| Some information off the
epa website:
How much
municipal solid waste is generated each year in the
United States
?
In 1998, approximately 220 million tons of municipal solid waste or
garbage was generated in the
United States
. This means each person generated an average of 4.46 pounds of solid
waste per day.
Who regulates
landfills that accept municipal garbage? Can these municipal landfills
accept hazardous waste?<
Landfills that collect household garbage are predominately regulated by
State and local governments. EPA has, however, established minimum
criteria that these landfills must meet in order to stay open. The only
hazardous waste that municipal landfills can accept is household hazardous
waste and waste that is exempt from hazardous waste regulation.
What are the
benefits of recycling? Are there environmental and/or financial benefits
that encourage recycling?
Recycling prevents the emissions of many greenhouse gases and water
pollutants, saves energy, supplies valuable raw materials to industry,
creates jobs, stimulates the development of greener technologies,
conserves resources for future generations, and reduces the need for new
landfills and combustors.
What new
products come from recycled products? What is the process?
Recycling creates new products such as aluminum cans, newspapers, cereal
boxes, paper towels, egg cartons, carpeting, motor oil, car bumpers,
nails, trash bags, glass containers, comic books, and laundry detergent
bottles. Steps in the recycling process include collecting the recyclable
components of municipal solid waste, separating materials by type,
processing them into reusable forms, and purchasing and using the goods
made with reprocessed materials.
Does the
recycling process make more pollution?
Using recovered material generates less solid waste. Recycling helps to
reduce the pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin
materials. Also, when products are made using recovered rather than virgin
materials, less energy is used during manufacturing and fewer pollutants
are emitted.
How do we get more
people to recycle?
Educating the public about the benefits of recycling and/or providing
economic incentives will get more people involved in recycling.
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