Recycling – College Essay Example

great surprise as we receive the same number of papers each week, including the O’Fallon journal daily, the Sunday Post Dispatch, two journals, and sometimes differing sizes. The unexpected part was the large amount of other paper, which included colored paper and disposable diapers used by the youngest child. A significant portion of this consisted of junk mail received on a weekly basis, which should not be categorized as white paper or newspaper. Paper napkins and towels also contributed to the overall total. While there was a considerable amount of white paper collected, this was primarily due to the youngest daughter using the computer extensively for her book report and receiving most of the mail during that time. In the first week, I weighed two pounds of plastic.

This pound consisted of two Pepsi bottles and water bottles. In the first few days, it became more conscious of the amount of water being consumed. To address this issue, the pound decided to reuse the same bottles instead of disposing of the empty ones, which also saved money. During the research phase on recycling and its impact on the environment, the pound realized the magnitude of other non-recyclable waste. Disposable diapers and sanitary products were particularly concerning because they end up in landfills. However, upon further investigation, it was surprising to discover that the controversy surrounding diaper disposal has decreased compared to previous years.

According to a study by Samuelson (143 - 144), it was found that disposable diapers result in more waste, while cloth diapers consume more energy. This implies that both options have a negative impact on the environment in some way. The Orr family, for

instance, uses approximately four diapers per day, contributing to this environmental damage. The same reasoning could be applied to sanitary products, as they can pose a similar threat to landfill sites as disposable diapers. Lee (37) acknowledges that although there may be other more dangerous items in landfills today, the plastic liners of disposable diapers still create problems.

However, with the construction of new landfills, the issue of waste reaching the groundwater or surrounding soil is becoming less problematic. Recycling can be confusing and costly due to the various types of waste that humans produce, each requiring its specific disposal method (Bay 6). The United States generates more waste than any other country worldwide. Statistics vary between publications, but it has been reported that Americans discard approximately 16 billion disposable pens, 240 million tires, 2 billion disposable razors, and about 18 billion disposable diapers...

According to a source, commercial airplanes can be rebuilt every three months using the annual discarded aluminum. Another source states that the percentage of trash by weight includes 40.2% paper, 7% glass, 8.6% metal, 8.1% plastics, 8.3% rubber, leather, cloth, and wood, 6.8% food waste, 17.7% yard waste, and 3.2% miscellaneous items (Foster 6). The graph below illustrates that my collections align with these averages. Paper has the highest total weight with newspapers (50 pounds), other paper (37 pounds), and white paper (an average of .025 pounds) for a combined total. The accumulation of waste in the United States has become a major issue due to the increasing population. Even if the trash per capita remains constant, the overall amount of waste will still increase due to population growth (Lee 14). This is

partly because of the lifestyle that Americans have adopted, where convenience and disposable items have become a norm.

The waste problems that we currently face originated during the post-World War II economic boom, when Americans were willing to spend their newfound wealth on convenience (Enger and Smith 359). This issue includes not only the products themselves but also the packaging in which they are sold. Packaging materials such as plastic, cardboard, paper bags, and Styrofoam cartons, as well as jars, glass bottles, and metal containers all contribute to this accumulation of waste (Lee 14). Although packaging is essential for preserving product quality and cleanliness, some of it may be unnecessary or could be used more efficiently to minimize waste.

According to James (15), waste is costly and encompasses time, energy, space, and money. Waste functions as a fundamental component of nature's recycling process. After plants and animals perish, they undergo decay and decomposition, eventually merging with the earth with the assistance of worms, maggots, fungi, and bacteria. Waste streams undergo diverse transformations, being incorporated into the soil or waterways, ultimately benefiting the growth of plants and animals.

James states that the cycle of death, decay, new life, and growth is a natural and ongoing process. A compost heap illustrates this cycle by decomposing garden waste, vegetable peelings, and food waste to create humus. This humus is then added back to the soil to enhance new growth and improve soil texture. Utilizing a compost heap can decrease household landfill waste by 50%. Nature's effective management of waste makes it a valuable resource that is reused.

Human beings can be highly inefficient in managing waste, which poses a significant challenge for

the Earth. While our planet does have some capacity to handle the waste produced by humans, the excessive amounts we discard are overwhelming its system. This issue is worsened by the fact that a notable portion of human-generated waste is non-biodegradable and takes a long time to decompose. Consequently, these pollutants, such as glass or tin products, contribute to environmental pollution. The consequence of this pollution on Earth's environment is that it disrupts its natural state, whether caused by natural or artificial factors, thereby harming organisms that typically inhabit it. Moreover, pollution also interrupts Earth's natural cycle of breaking down substances into reusable components.

The disposal of waste material in landfills or bodies of water like oceans and rivers is altering the Earth's natural ability to decompose waste. Apart from household garbage and trash, there are other types of waste present on our planet. This includes industrial waste from factories and sewage from various sources. Waste is also generated through farming practices that utilize fertilizers and pesticides. While these chemicals aim to enhance crop yields, they also lead to pollution. When sprayed, wind and rain can transport these fertilizers and pesticides into the atmosphere and waterways.

The presence of nitrates in fertilizers can result in different health issues. Moreover, the excessive accumulation of animal waste on farms is worrisome because it decomposes slowly and contaminates rivers, streams, and underground water sources. As a consequence, this pollution can cause eutrophication - an unfavorable state characterized by excessive algae growth that depletes oxygen levels and adversely affects aquatic life (Becklake 15).

Solid waste disposal can be accomplished through various methods, with the most commonly used method being landfilling. Landfills entail

depositing garbage in excavated pits in the ground to minimize space consumption (Becklake 11). While landfills are widely adopted for their cost-effectiveness, this approach carries certain disadvantages.

Solid Waste 1 highlights the potential problem of untreated garbage attracting pests like rats and flies. Becklake 11 further explains that when it rains or snows, water seeps into waste and dissolves it into leachate - a polluted water substance. This leachate can contaminate underground water sources, including drinking water supplies, as well as pollute rivers and lakes. Another issue arises from the generation of methane gas during garbage decomposition in landfills. If this gas infiltrates densely populated areas such as residential and business buildings, it can pose serious dangers. Moreover, these gases also carry an explosion risk once the landfill is covered.

Today, in modern landfills, gases such as methane and ammonia are collected and directed away from the landfill site through pipes. These gases are then utilized to generate natural energy, which offers various benefits and reduces their harmful impact on the environment (Bailey 14). Although ammonia is not as hazardous as methane, it does contribute to a foul odor within landfills. These landfills contain countless microorganisms or microbes that consume the waste garbage deposited at these sites.

Microbes, such as bacteria or fungi, have an extraordinary ability to consume food equal to their own weight very quickly. Despite being too small to see with the naked eye, these microorganisms are essential in the cycle of life. Whether found in landfills or compost piles, these microbes perform a crucial task. Although decomposition is slow in landfills, certain types of bacteria that need air and nourishment are necessary for

breaking down waste. As a result, this slows down the decomposition process because only bacteria that can work without air or water continue functioning, causing solid waste decomposition to stop (Fosterl 8).

Burning or incineration is an alternative method of waste disposal. However, this solution to the landfill waste crisis presents several issues. Firstly, it is a significantly more expensive option, with costs exceeding three times that of landfill disposal. Additionally, the disposal of the resulting ash presents its own set of challenges. For every ten tons of trash burned, approximately one ton of ash is generated. There is a risk that this ash may still contain harmful materials, which can pose a danger when buried. Notably, dioxin, a hazardous substance containing chlorine, can be found in the ash. Dioxin is produced during the manufacturing of paper and chemicals, as well as in the burning of plastics at low temperatures. Furthermore, burning waste emits smoke and gases that contribute to air pollution (Becklake 12).

Modern incinerators have advanced capabilities to remove harmful gases from the smoke before it is released into the atmosphere. These new incinerators are more efficient and can burn a larger amount of trash due to their higher temperatures. This increase in heat also causes glass and ceramic materials to melt and crumble, simplifying the disposal process (Foster 23). A popular approach to waste management is source reduction, which aims to minimize waste production before it becomes trash (Enger, Smith 365). Packaging, which is a major contributor to daily waste, requires manufacturers to reduce the amount of materials used. One way to achieve this is by transitioning to plastics and lightweight aluminum and reducing

their thickness.

The introduction of plastic milk containers has led to a nearly 50% reduction in weight. Similarly, aluminum cans have also become lighter over time. Manufacturers are now producing concentrated forms of these products, resulting in less packaging for detergents and cleaning products. This approach is also being applied to some food items, like juices. However, the success of this strategy relies on consumers prioritizing environmental care and actively choosing products sold in this manner. Moreover, many communities have implemented municipal composting programs to divert yard waste away from landfills.

Recycling waste entails converting it into a usable form instead of incinerating or burying it. While encountering some challenges, recycling has gained popularity in the United States recently.

Lee (69) states that the importance of separation is a significant factor. Sorting recyclables by hand after collection is not only costly, but also inconvenient for many people. This inconvenience greatly contributes to the reason why a lot of individuals choose not to recycle. People are unwilling to put in the effort of separating trash into bins for recyclable and non-recyclable items, as well as cleaning and preparing cans for recycling. To alter residents' behavior, certain states have implemented mandatory recycling laws as societal attitudes progress.

The recycling industry faces a major problem: the absence of demand for recycled goods. Without a market for these products, recycling efforts can be futile. This issue is worsened by the inconsistency in the market. In the past, brokers had to pay to dispose of large quantities of used newspapers due to their abundance. Furthermore, certain industries are hesitant to use recycled products, which undermines recycling initiatives even more. Previously, egg cartons and meat-packaging

trays were manufactured using low-quality recycled paper pulp.

The market for paper has declined due to the packaging of products in plastic foam containers (Enger, Smith 367). Recycling faces economic and technical challenges, including the issue of plastics. While recyclable, different plastics require separate recycling processes, resulting in high costs. However, recycling still offers numerous benefits. For instance, recycling a ton of paper can save 7953 gallons of water, 463 gallons of oil, 17 trees, 587 pounds of air pollution, 3.06 cubic yards of landfill space, and 4077 K Watt-hours of energy (Environmental Paper 1).

While there has been a significant increase in paper consumption, less paper is being sent to landfills due to recycling. Recycling newspaper is a simple task that everyone should participate in, as it requires minimal time and effort to separate and is easily biodegradable. Glass is another recyclable resource that should be prioritized. By increasing glass recycling rates, pollution could potentially be reduced by 14-20% (Environmental Glass 1). Additionally, glass never deteriorates and can be recycled repeatedly. By recycling a ton of glass, more than a ton of resources could be preserved.

Producing a ton of glass generates 384 pounds of mining waste, which can be avoided by recycling glass. Recycling not only saves valuable resources but also helps take care of the environment by reducing waste in landfills. Despite some skeptics doubting the impact of recycling, it has been proven that recycling does make a difference. It saves natural resources, energy, clean air and water, landfill space, money, and even creates new jobs (Environmental Hows and Whys 1). All these reasons are valid, but the question remains: how much of a difference

does recycling truly make? The Orr family, who were once skeptics themselves, have changed their perspective after researching for this paper. They now believe that even the smallest effort counts – whether it's recycling a piece of paper, newspaper, milk carton, diaper, or plastic bag. As Nike says, "Just Do It," because every little contribution frees up more space for non-recyclable items that are in greater need.

We do need a place for those things too without causing any more havoc to our environment than we already have.

References

1. Bailey, Donna. What Can We Do About, Recycling Garbage. New York: Franklin Beeklake, Sue. Green Issues, Thinking for the Future, Waste Disposal and Recycling. "The Consumer Recycling Guide: Commonly Recycled Materials." Internet. (Online). 17 Feb.

2000. hftp://www.obviously.com/recycle/guides/common.htmi.

Internet. (Online). 8 March 2000 wysivyg://80/hftp://www.infoplease.com//ce5/CE048556.htmi.

2000. hftp:/Ienvirosystemine.com/howswhys.html.

Interne. (Online). 17 Feb. 2000.

http://envirosysteminc.com/paper.html.

Cartons, Cans, and Orange Peels, Where Does Your Garbage Go? Gay, Kathlyn. Garbage and Recycling. Hillsdale, N.J.: Enslow Publishers, 1991.

Austin, Texas: Steck-Vaughn Library, 1990. Lee, Sally. The Throwaway Society. New York: Franklin Wafts, 1990. Samuelson, Robert

J. Using Cloth Diapers Cannot Reduce Garbaqe. Ed.

The source of the text is a book called "The Environmental Crisis" written by Neal Bernards. It is part of the Opposing Viewpoints Series published by Greenhaven Press, Inc. The book was published in 1991 and the text can be found on pages 140-145.