Improper waste disposal can have dire consequences on people and the environment, and many environmentally conscious people will turn to reputable full-service junk removal companies in order to mitigate some of the disastrous damage caused by improper waste disposal. Unfortunately, many corporations — primarily due to corporate greed — and also many people, fail to properly dispose of waste products.

For instance, many obsolete cell phones, plastic garbage bags, pre-owned battery cells, and broken glass shards are improperly disposed of, leading to severe consequences on the environment. Here, we will discuss the malevolent impact that improper waste disposal can have on the ecosystem.

Excess Waste Production

There are many issues associated with waste disposal and one of the biggest is the production of too much waste. For instance, the US produces over 250 million tons of waste every year, which amounts to over 2 kilograms of waste generated per American, per day. We are only talking about the United States, whereas the global population produces a significantly larger amount of waste per year.

In fact, according to the World Bank Report, the average amount of municipal solid waste generated per person on the planet is over a kilogram a day. Even worse, the amount of municipal solid waste generated per person on earth every day is expected to actually increase over time, with the average estimated amount to increase to 1.5 kilograms per day by the year 2025.

Unfortunately, our culture promotes a throw-away mentality, and many people are obsessed with owning the latest and greatest products in order to feel better about themselves and their lives. Moreover, most companies are primarily concerned with maximizing their profit margins by any means necessary, and the way to accomplish this goal is to manufacture one-time use products that do not prioritize reusability or biodegradability. Hence, many multinational conglomerates maximize their revenue streams while producing excess waste that cannot be reused or recycled.

Most Waste Products Are Toxic

While many would argue that simply producing excess waste is a serious issue, the problem is further exacerbated by the fact that most of the waste that is generated by the world is actually highly noxious and hazardous. The reasons for this are myriad, including the rather laissez-faire stance that most local authorities and state legislators have when it comes to regulating the manufacturing sector, which continues to expand at an alarming rate.

The biggest issue with the manufacturing industry today is that it produces copious amounts of toxic products that are immediately thrown away after they have been used. In addition, these products contain many chemicals that are not only hazardous to the environment but also impact the health of civilians.

For instance, a recent report published by the American Environmental Protection Agency found that there are over 60,000 untested chemicals that are currently found in the products that Americans use in their homes.

Many plastic toys that children play with also contain BPA, which is a very toxic chemical that is very poorly regulated by governing bodies in the U.S. In addition, the packaging that people use to store their items is yet another big issue, as roughly a third of municipal solid waste is generated by packaging, with nearly 40% of the waste being plastic; which cannot be broken down or reused.

Landfills Are Yet Another Big Problem

Landfills are yet another serious problem, as the vast majority do not have any on-site waste management programs in place, which further exacerbates the problems associated with improper waste disposal. In addition, the waste products that are dumped into landfills will eventually leak and make their way into the groundwater supply, causing dangerous water pollution.

While neighbouring habitats will suffer, people in poorer regions can also be impacted. The gases generated, such as methane, can also be very dangerous, and waste management becomes far more difficult once the waste has penetrated the ground and has entered into the groundwater supply. In some cases, the elderly, young children, and people with preexisting health conditions can become very ill and even die, and many studies have found that the cancer rates in the general population have actually increased over the last 30 years, instead of decreasing.

Even worse, is the fact that there are very few regulations or laws that dictate how landfills can operate, and there are very little to no regulations or monitoring regarding the types of waste products that are dumped into landfills on a daily basis; special waste, medical waste, hazardous waste, and municipal waste.

As such, due to the lack of laws, regulations, monitoring, and waste management, the problem only becomes compounded over time, as many landfill related problems can last for over 30 years in some countries that are driven by corporate greed instead of human welfare.

If you would like to learn more about the environmental impact of improper waste disposal, call JunkWorks at 1-888-888-5865 or contact us here.