Rubbish removal is understandably an unpleasant and tiresome task. Nobody likes sorting through messy and stinky waste. However, by not doing this arduous chore, it snowballs into serious consequences in nature, amongst humans, and eventually in the economy. Here are some of the costs of not properly disposing of your rubbish.
Environmental consequences
Soil, air, and water are the first to be contaminated due to improper rubbish removal. When plastic materials break down, they release toxins that affect plants. Burnt plastic also releases methane gas that is bad for the ozone layer. Water that gets contaminated with pollutants also becomes harmful to marine habitats. While the water problem is the most treatable, it is the most dangerous to everyone’s health when not managed.
Health consequences
When the water, soil, and the air get contaminated, human and animal health directly suffers. Those who are living or working near the landfill sites may develop problems on their skin and respiratory system.
They may also experience growth problems and blood infections. The release of carcinogens from plastic wastes results in reproductive concerns and liver dysfunctions as well. Likewise, animals can also get poisoned with improperly disposed of toxins. Human garbage is one of the top killers of animals in the wild.
For example, many marine animals die due to asphyxiation from styrofoam. Their digestive system also suffers from accidentally eating plastic waste. Additionally, because landfills have dirty and rotting scraps, it becomes a breeding ground for rats and mosquitoes. These pests then spread diseases like leptospirosis, dengue, and malaria.
Economic consequences
Eventually, livelihood gets affected when wastes are not disposed of properly. Areas with landfills literally become wastelands that are unusable for future economic expansion. Both residents and businesses also spend additional costs on buying materials over and over again when they could have just maximized their resources by recycling.
It goes without saying that when the environment suffers, the economy also suffers since people also have to spend additional money on health services. Improperly thrown wastes also cost billions worth of damages when people experience the disastrous effects of greenhouse gases like a heatwave. Some of the concrete examples of these are the bushfires in California and Australia. Plastic wastes also tend to clog drainage, which results in massive flooding.
Mitigating consequences
One of the most effective solutions for waste management is recycling. This process reduces wastes that get deposited to landfills or incinerated. It is a doable solution that only takes discipline. Once the habit begins at home, businesses will also follow. Stricter regulations should also be implemented in commercial industries since they are the primary purveyor of wastes. Every business should have a sanitary plan to lessen the residue that they produced.
Furthermore, aside from a department focused on regulating wastes, the government should also support rubbish removal companies. They risk their health to ensure that the trash gets sorted and disposed of in a manner that adheres with the safety regulation of EPA and ISO standards. Trash removal companies offer convenience and assurance that the environment is a little safer from possible contagion.
Once nature gets damaged, our health and economy eventually take a hit as well. Proper garbage disposal is key to a green and sustainable society. It takes the effort of every person to ensure that nature remains to be a haven for everyone.
