Hazardous Waste Essay Example

on the environment. Consequently, individuals must determine what actions they will take for themselves, their families, communities, and the world as a whole.

If you live in our county area, the current procedure for Household Hazardous Waste disposal can be found at 1716 Morgan Road in Modesto, California.

To learn about household hazardous waste drop-off in Stanislaus County, individuals can call 209-525-4123. The service allows disposal of hazardous waste that weighs up to 125 lbs., including batteries, paint, pool chemicals, 5 gallon liquid chemicals, oil, and antifreeze. Although there are no curbside pickups offered at this time, the service is currently free of charge.

Residents have the option to dispose of their waste on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm. Additionally, the County offers a mobile service around three times annually. The pick-up locations are not curbside but can be found throughout the county, usually close to a county facility. It is important to keep in mind that these locations may change each year.

To learn about the service or stay updated on announcements in the local newspaper are two options. However, neither of these methods promotes or enables responsible disposal of household hazardous waste, which we have all been culprits of at some point. Consequently, this waste is either being deposited in landfills or incinerated for energy across the state, posing a threat to both our environment and future.

E-waste is becoming an increasingly significant issue both nationally and globally with over twenty million outdated computers in 1998 with a recycling rate of under fifteen percent. Although federal and state regulations may have different e-waste policies, all e-waste policies aim to protect safety and avoid disaster.

For information on local E-waste disposal visit <http:llwww. ci>.

Old electronic equipment can be recycled at ceres.ca.us/40651-OldElectronicEquipmentRecycling.pdf and also at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Electronic Facility, which is located at the same address and telephone number on 1716 Morgan Road.

This facility accepts electronic devices including cell phones, televisions, computer monitors, laptops, computers, printers, fax machines and copiers. Improper disposal of electronic waste can have a global impact in countries such as China, India and Pakistan. Despite proper disposal practices existing in the US for E-waste concerns, a substantial amount still ends up in landfills or incinerators. According to the 1997 EOA report alone, over 3.2 million tons of E-waste were disposed of in US landfills and incinerators.

Various methods can be used for electronic recycling, such as dismantling, shredding, burning, exporting and others. However, some of these techniques are not regulated and may pose additional dangers particularly in S. landfills.

E-waste contains hazardous toxins like Barium, lead, lithium, Mercury, Nickel, Palladium, Rhodium, Cadmium and Silver that pose a significant risk to human health. Groundwater contamination from these substances can cause birth defects, brain damage and kidney damage. Among the electronics discarded annually are computers which are scavenged for valuable parts before being sent to developing countries. This practice contributes significantly to the estimated 400 million electronic units discarded each year. The number is expected to rise with technology's constant obsolescence such that it may reach three billion units by 2010.

8 Microsoft Vista's release is a recent example. A survey conducted by Softchoice Corp. reveals that half of the corporate computers lack the minimum requirements for Vista, while ninety-four percent do not meet its Vista

Premium system requirements. Although upgrading the RAM resolves this issue, most businesses prefer to dispose of their computers. 9 The global issue of hazardous waste includes Shipbreaking as well.

Shipbreaking is mainly conducted in developing countries like India and Bangladesh to dispose of obsolete vessel structures. However, the laws regarding handling lead paint and asbestos as well as working conditions are not up to par with Europe and the United States. This has led to an ecological catastrophe where toxic chemicals have infiltrated both the ground and ocean. In addition, dismantling ships has resulted in severe health issues for workers directly involved and those residing nearby due to dangerous materials including Asbestos, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB's), lead, among others produced by open burning.

There has been a significant rise in the yearly retirement of ships. In the 1990s, around 15 million dwt per year was retired, while in 2001, this figure grew to roughly 28 million dwt per year. This represents an annual growth rate of nearly 25%. To tackle challenges concerning household hazardous waste and e-waste, it is our responsibility to help identify and implement potential solutions. One effective method entails increasing public awareness of these problems.

It is important to involve neighbors in addressing the issue. Attend local schools and engage in conversations regarding the consequences of failing to address the problem. Additionally, it is recommended to invite the county waste disposal manager to deliver a presentation to all nearby institutions such as schools, churches, and service clubs. Waste disposal companies offer programs that can be presented upon request.

The government should provide information pamphlets to increase public awareness about properly disposing of hazardous waste. They should

also make it more convenient by adding more drop off locations for household hazardous waste and E-waste. Although we have curbside service for regular waste, recyclables, and garden waste, properly disposing of hazardous waste requires individual knowledge, initiative, and effort.

The elderly and disabled may find current programs difficult to participate in, and there are currently no environmentally responsible programs available for those who live in apartment complexes. To address this, creating volunteer teams to provide household pickups for those in need would be beneficial. Additionally, contacting City Council and Board of Supervisors members could help develop a hazardous waste and E-waste disposal program for apartments and businesses, as all waste is currently put into one large dumpster and burned without sorting recyclables. It's worth noting that the county has a paint program that provides collected paint for free every third Friday of the month.

This paint program presents a fantastic chance for anyone planning to paint a room in their house. It is an unknown initiative, although the county has employed it to cover graffiti in our neighborhoods. The Buy Back Programs impose regulations on stores that sold items to consumers, mandating them to retrieve such products when no longer serviceable.

The responsibility for proper disposal of hazardous waste lies with the company. A wider implementation of this program and a moral obligation among businesses would improve hazardous waste management. The Buy Back program must use environmentally sound and ethically responsible disposal methods, without resorting to shipping hazardous waste to developing countries and using them as dumping grounds.

Free recycling of cell phones is offered by companies, while ink cartridges for printers can be returned through Staples' buy

back program. To tackle the problem of electronic and household waste, one can decrease consumption by utilizing energy-conserving light bulbs, purchasing wind-up radios and flashlights, turning off lights when not in use, investing in energy-efficient appliances and similar measures.

The focus should be on updating computers and cell phones only when necessary, rather than following market trends. However, household hazardous waste and the abundance of E-waste present a significant problem globally. This issue will worsen as other nations continue to develop. Immediate action is necessary to ensure future generations have a clean and safe environment. While some governments recognize this problem, reducing waste requires additional efforts such as global treaties, national laws, state laws, and local laws.

The accountability and ethical responsibility of corporations in addressing environmental issues is crucial, alongside our individual moral obligation to improve the world we share with all living creatures. The significance of proper procedures and policies for computer and electronic recycling is highlighted by the Department of Environmental Protection, Annenberg Media Learner telephone interviews with Stanislaus Waste Management County representatives, and various proposals such as those on E-waste. Improper recycling can have global harmful effects while exporting high-tech waste can negatively impact Asia. Microsoft's Vista may also harm the health of individuals in developing countries. Osha provides a fact sheet on shipbreaking which is an environmentally detrimental practice that raises concerns.