Responsible Waste Management Mechanicsburg PA
Waste creation presents a massive problem to governments around the world as they struggle to contain the environmental damage it causes. Governments must find ways to implement waste reduction by reviewing laws relating to waste management and find ways of minimizing waste production. The 3R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) program is one such attempt at managing waste and is being encouraged in many countries. The end objective is to reach zero waste, and this will require that many citizens accept this and do what they can to achieve this goal.
Recycle to Conserve
Recycling must be more than just finding an alternative to dumping waste in landfills to encourage wide acceptance. Profitable uses for recycled materials will encourage more recycling. Materials recycling facilities (MRF’s) are facilities that are set up to accept waste materials intended for recycling, and then processing them and selling this product onto manufacturers who use it to create new products. This takes pressure off the use of traditional raw materials such as wood, for example, in the manufacture of paper, as using recycled paper in the manufacture of paper products saves forests of trees. Plastic and glass that is recycled is used for the manufacturing of new products as well, thus doing away with the need of raw materials.
This process of manufacturing products using recycled junk instead of scarce natural resources uses less energy as well.
Recycle to Save Energy
Here are some interesting facts about recycling and saving energy.
Recycling one aluminum can will save the amount of energy to run a TV for 3 hours. Recycling 100 cans saves enough energy to light your room for 2 weeks. (Source: Go Ever Green)
Recycling 1 glass bottle will save enough power to keep a 100-watt lightbulb on for 4 hours. Glass can take up to 4,000 years to break down in a landfill, but the good news is that most bottles and jars are already using at least 25% recycled glass when they are manufactured. (Source: Conserve Energy Future)
The amount of wood and paper thrown away in the US each year is enough to heat 50,000 homes for 20 years. Americans use 7 trees per year per person in paper, wood and other products made from trees. This amounts to about 2 billion trees per year. (source: https://www.sccmo.org/)
Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour and most of these are not recycled. It takes about 500 years for a water bottle to decompose and 1,000 years for disposable plastic grocery bags to degrade. (source: https://www.sccmo.org/) Recycling one ton of plastic waste saves about 2,000 pounds of oil, the amount of water that one person uses in two months as well as the amount of energy consumed by 2 people in one year. (Source: thebalancesmb.com)
Plastic bags in our oceans are the second most common kind of waste item found in coastal cleanups (the most common are cigarette butts). By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (Source: thebalancesmb.com)
The compliance with reducing, recycling, and reusing was gaining traction worldwide. In the US, the disposal of waste to landfills has decreased from 94% of the amount generated in 1960 when records began, to about 52% of the amount generated in 2017. Over this time, recycling rates increased from just over 6% of municipal solid waste generated in 1960 to over 35% in 2017. (Source: https://www.epa.gov/)
These statistics show that many people were co-operating with the 3R’s, but these were prior to the Covid-19 pandemic that has affected the world and the way we live our lives. Because the virus spreads rapidly through close contact we have had to change our lifestyles.
There has been drastic action taken by governments all around the globe. National borders have been closed, airlines have been grounded and local travel has been curtailed to slow its spread. People are working from home and businesses and factories have been forced to close. With shops and restaurants closing, our social habits have changed with people avoiding contact with each other. Sport has been suspended and large gatherings of people has been prohibited in most places. Schools, universities, and colleges have been closed. Everyone is learning to adjust to the “new normal”.
Three or four months later and societies are slowly opening again with restrictions being lifted but with strict rules in place on how we shop, use public transport, and socialize.
More Disposable Items means More Waste Management
Although scientific evidence is being collected and is not yet conclusive about how the Corona virus behaves it is agreed on that this virus spreads easily and quickly to humans through close contact on various surfaces and it leads to serious illness or even death in some cases.
Because evidence suggests that the virus can live on plastic surfaces for a while, grocery stores and chains discourage or even ban reusable bags in favor of single use bags. The danger of the virus passing from the bag to a grocery conveyer belt or even to the packer handling the shopping is too great a risk. So, this means that billions of single use plastic bags must be disposed of once again, adding to the amount of trash removal needed.
Disposable coffee cups have replaced reusable containers at hot drink outlets which will result in billions of these cups needing to be disposed of annually.
The option of dining in at restaurants has been replaced by offering take-out options packed in disposable containers. Reusable containers are discouraged as the fear of the virus spreading from a contaminated container is too great to risk. Millions of these disposable containers will add to the volume of waste generated.
The volume of household waste has increased by up to 50% as more and more people are working from home. More disposables such as masks are being used at home and all this extra waste generated means more waste for the local authorities to collect.
If you have and overwhelming amount of extra trash to be removed Junk Removal Mechanicsburg can help. We operate in the Mechanicsburg area and can assist by removing and disposing of your unwanted junk and waste management. We are available to do your waste management and trash hauling at a time to fit into your schedule, even if this means after hours or over the weekend. We are efficient and professional and have the necessary license to dispose of your trash in a responsible manner. We are as committed to a clean environment in Mechanicsburg as you are.
Please call us today at 717-988-0997 to arrange a free, no obligation quote. We look forward to hearing from you.
Email us at inquiries@junkremovalmechanicsburg.com
www.junkremovalmechanicsburg.com