US Federal Acts about waste management provide for supervising the disposal of garbage, as burning waste — plastic being a particularly common example — releases harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases into air. Such emissions can also be associated with environmental hazards, climate change and global warming as well carry health implications for those residing in close proximity to waste disposal sites. Breathing in this polluted air may lead to breathing difficulties, rashes (on the skin), and even headaches along with other health risks.
Improving waste management
Improper waste management can also result in an increase of disease vectors. Additionally, waste dumps and landfills are infested from time to time with disease-spreading insects and rodents. They are human-wildlife and domesticated animal diseases that can quickly become public health concerns.
In addition, management of waste is linked to socio-economic factors as well. Waste pickers in several countries around the world may face dangerous work conditions and hazardous exposures to many of the materials that they collect, sort through, segregate for recycling without any personal protective equipment. This not only endangers their health but entrenches social injustices and doubles the already exposed poor.
Management of waste is also a big problem in urban planning. Illegal waste dumping and littering in cities around the nation can block drainage systems which cause increased flooding, as we have seen recently. This can lead to heavy damage of the infrastructure, private properties and thus put human life at risk.
To wrap it up, waste is a complex issue and its consequences stretch far beyond harming the environment or even human beings.
This expansion can provide contribution to sustaining the environment and managing public health or might be potential of biodiversity erosion, environmental deterioration, triggering outbreaks (public health crises). Hence, a need of the hour is to frame and apply practical waste management policies. The conservation strategies should target on minimization of waste generation and promoting reuse, recycling apart from safe and eco-friendly disposal(processes). Every step we take will contribute to allowing us a healthier, cleaner and more sustainable world.
