About 35,580 tons of garbage is generated every day in the Philippines. ...

For Metro Manila, it is

estimated that 8,636 tons of garbage is generated per day, i.e., 0.7 kg per person per day due to its more
modernized lifestyle. The household is the major source of waste in the Philippines at 74%

How Does Littering Affect the Environment?

Teach your children how to properly use the recycle, trash and yard waste bins.

Written by Susan Revermann

Litter consists of trash and household toxic substances that are improperly disposed of on land or in
water. Whether the litter is intentional or unintentional, large or small, it can drastically affect the
environment for years to come. Before carelessly tossing another item out the window or looking the
other way when someone else does, consider the impact you can make on the environment by recycling,
reusing and disposing of waste properly.

.Marine Litter

Litter that is tossed into the ocean can travel long distances with the currents and winds. Not only does
this litter directly affect marine life and birds, but it also washes onto beaches, is caught in fishing nets,
damages boat motors, is an eyesore and smells bad. Plastic bags and plastic wrap can asphyxiate marine
animals and fish, and birds can easily entangle themselves in plastic six-pack rings and strings. Animals
also get sick or die from swallowing trash, such as cigarettes and silicon packets. Metal scraps and broken
glass can cut the flesh of birds and other animals.

Land Litter

Land litter is not hard to spot and comes in all types -- cigarette butts, plastic bags, old tires, fast food
wrappers and plastic and glass bottles. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation,
seven major sources contribute to land litter: home trash cans, business trash collection areas, loading
docks, construction and demolition sites, uncovered trucks, motorists and pedestrians. Litter isn't just
unsightly: It can cause vehicle accidents and injuries, smother plants, start fires and harm or kill animals.
It also attracts rats and harmful bacteria.Contaminated Groundwater

Litter, chemical runoff, illegal dumping and tobacco products can seep into groundwater and affect the
water quality of people, especially people who rely on wells for their drinking water. Humans, animals
and plants all need unpolluted water to survive. Litter can also clog storm-water drains and cause
flooding. Food scraps and other organic items that are disposed of improperly can increase algal blooms
in water, which reduces the amount of available oxygen for other aquatic life, such as fish.
Monetary Cost

It costs residents and local, state and federal governments millions of dollars to pick up litter, reverse the
effects of littering and prevent litter. The monetary cost for these efforts could be drastically reduced and
used for other environmental projects if people would dispose of garbage properly, recycle and reuse.
For instance, the Virginia Department of Transportation spends more than $6 million every year cleaning
up roadway trash, and that doesn’t include the time and energy that Adopt-a-Highway volunteers
contribute. Millions spent like this could be allocated instead to environmental education programs such
as New York's Environmental Education and Grow to Learn NYC, hazardous waste and cleanup programs
like the Environment Protection Agency's Superfund program or grant programs such as the Community
Action for a Renewed Environment..

You likely have heard again and again how recycling proper items is important for the environment. But,
your recyclables aren't the only things that should be disposed of properly. Proper waste disposal for all
of your waste is vital to protecting the environment. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of
proper disposal of waste in Clare.

Prevent Toxic Emissions

It might seem easier to just burn all of your junk. After all, if you burn it, you don't need to pay for trash
removal. But, disposing of waste this way can cause toxic fumes to be released into the air. Burning
plastics is one example of a type of trash that releases harmful gases, and it's something that you should
never do. By disposing of your trash properly, you can prevent these gases from entering the
environment.

Avoid Water Pollution

Another common and improper way to dispose of unwanted items is to flush or pour them down the
drain. Old medications, for example, are often flushed down the toilet, because people are unsure of
how to deal with them. But, flushing these medications can pollute the waterways in your community.
You should avoid doing this, and look for alternative ways for their disposal.
Control Spread of Disease

Improper disposal of waste can also allow diseases to proliferate in the environment. Waste is a perfect
host for bacteria, and, if it is not disposed of properly, that bacteria can continue to grow. This increases
the risk of disease and illness in any people or animals who come into contact with the waste. So, by
disposing of all your waste properly, you'll be protecting the environment as well as your family
members, friends, and other people in the vicinity.

Reducing The Cost

Besides the environmental benefits of waste management, it is also beneficial to health as well. In the
past, burning waste in the landfill or in the backyard was a common practice. But according to health
agencies, when garbage and plastics are being burned, they produce particulate matter that are solid
compounds and are suspended in the air. Exposure to this can increase the risks of developing heart
disease, respiratory disease, asthma and emphysema. Proper disposal of waste or waste management
relocates waste to areas where they can be left, incinerated or disposed of in a safe manner. Removing
waste from public areas helps reduce risks to overall health, decreases exposure to biohazards and
reduces infestation of pest.

Reduce The Risk On Your Health

There is another advantage of proper waste management that not so many people are aware about and
it is in the form of waste energy. Waste energy is basically a derivative of some techniques of waste
management. Although incineration releases large amounts of carbon dioxide as well as other
pollutants, modern advances have been available to capture the energy being produced in incineration
and utilize it to generate electricity. The end result is an intricate method of reusing items to reduce the
need of future waste. Though this is done on small scale by factories, it is a great start and is a huge
benefit of waste management and disposal.

Purification of polluted soil

Savaterra – Kemi receptory site

The purification capacity of the equipment is 40 – 80 t/hr, according to the type of soil, content of the
pollutants and water. For instance, treatment of 20,000 tons will take around two months. The impacts
on the operation area and the environment are minimal and one-time-only.

Polluting chemicals suitable for thermal treatment

By adjusting the functions and burning temperatures of the process, almost all chemicals may be
treated. Polluting chemicals suitable for thermal treatment are all organic pollutants e.g.: mineral oils,
solvents, VOCs, chlorophenols, PAH compounds, PCDD/Fs and PCBs. Heavy metals became in the process
insoluble oxides and therefore stabilized in the soil.

Polluted soil can reused and used for future use

The machinery does not pollute the surroundings or discharge harmful chemicals during the purification
process in the environment. All chemicals are oxidized into CO2. Contaminated soils are cleaned for
future use e.g.: soil contraction, road building, landscaping purposes.

The high treatment temperature +850 – 1100 ºC eliminates hazardous chemicals for good. No post-
purification monitoring of harmful chemicals is required, and there is no risk of the problems
reappearing in the future. This treatment frees the owner of the area from any possible liabilities in the
future. Environmental problems are not merely relocated, and will not be burdens for future
generations.

1. Waste Management & Soil Contamination

Ideally, we would like our plastic, glass, metal and paper waste to end up at a recycling facility. It then
returns to us as a renewable product. But the reality is entirely different. Have a look at the informative
image below.

Source: Visual.ly

Contamination occurs by spilling and burying hazardous components in soil. So, we need to be watchful
of how we process petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, pesticides, heavy metals and lead.
 Read: The Uses of Metal and How it is Recycled

For example, here’s what happens when a plastic water bottle is incorrectly sent to a landfill, or left, at
any other place, to be absorbed by the soil:

Plastic water bottles eventually break down to release a harmful component called,
DIETHYLHYDROXYLAMINE (DEHA). (A carcinogen which hurts our reproductive capabilities, causes liver
dysfunction and weight loss issues.)

DEHA seeps into the surrounding areas of the soil and water bodies to harm the animal and plant life
depends on it.

You can see this nice, short, animated video explaining why plastic is so harmful.

2. Water Contamination via Improper Wastes

Water is an excellent solvent; it can contain numerous dissolved chemicals. As a result, while moving
through, water picks up pollution along the way. It often has dissolved substances like various chemicals
and gases.

Rainfall easily mixes to toxic liquid substances and seeps into the water streams to end up in nearby
water bodies. Thus, the neighbourhood fountain, pond, lake or even drinking water taps are susceptible
to the dangers of contamination.

The victims? All living organisms including us, humans.

3. Severe Weather Due to Climate Contamination

Firstly, harmful greenhouse gases are created from decomposing waste. These rise up to the atmosphere
and trap heat. This adversely causes extreme weather reactions in the form of storms and typhoons.

How else are we impacted? Well, apart from temperature what is also drastically affected is the level of
precipitation in the air. From acid rain to severe hail storms or global warming – everything is fair game
at present. This also spreads out into other areas with regards to subdivisions such as thermal and
radioactive pollution.

Check out the November 2017 Global Climate Report active pollution.

4. Air is Contamination

Let’s talk about the ozone layer first. A lot of it leaves us feeling hopeless for we feel unable to make
necessary changes. We think we cannot consume any less. Even so, we can, at least, follow strict
protocol over how it’s recycled.

On the occasions paper and plastic are burned at the landfill, causing landfill gas, the chemicals released
which accumulate and contribute to the ozone layer and also hurt the surrounding human population.
Methane gas adds to it as well. Besides, with chemicals such as dioxin out there, the air has been proven
to have harmful effects on us.

All of it, and especially when improper waste management is concerned, play a significant role in causing
global warming.

5. Harm Towards Animal and Marine Life

Despite strict measures to stop it, we keep seeing the continual dumping of garbage, raw or untreated
sewage. Any animal or marine life coming in contact gets impacted in the worst of ways. The inevitable
formation of algal bloom and clusters contaminates and eventually suffocates marine life such as coral
and fish.

As discussed comprehensively by Conservation International, we have seen how consumption of fishing

lines, cigarette butts, plastic bottles and Styrofoam can kill millions of marine lives each year.

Furthermore, it is a vicious cycle which feeds itself:

Waste is dumped into the ground

Absorbed by the soil and groundwater

Waste contaminates the land on which we grow food and provides water for us and animals

Waste in the marine life kills fish

Carcasses float on the surface, and we see mosquitoes feed on it

The diseases carrying mosquitoes now spread sickness and death among the living population

6. Human Damage

Consider the majority of the human population where we do not see any scientific waste management
system. Such places may possess a system, but there is no disposal area to be found.

Those who are at significant risk are:

Children and those who live near such facilities

Waste disposal workers

Employees whose workplaces manufacture or come into contact with waste materials
Think about the fires at landfills and its effects on us. Whether coming from the air or its accumulation in
our cellars, those landfill gases have been exposed for causing cancer, create respiratory and visibility
problems, and the explosion of cans put people nearby at constant risk.

Additionally, when we come in contact with waste, it causes skin irritation and blood infections. We also
contract diseases from flies which are carriers of illnesses after breeding on solid waste. With regards to
mosquitoes, we know, besides feeding on dead fish, they find sewage, rainwater, tires, cans and other
objects to be ideal breeding grounds. They carry and spread diseases such as malaria and dengue.

With an abundance of disease-carrying pests, it becomes difficult to be vigilant about waste

management facilities. Despite all efforts, for example, rats continue their massive infestation on such
facilities and sewage systems. They harm crops, spread diseases such as Hantavirus Pulmonary
Syndrome, Leptospirosis, Rat-bite Fever and Salmonellosis

Waste management is our responsibility for we benefit and suffer from it in radical ways. Education and
awareness across all communities, irrespective of their social, economic condition, must be ever-present
for as long as life inhabits this planet. A butterfly fluttering its wings 900 miles away from you can cause a
hurricane right where you live.

Therefore, significant mismanagement of waste by Turkey and Chile, where only 1% of waste was
reported to be recycled, can contribute to global warming. Even if you live far away in Greenland, there is
no escape. We must all play a role.

For more information about waste disposal and waste management, speak to the team at Metropolitan
Transfer Station, a waste transfer station near you in Melbourne today.

Key facts

Of the total amount of waste generated by health-care activities, about 85% is general, non-hazardous
waste.

The remaining 15% is considered hazardous material that may be infectious, toxic or radioactive.

Every year an estimated 16 billion injections are administered worldwide, but not all of the needles and
syringes are properly disposed of afterwards.
Open burning and incineration of health care wastes can, under some circumstances, result in the
emission of dioxins, furans, and particulate matter.

Measures to ensure the safe and environmentally sound management of health care wastes can prevent
adverse health and environmental impacts from such waste including the unintended release of
chemical or biological hazards, including drug-resistant microorganisms, into the environment thus
protecting the health of patients, health workers, and the general public.

Health-care activities protect and restore health and save lives. But what about the waste and by-
products they generate?

Of the total amount of waste generated by health-care activities, about 85% is general, non-hazardous
waste comparable to domestic waste. The remaining 15% is considered hazardous material that may be
infectious, chemical or radioactive.

Types of waste

Waste and by-products cover a diverse range of materials, as the following list illustrates:

Infectious waste: waste contaminated with blood and other bodily fluids (e.g. from discarded diagnostic
samples),cultures and stocks of infectious agents from laboratory work (e.g. waste from autopsies and
infected animals from laboratories), or waste from patients with infections (e.g. swabs, bandages and
disposable medical devices);

Pathological waste: human tissues, organs or fluids, body parts and contaminated animal carcasses;

Sharps waste: syringes, needles, disposable scalpels and blades, etc.;

Chemical waste: for example solvents and reagents used for laboratory preparations, disinfectants,
sterilants and heavy metals contained in medical devices (e.g. mercury in broken thermometers) and
batteries;

Pharmaceutical waste: expired, unused and contaminated drugs and vaccines;

Cyctotoxic waste: waste containing substances with genotoxic properties (i.e. highly hazardous
substances that are, mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic), such as cytotoxic drugs used in cancer
treatment and their metabolites;

Radioactive waste: such as products contaminated by radionuclides including radioactive diagnostic

material or radiotherapeutic materials; and
Non-hazardous or general waste: waste that does not pose any particular biological, chemical,
radioactive or physical hazard.

The major sources of health-care waste are:

hospitals and other health facilities

laboratories and research centres

mortuary and autopsy centres

animal research and testing laboratories

blood banks and collection services

nursing homes for the elderly

High-income countries generate on average up to 0.5 kg of hazardous waste per hospital bed per day;
while low-income countries generate on average 0.2 kg. However, health-care waste is often not
separated into hazardous or non-hazardous wastes in low-income countries making the real quantity of
hazardous waste much higher.