Waste Management

Waste management issues are becoming increasingly crucial for the promotion of environmental sustainability, waste management has huge potential to turn problems into solutions and to lead the way towards sustainable development through the recovery and reuse of valuable resources; the creation of new business and employment opportunities, including for the informal sector; reduced emissions of greenhouse gasses from waste management operations (Links between waste management and environmental sustainability, 2013)

In a world with finite resources, achieving a state of Zero-waste may eventually become an imperative. In nature, there is no waste. Waste for one process is food for another. Each organism in a forest plays a unique role in repetitively cycling nutrients, water, and energy throughout the system.

The primary goal of effective waste management is prevention, followed by reuse and recycling and appropriate disposal. Waste management prevents harm to human health and the environment by reducing the volume and hazardous character of residential and industrial waste. Improving proper waste management will reduce pollution, recycle useful materials and create more green energy (Malburg, 2010).

Waste management is a process by which our garbage is stored, treated, transported and disposed. Household waste is managed differently than industrial waste however, the goals are the same. Waste must be stored to prevent releases before it is transported; waste must be treated to reduce its volume and hazards; waste must be transported safely and quickly to prevent hazardous releases and waste must be disposed in properly designed landfills.

Waste hazards can include those that have toxicity and flammability as well as chemical characteristics that render the waste harmful to the environment and/or humans if not management properly. Proper waste management improvements will ensure that garbage does not ruin our waterways, public drinking water systems, agricultural lands or residential areas. Implementation costs can be prohibitive but making improvements to waste management often is an efficient way to cut costs in other areas.

Recycling of waste materials is the process that includes the collection, processing and manufacture into new products, and the sale of the new products produced. There are numerous products that can be recycled instead of thrown away as waste materials, such as aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles, paper, scrap metal, and the techniques of recycling will be unique for each material. Initially, the recycled materials could not be easily sold, but with the results of marketing efforts and government strategies, the recycled materials have established their place in the markets. In this regard, organizations should establish programs for the recycling of their empty packaging.

~ Reference List

• Links between waste management and environmental sustainability. (2013). Retrieved January 2013, from UN News Centre: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=43426#.URHEGGfLU5E

• Malburg, S. (2010, November 01). Stash the Trash: Ways to Improve Waste Management. Retrieved January 2013, from Bright Hub: http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/61325.aspx