essay on trash is threat to the environment

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Climate Action

How our trash impacts the environment.

• How Our Trash Impacts…

February 28, 2019

By Austin Downs, Richard Acevedo and Kennedi Humble

Due to the mass amounts of unsustainable, human-generated waste entering our environment, the detrimental effects of pollution have continued to negatively impact numerous ecosystems around the world. Different types of waste, such as microplastics, are continuously polluting our oceans and landfills due to the lack of biodegradable and recyclable materials within these pollutants. A recent study found that out of the  400 million  metric tons of plastic waste produced annually, only  9%  is successfully recycled. (Find out  more about plastic pollution  and how you can help  reduce your own waste .) In 2017, for instance, the Environmental Protection Agency calculated the United States’s total generation of solid waste to be around  267.8 million tons , ultimately representing a  5.7 million  waste increase since 2015. All together, unsustainable waste has negatively impacted the environment through its contribution to worsening the climate crisis, wildlife population, and our very own public health. 

Climate Change

The way our society disposes of waste is not only extremely troubling, but has become increasingly irresponsible as well. Our government leaders have failed to implement sustainable foundations into action to allow our environment to successfully mitigate and adapt to climate change. For example, when looking at the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and landfills, researchers found that  20%  of the total human-driven methane emissions have been produced from waste landfills, and  91% of these landfill methane emissions  have been caused by open-trash incineration. Considering that approximately  65%  of the United State’s waste is being discarded in this manner, the crucial lack of sustainable government regulations and involvement on the waste disposal process continues to contribute large-scale risks to both our atmosphere and the people that live near these burning sites.

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Ecosystems vary widely from location to location. However, one of the most dire consequences of our global waste problem manifests itself in relation to our marine life and waterways. In other words, human-generated waste affects mass amounts of aquatic beings that are dependent on the ocean for their livelihood. Numerous marine species consume mass amounts of plastic or solid waste due to their inability to distinguish between food and waste and are continuing to have traces of pollutants within their body. Researchers have found  microplastics  in 100% of turtles, 59% of whales, 36% in seals, and even 90% in seabirds they examined. Not to mention, waste pollution is often deadly, resulting in over  100,000  marine mammals to be killed annually. When it comes to biodiversity, our waste problem is severely plaguing the health of the world’s species.

Public Health

Human health is at risk through our lack of environmental awareness and action. If our society continues to produce large amounts of trash without proper disposal, it will be the downfall of humanity, wildlife and ecosystem well-being. We cannot prevent or promote longevity if humankind does not adapt sustainable behaviors toward our Earth. If emissions from waste disposal continue to increase, climate will not only be negatively impacted, but human health as well. Through environmental contamination, one can develop  diseases , such as asthma, birth defects, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and more. These issues will continue to increase if environmental action is not established in the near future.

Austin Downs is the coordinator for the Great Global Cleanup. 

Richard Acevedo is a Fall 2019 intern.

Kennedi Humble is a Fall 2023 intern

Earth Day Network

Related stories, earthday.org’s interview with two youth climate activists, end plastics, angry birds are angry at plastic, our plastic ocean.

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The World's Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained

Much of the planet is swimming in discarded plastic, which is harming animal and possibly human health. Can it be cleaned up?

Conservation

Children Play among Plastic

While plastic pollution is a worldwide problem it is most obvious in less-wealthy African and Asian nations, like the Philippines. Here, children play among plastic waste on the shore of Manila Bay.

Photograph by Randy Olson

Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s ability to deal with them. Plastic pollution is most visible in less-wealthy Asian and African nations, where garbage collection systems are often inefficient or nonexistent. But wealthy nations, especially those with low recycling rates, also have trouble properly collecting discarded plastics. Plastic trash has become so ubiquitous it has prompted efforts to write a global treaty negotiated by the United Nations. How Did this Happen? Plastics made from fossil fuels are just over a century old. Production and development of thousands of new plastic products accelerated after World War II to the extent that life without plastics would be unimaginable today. Plastics revolutionized medicine with life-saving devices, made space travel possible, lightened cars and jets—saving fuel and lessening pollution —and saved lives with helmets, incubators , and equipment for clean drinking water. The conveniences plastics offer, however, led to a throw-away culture that reveals the material’s dark side: Today, single-use plastics account for 40 percent of the plastic produced every year. Many of these products, such as plastic bags and food wrappers, are used for mere minutes to hours, yet they may persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Plastics by the Numbers Some key facts:

• Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years.
• Production increased exponentially, from 2.3 million tons in 1950 to 448 million tons by 2015. Production is expected to double by 2050.
• Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full of trash on every foot of coastline around the world.
• Plastics often contain additives making them stronger, more flexible, and durable. But many of these additives can extend the life of products if they become litter, with some estimates ranging to at least 400 years to break down.

How Plastics Move around the World Most of the plastic trash in the oceans, Earth’s last sink, flows from land. Trash is also carried to sea by major rivers, which act as conveyor belts, picking up more and more trash as they move downstream . Once at sea, much of the plastic trash remains in coastal waters. But once caught up in ocean currents, it can be transported around the world. On Henderson Island, an uninhabited atoll in the Pitcairn Group isolated halfway between Chile and New Zealand, scientists found plastic items from Russia, the United States, Europe, South America, Japan, and China. They were carried to the South Pacific by the South Pacific gyre , a circular ocean current. Microplastics Once at sea, sunlight, wind, and wave action break down plastic waste into small particles, often less than half a centimer (one-fifth of an inch) across. These so-called microplastics are spread throughout the water column and have been found in every corner of the globe, from Mount Everest, the highest peak, to the Mariana Trench, the deepest trough . Microplastics are breaking down further into smaller and smaller pieces. Plastic microfibers (or the even smaller nanofibers), meanwhile, have been found in municipal drinking water systems and drifting through the air. Harm to Wildlife Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year, from birds to fish to other marine organisms. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by plastics. Nearly every species of seabird eats plastics. Most of the deaths to animals are caused by entanglement or starvation. Seals, whales, turtles, and other animals are strangled by  abandoned fishing gear or discarded six-pack rings. Microplastics have been found in more than 100 aquatic species, including fish, shrimp, and mussels destined for our dinner plates. In many cases, these tiny bits pass through the digestive system and are expelled without consequence. But plastics have also been found to have blocked digestive tracts or pierced organs, causing death. Stomachs so packed with plastics reduce the urge to eat, causing starvation. Plastics have been consumed by land-based animals, including elephants, hyenas, zebras, tigers, camels, cattle, and other large mammals, in some cases causing death. Tests have also confirmed liver and cell damage and disruptions to  reproductive systems , prompting some species, such as oysters, to produce fewer eggs. New research shows that larval fish are eating nanofibers in the first days of life, raising new questions about the effects of plastics on fish populations. Stemming the Plastic Tide Once in the ocean, it is difficult—if not impossible—to retrieve plastic waste. Mechanical systems, such as Mr. Trash Wheel, a litter interceptor in Maryland’s Baltimore Harbor, can be effective at picking up large pieces of plastic, such as foam cups and food containers, from inland waters. But once plastics break down into microplastics and drift throughout the water column in the open ocean, they are virtually impossible to recover. The solution is to prevent plastic waste from entering rivers and seas in the first place, many scientists and conservationists—including the National Geographic Society—say. This could be accomplished with improved waste management systems and recycling, better product design that takes into account the short life of disposable packaging, and reduction in manufacturing of unnecessary single-use plastics.

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The Environment | Nature | Humans

Top 10 Negative Effects of Garbage on the Environment

Cities around the world are faced with great challenges as a result of an increase in urbanization , one of the major challenges is the rising quantity of waste generated on daily basis and littering due to the high demand for food products and other essentials.

This leads to a large amount of garbage in public places which has consequently led to various adverse effects of garbage on the environment.

Waste bins in public places fill up faster than ever and inevitably many of the bins end up overflowing before being collected, leading to not only littered streets and bad odors but also negative health and environmental impacts .

In some cities around the world, the careless approach of local bodies and governments towards proper waste management and maintaining cleanliness in the environment has led to several severe outcomes ranging from both known and unknown diseases to the death of the animal and human population, especially in the developing countries of the world.

While in most developed countries the waste collection processes are efficient enough to prevent major disasters from happening. Garbage is useless or disposable materials that are littered in an area making the place or area untidy.

This causes pollution , which is a major threat to the environment and has increasingly become a cause for concern in many countries. As humans are largely responsible for the presence of garbage or trash in the environment.

Therefore, it is important to understand the need to adequately, carefully, and properly trash used materials, as well as help to encourage people not to litter in the environment.

Although garbage does not at all times pose a deadly threat to human life as dumping tons of toxic waste around the environment, but then overflowing or littered waste is still a great nuisance and a risk to our health and environment. In this article, we present ten negative effects of garbage on the environment.

Table of Contents

10 Negative Effects of Garbage on the Environment

• Breeding Ground for insects and Disease vectors.
• Air Pollution
• Contamination of Water Bodies
• Climate Change
• Contamination of the Soil
• Exposure to Health Risks
• Bad Municipal Wellbeing
• It can lead to Fire Hazard
• It Reduces Property Value and Affects Tourism
• Habitat Loss

1. Breeding Ground for insects and Disease vectors

Vectors are disease-carrying organisms such as mosquitoes, rats, etc. Garbage bins are an ideal breeding ground for vectors, bacteria, vermin, and other insects.

These vectors and insect that thrive in garbage bins is also the same organism that visits our different homes and roams around our lunch buffet, feeds on it as well as drop their offspring on our plate.

And at such, there is an increased risk of contracting diseases such as typhoid fever , food poisoning, enteric fever, gastroenteritis, and other major illnesses.

Besides some disease vectors and insects as mentioned, other animals that thrive in the garbage in and around the containers include foxes, wild cats, and stray dogs.

2. Air pollution

On daily basis, we identify polluted air, especially through bad odors, which are usually caused by decomposing of waste and liquid waste items.

Obnoxious odor is one of the major outcomes of garbage which invariably leads to air pollution, causing various respiratory diseases and other adverse health effects as contaminants are absorbed from the lungs into other parts of the body and the bloodstream.

The toxic substances in air contaminated by waste include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane. Garbage reduces environmental air quality due to the smell and toxic/chemical vapor emanating from them and when inhaled impacts human health heavily.

3. Contamination of Water Bodies

Not only does garbage contribute to air pollution, but it also contributes to water pollution. Overflowing garbage can be blown or washed into rivers, forests, lakes, and oceans, and, eventually can pollute waterways and aquatic environments.

Based on recent data , 7 billion tons of debris is introduced into the world’s oceans annually and most of it is long-lasting plastic. Garbage and liquid waste that end up in water bodies negatively alter the chemical composition of the water.

This type of pollution is called water pollution. This type of pollution hurts all ecosystems existing in the water, including fish and other animals that drink the polluted water.

Not only does it affect surface water, but liquid from the garbage can also seep into the soil and affect the quality of groundwater. This creates issues for those who rely on well water or groundwater to survive.

4. Climate Change

Garbage in the environment is a major environmental quality threat. The garbage that is dumped in landfills releases methane gas. It’s good to know that open landfills were found to represent 91% of all landfill methane emissions.

The burning of large, open piles of trash in various parts of the world emits dangerous levels of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that is heating our planet.

Researchers have calculated that approximately 40% of the world’s garbage is burned in this fashion, posing large-scale risks to both our atmosphere and the people that live near these burning sites.

5. Contamination of the Soil

Hazardous household waste items such as batteries, computer equipment, and leftover paints can be particularly dangerous to the soil. Plant and animal life may suffer from this exposure to toxic materials and chemicals.

Whenever dangerous chemicals and toxins are left as the trash they can leak out toxins that eventually get into the soil.

This can contaminate the soil around the area, which can affect the surrounding habitats of soil microorganisms and the fertility of the soil, thereby impeding crop yield.

Oftentimes, once the soil has been contaminated, it requires costly restoration of the land.

6. Exposure to Health Risks

Direct handling of overflowing waste exposes one to health risks. For waste collectors, the risks of picking up and handling garbage include infections, chronic diseases, and accidents.

Direct contact with waste can result in skin and blood infections through infected wounds, various illnesses resulting from the bites of animals feeding on the waste, and intestinal infections transmitted by flies feeding on the waste.

Picking up garbage is also risky due to nappies, white goods, asbestos, sharp objects, needles, and potentially hazardous waste. These materials pose serious health and safety risks to individuals exposed to them.

Furthermore, a polluted environment can encourage the spread of diseases. Toxic chemicals and disease-causing microorganisms in the trash may also contaminate water systems when they are been washed into nearby water bodies, they tend to spread water-borne diseases which can negatively affect the health of both animals and humans if unsafe, unclean or untreated water is consumed

7. Bad Municipal Well-being

Everyone wants to live, visit and spend some time in places that are fresh, clean, and healthy. Places with high ecstatic value. Besides causing all sorts of health and some other environmental issues, garbage is an environmental nuisance and an eyesore.

A smelly city with poor sanitation and garbage or trash all over the place does not attract people or tourists , let alone investments. Cities keep losing money, and they also miss out on the revenue and job opportunities coming from proper waste control and recycling.

8. It can lead to Fire Hazards

Garbage such as chemicals, tires, household refuse, used automobile parts, hazardous medical waste, and green waste can increase the risk of wildfires. Cigarette butts may also start fires. When these wastes are exposed to high temperatures and dumpsite decomposition, these items can cause fire quickly.

Other than being exposed to extreme temperatures, when the hazardous materials combust, the site fire would have toxic air particles that could be inhaled by humans and animals, which could cause serious consequences for wildlife.

9. It Reduces Property Value and Affects Tourism

The value of property most especially land reduces in places where garbage is found. Besides, land or places that have been turned into garbage areas can serve as magnets for other criminal activities.

The dirt and smell can also make such areas unsightly, which impacts tourism, especially if are found in nearby forests or beside the road.

10. Habitat loss

Habitat alteration is the change in the surroundings of a living organism. It can be caused by trash and debris in rivers and oceanic convergence (accumulation) zones, on beaches, and submerged benthic (at and near the bottom of rivers and oceans) habitats.

As debris builds up, habitat structure may be modified, light levels may be reduced in underlying waters, and oxygen levels may be depleted. These changes can undermine the ability of open water and benthic habitats to support aquatic life.

As the physical structure of the habitats is changed, there may be indirect impacts of marine debris such as declines in species that are dependent on these habitats for foraging and shelter.

For example, the degradation of coral reefs globally has the potential to undermine the survival of a diverse array of invertebrates, fish, and vertebrates that depend on this limited resource, including many, threatened and endangered species. Also, humans will find it difficult to live in places will garbage is disposed of.

These are ten devastating effects our garbage has on the environment. Our garbage goes somewhere. We have to remember that just because we throw something away, doesn’t mean it disappears. Most times it is found somewhere that does not help the environment.

Therefore, the ideal way to handle the problem of garbage in the environment is for each member of society to take responsibility and try their best to properly dispose of waste. By recycling , you can prevent these negative effects and help to save the environment from contamination and pollution.

Also, measures must be taken by appropriate local authorities to ensure that garbage bins installed in various areas should be properly disposed of when filled up, it should not be allowed to overflow. To avoid additional problems due to overfilling, the bins must be emptied regularly.

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Ahamefula Ascension

Ahamefula Ascension is a Real Estate Consultant, Data Analyst, and Content writer. He is the founder of Hope Ablaze Foundation and a Graduate of Environmental Management in one of the prestigious colleges in the country. He is obsessed with Reading, Research and Writing.

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Trash-Free Waters

• Impacts of Mismanaged Trash

Trash can travel throughout the world's rivers and oceans, accumulating on beaches and within gyres. This debris harms physical habitats, transports chemical pollutants, threatens aquatic life, and interferes with human uses of river, marine and coastal environments.

Of all trash, plastic trash has the greatest potential to harm the environment, wildlife and humans. It can be found floating at the surface, suspended in the water column, or on the bottom of almost all water bodies. It is transported by rivers to the ocean, where it moves with the currents, and is often eaten by birds and fish, concentrating toxic chemicals in their tissues, and filling their stomachs, causing them to starve. Plastic aquatic debris is much more than a mere aesthetic problem.

On this page:

Habitat Impacts

Chemical impacts, biological impacts, problems associated with ingestion of plastic particles, human impacts.

The term benthic refers to anything associated with or occurring on the bottom of a body of water such as a river, lake or ocean. The animals and plants that live on or in the bottom are known as the benthos .

Habitat alteration is caused by trash and debris in rivers and oceanic convergence (accumulation) zones, on beaches, and submerged benthic (at and near the bottom of rivers and oceans) habitats. As debris accumulates, habitat structure may be modified, light levels may be reduced in underlying waters, and oxygen levels may be depleted. These changes can undermine the ability of open water and benthic habitats to support aquatic life.

Chemical impacts associated with plastic aquatic trash include the accumulation and transport of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBTs) contaminants, such as PCBs and pesticides. Aquatic plastic debris has been found to accumulate contaminants at concentrations that are orders of magnitude (thousands to millions of times) greater than the surrounding environment. Based on a number of studies, including those conducted by EPA, plastics have the potential to adsorb chemicals of concern from the environment, and serve as a potential global transport mechanism for contaminants of concern into the food chain and potentially to humans who eat seafoods.

Contaminants accumulated on the surface of plastic particles as well as those within the plastic can be released to the environment when the plastics break down into smaller particles as a result of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, mechanical forces, and weathering. Evidence is adding up that plastic debris, including resin pellets and fragments, transfer PBTs to organisms when consumed. For example, the accumulation of PBTs from plastics has been documented in seabirds and benthic organisms. In a study by Ryan et al (1988), great shearwaters (Puffinus gravis), a seabird known to ingest plastic, had PCB concentrations in fat tissues corresponding to the amounts of plastic found in their stomachs.

There is a substantial body of evidence documenting the harmful effects of aquatic plastic debris on river and marine organisms. It has been estimated that plastic marine debris adversely affects at least 267 species globally, including 86% of sea turtles, 44% of seabirds, and 43% of marine mammals. The most common threats to wildlife include both physical hazards from ingestion and entanglement, and toxicological threats from ingestion of contaminants attached to and trapped within plastic particles. EPA's Clean Water Act and Superfund (CERCLA) programs have tools we can use to reduce the threats from these contaminants.

Ingestion of plastic debris by seabirds, fish, and sea turtles has been widely documented, and ingestion has been reported from marine mammals as well. The potential for plastic ingestion is largely associated with situations where plastic particles can be mistaken for food. For example, sea turtles readily consume plastic bags and other floating debris that appear similar to their gelatinous prey, jellyfish. Predatory organisms, such as fur seals, may indirectly consume plastics through consumption of ocean fish and other prey that have consumed plastic particles mistaken for food.

Additionally, "ghost fishing" by lost, drifting nets and pots can kill fish and invertebrates valuable to local commercial and recreational fisheries. It was estimated that derelict crab pots capture approximately 200,000 pounds of Dungeness crab in Puget Sound annually. Ghost fishing can compete with active fishing for limited resources, undermining economic opportunities while also decreasing the reproductive capacities of fish and invertebrate stocks.

Immobilization of commercial and recreational vessels can result in increased costs of navigation due to lost time, costly repairs, as well as the loss of human life. In a tragic example, derelict fishing gear contributed to the sinking of a Korean passenger ferry in 1993 that resulted in the deaths of 292 passengers.

The results of the 2012 EPA study show that these West Coast communities, regardless of their size, spend an annual average $13 per resident to control litter and reduce marine debris.

Humans can also be directly harmed by aquatic trash, becoming entangled in nets and lines while swimming or diving, or being injured by sharp debris that accumulates on beaches. It is not uncommon for SCUBA divers to become entangled in nets or lines. In most instances they are able to free themselves. In rare instances entanglement has resulted in injury and even death. Additionally, sharp debris that accumulates on beaches regularly results in puncture wounds and lacerations. Medical waste, such as hypodermic needles, is of particular concern because punctures can result in the transfer of infections and disease. Due to the human health risk of medical debris, beaches in New York and New Jersey were closed to protect the public from medical waste that washed ashore in 1988. It was estimated that the loss of revenue from beach closures in 1988 to New Jersey alone was in the range of $706 million to nearly $3 billion.

Aquatic trash also reduces the aesthetic and recreational values of rivers, beaches and marine resources. The buildup of plastic debris on beaches is of particular concern for coastal cities since unsightly debris and entangled marine life can reduce the area's attractiveness to local residents and tourists. Immense economic costs are incurred to clean marine debris from beaches. In 2012 EPA conducted a study to quantify the cost spent by 90 cities, large and small, in California, Oregon and Washington, located along the coast or in watersheds draining to the ocean, to clean up litter and prevent trash from entering the ocean or waterways leading to it. Nearly 50 million people live in these three states and over 85 percent of them live on the ocean or along rivers draining into it. West Coast communities are spending more than $520 million dollars a year to combat litter and prevent trash from becoming marine debris. This public cost burden makes yet another reason for finding effective strategies to reduce the trash entering our waterways and contributing to marine debris.

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Dangers of Improper Garbage Disposal: Health Effects and Environmental Contamination

• August 11, 2023
• Environment

Improper garbage disposal poses significant threats to both human health and the environment . As populations continue to grow and urbanize, the need for effective waste management becomes crucial. Inadequate waste disposal practices can lead to a range of health issues for communities while causing irreversible harm to ecosystems through environmental contamination.

Health Effects of Improper Garbage Disposal:

1. Vector-Borne Diseases: Improperly disposed of waste, such as open dumps or unsealed containers, can serve as breeding grounds for disease-carrying vectors like mosquitoes and rodents. These vectors can spread diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and leptospirosis, endangering the health of nearby residents.

2. Air Pollution: Burning waste releases harmful pollutants and toxins into the air, contributing to air pollution. Inhalation of these pollutants can lead to respiratory problems, aggravate existing conditions like asthma, and increase the risk of lung infections.

3. Water Contamination: When waste is not disposed of properly, it can leach harmful chemicals and pathogens into the soil and groundwater. This contamination can find its way into water sources, leading to waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid, affecting communities that rely on these water supplies.

4. Food Safety Risks: Improper disposal of waste near agricultural areas or improper disposal of food waste can attract pests and contaminate crops. Consuming contaminated crops or food products can lead to foodborne illnesses and compromise public health.

Environmental Contamination from Improper Garbage Disposal:

1. Soil Degradation: Improperly disposed of waste can degrade soil quality and fertility, affecting agricultural productivity. The infiltration of toxins and heavy metals from waste can make soil unsuitable for cultivation, leading to long-term damage to ecosystems.

2. Water Bodies Pollution: Waste that ends up in rivers, lakes, and oceans can cause severe pollution. Plastics and other non-biodegradable materials break down into microplastics, entering the food chain and harming aquatic life. Chemical pollutants can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and harm marine organisms.

3. Habitat Destruction: Unregulated dumping sites can lead to habitat destruction and deforestation as waste accumulates. This can have a cascading effect on biodiversity , disrupting local ecosystems and endangering various plant and animal species.

4. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Inadequate waste disposal practices, such as open burning of waste, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change . Methane, a potent greenhouse gas released during the decomposition of organic waste in landfills, further intensifies global warming .

we can conclude this, The dangers of improper garbage disposal are multi-faceted, affecting both human health and the environment. To mitigate these risks, there is an urgent need for proper waste management systems, education, and public awareness campaigns. Governments, communities, and individuals must work together to establish efficient waste disposal practices that prioritize human health and environmental sustainability. Only through collective efforts can we safeguard our well-being and preserve the planet for future generations.

1. What is improper garbage disposal, and why is it a concern?

Improper garbage disposal refers to the incorrect or careless management of waste materials. This includes practices like open dumping, burning waste, or not using appropriate waste collection systems. It’s a concern because it can lead to health risks, pollution, and harm to the environment.

2. How does improper garbage disposal affect human health?

Improper disposal can attract disease-carrying pests, contaminate the air with pollutants from burning waste, and pollute water sources, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. Inadequate waste management can also lead to food contamination, respiratory problems, and the spread of infections.

3. What environmental problems arise from improper garbage disposal?

Improper disposal contributes to soil degradation, water pollution in rivers and oceans, destruction of habitats due to accumulating waste, and the emission of greenhouse gases. These issues harm ecosystems, biodiversity, and contribute to climate change.

4. What can individuals do to help combat improper garbage disposal?

Individuals can adopt responsible waste disposal practices by segregating waste at home, recycling, and using designated waste collection services. Avoid open burning of waste and be mindful of plastic use to reduce pollution. Participating in local cleanup initiatives and advocating for proper waste management can also make a difference.

5. How can communities and governments address the problem of improper garbage disposal?

Communities and governments can implement effective waste management systems, establish recycling programs, and provide education on proper waste disposal. Enforcing regulations against illegal dumping and encouraging responsible consumer behavior are also crucial steps in tackling this issue.

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What is plastic pollution?

How plastics damage our lives and the environment—and why recycling is not the answer..

Plastics: we can't live without them, or so it seems.

While using plastics in some cases may be unavoidable, we can take steps to reduce our constant consumption and discarding of the chemical-laced material.

The U.S. produces 234 pounds of plastic waste per person per year, and hardly any of it is recycled.

Here's a comprehensive introduction to plastic waste and plastic pollution, how we got here, and what we can do about it.

How does plastic cause pollution?

An excavator pushes through a landfill. About 79% of plastic is ending up in landfills or as litter in our environment. (Credit: Tom Fisk/Pexels)

Plastics are an untamed and unmanaged beast:

• More than 1 million plastic bags are used every minute , with an average "working life" of only 15 minutes
• 500 billion plastic bags are used annually—and that's just plastic bags.
• Of all plastics the world has produced, only 9% of the nine billion tons has been recycled —most ends up in landfills, dumps, or in the environment.
• The ocean is expected to contain 1 ton of plastic for every 3 tons of fish by 2025 and, by 2050, more plastics than fish (by weight).
• Studies suggest that the total economic damage to the world's marine ecosystem caused by plastic amounts to at least $13 billion every year.
• If current consumption habits continue, we're on pace to have discarded 12 billion tons of plastic waste into landfills and our environment by 2050.

Why is plastic a problem?

Two marketing strategies employed by the plastics industry have successfully propelled plastic to regular household use:

• Promoting throwaway culture
• Creating eco-campaigns that shift blame to the individual.

These strategies, along with the lack of legislation preventing mass consumption, have caused single-use plastics to flourish.

What is throwaway culture?

Food in disposable plastic packaging is a common sight in grocery stores.

Throwaway culture is a modern phenomenon that was slowly impressed upon the consumer after the Great Depression and war-era years of frugality. Through advertisement, the plastics industry had to convince the public that single-use plastics were possible, acceptable, and even necessary.

Today it's hard to imagine a world without single-use plastics: our "to-go," "hustle," and "convenience" cultures have adopted and even celebrated the ease of disposables.

• In 2013, the plastics industry put 78 million tons of plastic packaging on the market, with a total value of $260 billion.
• 95% of that plastic packaging's material value, or $80 billion to $120 billion annually, is lost to the economy after a short first use—but the ease and low cost of churning out more disposables prevents the effort to maintain that value after it's sold.

In detail: This captivating article by Rebecca Altman highlights the lobbying efforts that led to the eternal existence of the plastic bag. "If the plastics industry wants to drive sales ... it must teach customers how to waste."

How do eco-campaigns encourage plastic pollution?

The recycle symbol—a sign of environmental activism—also encourages consumption. (Credit: ready made/pexels)

The recycling logo—one of the most recognizable images of the environmental movement—was created in a contest held by a plastics company.

It's an icon that persuades consumers we can continue to consume products and materials, because the cycle will create an ecological balance between production and consumption that mitigates the environmental impact.

Failure to recycle is placed on the individual consumer, not on the manufacturer—even though many common plastics can't be recycled, and the fact that 91% of plastic not being recycled suggests a systematic failure.

• Stat: For all its campaigns, the United States recycles less than 10% of its plastics.

Campaigns such as "Keep America Beautiful" were also funded by companies that produce plastic waste, such as Coca-Cola and Dixie Cup.

The message suggests individual responsibility to keep litter out of our environment, and invokes individual guilt and shame for the pollution that is there.

Again, it effectively shifts blame from corporations mass-producing pollutants, the root cause of the issue.

Are there laws against plastic pollution?

Plastic shopping bags are one of the greatest contributors to plastic waste. (Credit: Peteruetz/Wikipedia)

Another reason plastic waste and pollution has amassed so quickly is the lack of legislation regulating plastics. As of May 2020, there are currently no federal laws restricting single-use plastics, the single highest contributor to plastic waste.

Congress could work to shape federal policy by modeling legislation after existing local and state laws passed to tackle the plastics problem.

• For example, in 2015, Congress passed a federal act banning plastic microbeads in health and beauty products after several states did the same.

Today, however, the plastics problem remains unregulated and continuously building. The recent coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a ban on reusable bags in grocery and retail stores, prompting greater usage of single-use plastic bags that activists have worked so hard to discourage.

In detail: Focusing on BPA , this article from our founder Pete Myers discusses why chemical regulation, thought to stifle innovation, is key to reversing today's epidemic of chronic diseases.

About plastics

Plastic was first invented in 1862 as a substitute for ivory.

During World War II, plastics gained popularity as military resources. After the war ended, the plastics industry began marketing to consumers: in the 1950s, polyester and polypropylene were introduced into consumer products, and plastics took off from there.

In detail: This article from the Science History Institute covers the rise of the plastic empire, from origins to looking into the future.

A variety of chemical building blocks are used to construct plastics; the resulting wide range of unique properties is what makes plastic so versatile.

However, its benefits were quickly discovered and mass-produced without concern for the detriments:

• Plastic doesn't biodegrade, instead, it breaks into smaller and smaller fragments of plastic—known as microplastics— that are much more difficult to remove from the ocean and appear in our drinking water, food, and air.
• The very same chemicals that make plastic so useful can also release toxics into your food, body, and overall lifestyle.

In detail: Our year-long investigation into the common plastic additive BPA reveals dangerous neglect by the federal government to protect our health.

How does plastic pollution affect humans?

Many chemicals found in plastics can have adverse effects on human health, including increased risk of infertility.

Exposure to microplastics, as well as the chemicals added to plastics during processing, harm our health.

• Stat: Microplastics have been found in 90% of bottled water and 83% of tap water .

Many chemicals used in plastics are known endocrine disruptors, causing reproductive issues such as infertility, hormonal imbalances, and greater risk of cancer.

• For example, the phthalate DEHP, added to plastic goods to make them more flexible (garden hoses, shower curtains, medical equipment, etc) is a probable human carcinogen.

In detail: This article by Pete Myers demonstrates the issues (read: toxics) that can arise with recycling plastics into food packaging.

How does plastic waste affect the environment?

Plastic pollution that has washed up on the shores of Ghana. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Plastic causes an overabundance of problems when discarded into our environment.

• Plastic bags block waterways and clog sewers, providing breeding grounds for insects like mosquitoes that in turn proliferate the risk of diseases such as malaria.
• In poorer countries, plastic waste is burned as heat for cooking, exposing people to toxic emissions and contributing to poor air quality.
• Floating plastic debris serves as a vehicle for alien species to hitchhike to unfamiliar parts of the world, becoming invasive species and threatening biodiversity.

Plastics are also one of the main end products of fracking—a practice linked to water and air contamination. Fossil fuels are used to make plastic, so as the demand for plastics increases, it supports the natural gas and oil industry.

In detail: This piece published for World Environment Day visually demonstrates just how much plastic ends up in our waterways, and this story from Jessica Knoblauch emphasizes the environmental toll of plastics .

How is plastic killing animals?

Seabirds using plastic waste to build nests. It's estimated that 99% of seabirds will have ingested plastic waste by 2050. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Many marine species, such as turtles and dolphins, mistake plastic fragments for food. Ingesting plastic is often fatal to animals—too much plastic blocks their digestive tracts, causing them to starve.

• Stat: Plastic fragments have been found in 86% of all sea turtle species, 44% of all seabird species, and 43% of all marine mammal species .

Styrofoam products, containing possible carcinogens such as benzene and styrene, are highly toxic when ingested and can damage animals' lungs, nervous systems, and reproductive organs.

Chemicals ingested by these animals can make their way up the food chain onto our dinner plates.

Where we’re at with plastic pollution

Global plastic bag bans, July 2019. Source: UNEP

The tide of plastic waste has yet to be stemmed. However, attention given to the issue has dramatically increased in recent years. Countries across the world have taken steps to ban single-use plastics and ramp up access to recycling.

In detail: This article by Stephen Buranyi for The Guardian looks at "the worldwide revolt against plastic" - and whether "our rage" will be enough to make a difference.

We're getting there. In Sweden, only 4% of household waste ends up in landfills—the rest is either recycled or used as fuel in waste-to-power energy plants.

The success in Sweden has led to waste-to-energy initiatives in four other European countries. Kenya's strict plastic bag ban has led to so much success that other east African nations are considering following suit.

The EU approved a single-use plastic ban, and countries such as Canada and Peru have plans in place as well. Eight U.S. states have plastic bag bans , with additional major cities following suit.

Progress is being made. However, change at the corporate level is of the utmost importance for large-scale effects.

In detail: Look into the future of plastic and plastic waste with our founder and Chief Scientist, Pete Myers.

How can plastic pollution be reduced?

If this matters to you, say something. Contact your local government, pressure your representatives , find others in your community that also care.

To be clear, change doesn't have to start with federal legislation: it can begin in your home and in your consumption habits.

• Forgo plastic in favor of glass and metal alternatives, from water bottles to food storage containers.
• Use a reusable water bottle and avoid sending 167 plastic bottles per year to the landfill.
• Using plastic wrap? Switch to tinfoil or beeswax wraps.
• Plastic sponges are inefficient and get destroyed easily. Instead, use a bristle brush or steel wool.
• There are so many other plastic alternatives out there—growing consumer demand is changing the market. Do your research and make the change for your health, your wallet, and the environment.

Interested in learning more? Sign up for our free Plastic Pollution weekly newsletter, sponsored by Plastic Pollution Coalition , for the most up-to-date information about plastics.

Further reading

From making it to managing it, plastic is a major contributor to climate change

Freshwater is getting neglected when it comes to plastic pollution resear ch

Financial fallout from coronavirus could devastate the fracking and plastics industries

Banner photo credit: Marco Verch/flickr

• Fertility crisis leaves little time for solution - EHN ›
• Record levels of harmful particles found in Great Lakes fish - EHN ›
• Op-Ed: Closing the plastic tap - EHN ›
• Lawsuits against the plastics industry for health and environmental harm could exceed $20 billion by 2030 - EHN ›
• Pete Myers to address US Senate committee on the dangers of plastic - EHN ›
• Every stage of plastic production and use is harming human health - EHN ›
• Chemical recycling “a dangerous deception” for solving plastic pollution: Report - EHN ›
• California avanza con una ley histórica de reducción de residuos plásticos - EHN ›
• California moves forward with landmark plastic waste reduction law - EHN ›

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Essay on Garbage – Tackling the Menace of Garbage: A Call to Environmental Responsibility

In the bustling tapestry of urban life, one cannot escape the ubiquity of garbage. From towering landfills to the litter on street corners, the issue of waste management has become a pressing concern that transcends borders and impacts communities globally. This essay delves into the complexities of the garbage problem, examining its causes, consequences, and the imperative for sustainable waste management practices in India.

Quick Overview:

• Rapid urbanization and population growth have led to an exponential increase in waste generation. From household refuse to industrial byproducts, the sheer volume of garbage produced poses a significant challenge to existing waste management systems.
• Unbridled consumerism and the pervasive use of single-use plastics contribute to the escalating burden on waste disposal facilities.
• Improper disposal of garbage has severe environmental repercussions. Landfills release harmful gases like methane, contributing to air pollution and climate change. Contamination of soil and water sources occurs when hazardous waste is not adequately managed, posing a direct threat to ecosystems and human health.
• Marine pollution, largely driven by the improper disposal of plastic waste, is a critical concern affecting aquatic life and ecosystems.
• Garbage accumulation in urban areas fosters an environment conducive to the spread of diseases. Piles of unmanaged waste become breeding grounds for pests and disease-carrying vectors, posing health hazards to nearby residents.
• Beyond physical health, the unsightly presence of garbage diminishes the aesthetic value of neighborhoods, impacting the overall well-being of communities.
• Waste segregation at the source is a crucial step toward effective waste management. Encouraging households and businesses to separate recyclables, organic waste, and non-recyclables facilitates more efficient processing and recycling.
• The promotion of recycling initiatives helps reduce the strain on landfills, conserves resources, and minimizes the environmental impact of waste disposal.
• Solving the garbage crisis necessitates a collaborative effort involving both individuals and government bodies. Community awareness programs play a pivotal role in educating the public about responsible waste disposal practices and the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling.
• Governments must enact and enforce stringent waste management policies, invest in sustainable technologies, and provide the necessary infrastructure for waste disposal and recycling.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the issue of garbage is not merely a byproduct of modern living; it is a critical challenge that demands immediate attention and concerted efforts. The consequences of unchecked waste generation are far-reaching, impacting the environment, public health, and the overall quality of life.

As a society, it is imperative to reevaluate our relationship with waste and adopt sustainable practices that prioritize environmental preservation. Whether through waste segregation, recycling initiatives, or community-driven clean-up campaigns, each individual has a role to play in mitigating the garbage problem. Governments, in turn, must spearhead comprehensive waste management strategies, integrating technology, policy, and community engagement to create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for all. Only through collective action and a commitment to responsible waste management can we hope to overcome the menace of garbage and leave behind a greener legacy for generations to come.

Rahul Kumar is a passionate educator, writer, and subject matter expert in the field of education and professional development. As an author on CoursesXpert, Rahul Kumar’s articles cover a wide range of topics, from various courses, educational and career guidance.

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In a chemical accident in Hungary, toxic waste reached a nearby river. Workers clean it up.

Toxic waste, explained

Hazardous waste has many sources, and a long history of dangerous pollution. Here's what you need to know.

Hazardous, or toxic, waste is the potentially dangerous byproduct of a wide range of activities, including manufacturing, farming, water treatment systems, construction, automotive garages, laboratories, hospitals, and other industries. The waste may be liquid, solid, or sludge and contain chemicals, heavy metals, radiation, pathogens, or other materials. Even households generate hazardous waste, from items such as batteries, used computer equipment, and leftover paints or pesticides.

Toxic waste can harm people, animals, and plants, whether it ends up in the ground, in streams, or even in the air. Some toxins, such as mercury and lead , persist in the environment for many years and accumulate over time. Humans or wildlife often absorb these toxic substances when they eat fish or other prey.

In the past, many hazardous wastes were only loosely regulated, allowing substantial contamination of communities and the environment. In the U.S., toxic waste has been overseen by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since 1976, as well as state departments of environmental protection. The EPA now requires that hazardous waste be handled with special precautions and be disposed of in designated facilities. Many towns have special collection days for household hazardous waste.

Toxic waste in practice

A common hazardous waste facility is one that stores the material in sealed containers in the ground. Less toxic waste that is unlikely to migrate, like soil containing lead, is sometimes allowed to remain in place and then sealed with a cap of hard clay. Communities may eventually decide to use these sites for golf courses or parks, or to label them “ brownfields ” sites, suitable for commercial or industrial uses.

Violations of the law, like dumping untreated hazardous waste on the ground or in town landfills to avoid paying the fees charged by designated waste facilities, may result in hefty fines or even jail time.

Many toxic waste dumps that still pose a threat to communities are holdovers from the era prior to 1976. Other waste sites are the result of more recent illegal dumping.

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Toxic waste regulations.

The U.S. federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulates how hazardous waste must be handled and stored. Yet some community activists and environmentalists have long complained about what they view as lax enforcement of hazardous waste regulations, both by the federal and state governments.

In particular, many groups have accused governments and corporations of environmental racism when it comes to toxic waste. They point out that a disproportionate number of toxic waste sites tend to be located in or near low-income and communities of color, in part because such communities often have fewer resources to oppose such activities.

At the same time, many corporations argue that regulations on hazardous wastes are too strict, and they often lobby Congress to soften or remove certain restrictions.

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One EPA rule that has proved controversial governs handling of sludge—including sewer sludge—generated by some water treatment and industrial processes. The EPA allows certain waste sludges—often called biosolids—to be used in fertilizers that are used by farmers on food crops or sold directly to the public. The agency allows sludges that contain toxic materials to be used, as long as the concentrations of heavy metals, pathogens, or other harmful substances don’t exceed legal thresholds .

Industry groups, and the government, say use of the material is safe. Yet some environmental and health organizations have criticized the practice , saying it could cause harm by introducing dangerous substances over time. One study found neighbors were sickened after sludge applied to a farm field blew over their homes.

Cleaning up hazardous waste

In order to help clean up historic toxic waste sites, Congress passed the Superfund Act in 1980 (0fficially called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act or CERCLA) .

At first, Congress collected a tax on chemical and petroleum industries to create a trust fund (the Superfund) for cleaning up abandoned and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. That tax wasn’t renewed after 1990, however. And while responsible parties can be forced to pay for cleanup of hazardous waste, in recent years most Superfund work has been funded out of the general treasury. Hundreds of sites have so far seen remediation actions, while hundreds more are waiting on the list and dozens more have been proposed.

Hazardous waste clean-up is a multi-step process , which starts with site visits and reviews to determine if the area threatens human health or the environment. Once confirmed, the site is listed on the National Priorities List as one of the nation’s worst hazardous waste locations. It is then further investigated and characterized based on the type of contaminants identified and the estimated cost of clean-up (which can run into tens of millions and take decades).

From there, a clean-up plan is developed, and work begins. Environmental engineers use a variety of techniques to remediate sites, including removing barrels, tanks, or soil for safe disposal; lining and capping pits; installing drainage systems; and seeding beneficial plants or bacteria to absorb or breakdown toxic materials. Once the work is complete, monitoring and scheduled reviews are conducted to ensure that the area remains safe.

Eventually, the site can be considered for reuse. ( See how close you live to a Superfund site .)

The Superfund program was launched in response to a series of high-profile toxic waste cases in the 1970s. These included the discovery of tons of hazardous waste dumped below a school and suburban neighborhood at upstate New York’s Love Canal and a dumping ground in northern Kentucky dubbed “ the Valley of the Drums .”

Related Topics

• TOXIC WASTE
• MANUFACTURING
• WATER POLLUTION

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Handbook of Environmental Materials Management pp 1–20 Cite as

The Environmental Threats Our World Is Facing Today

• Manju Santhakumari 2 &
• Netramani Sagar 2 , 3  
• Living reference work entry
• First Online: 31 March 2020

480 Accesses

1 Citations

Environmental threats are harmful after-effects of the human activities to the physical environment plaguing the planet with pollution, deforestation, climate change, ozone depletion, and water scarcity. This chapter addresses the three vital parameters such as water, air and climate, to enhance the consciousness among the people. Water scarcity is a severe environmental issue and needs potentially sustainable methods to address the threat. This study emphasizes the techniques to overcome the water crisis, such as wastewater reclamation methods, desalination, and conservation techniques. The work highlights the toxic mixture of particles and gases resulting in air pollution and its effect on humans, animals, and plants. The study focuses the global climate change, another potential future concern and must be defined at our time for our future generations due to rising sea level and catastrophic flooding, shifting weather pattern, and deadly heatwaves. Finally, the work discusses intelligent actions to enhance climate resilience, such as adaptation and mitigation.

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Abbreviations

Carbon capture and storage

California Department of Pesticide Regulation

Chlorofluorocarbons

European Union

International Energy Agency

Intergovernmental panel on climate change

Kern County Agriculture Commissioner

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Nongovernmental organization

United Nations

United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health

World Health Organization

Degree centigrade

Microgram per cubic meter

Carbon monoxide

Carbon dioxide

Hydrogen sulfide

Sulfuric acid

Hydrogen chloride

Hydrofluoric acid

Nitric acid

Kilo watt-hour per cubic meter

Nitric oxide

Nitrogen dioxide

Potential Hydrogen

Particulate matter with diameter 10 micrometers

Particulate matter with diameter 2.5 micrometers

Parts per million

Sulfur dioxide

Sulfur trioxide

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the Director, CSIR-NGRI (Dr VM Tiwari) for permitting to publish this book chapter (NGRI/Lib/2019/Pub-90). The authors thank Dr EVSSK Babu for his encouragement and support and also thank him for providing the necessary facilities to complete the book chapter from institutional projects: MLP-6406-28 (EVB) and GEOMET (MLP-0002-FBR-2-EVSSK).

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Manju Santhakumari & Netramani Sagar

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Correspondence to Manju Santhakumari .

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Santhakumari, M., Sagar, N. (2020). The Environmental Threats Our World Is Facing Today. In: Hussain, C. (eds) Handbook of Environmental Materials Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58538-3_180-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58538-3_180-1

Received : 27 September 2019

Accepted : 21 November 2019

Published : 31 March 2020

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

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The five biggest threats to our natural world … and how we can stop them

From destructive land use to invasive species, scientists have identified the main drivers of biodiversity loss – so that countries can collectively act to tackle them

• Read more on the Cop15 talks to negotiate new UN targets to protect biodiversity in the coming decade
• 1 Changes in land and sea use
• 2 Direct exploitation of natural resources
• 3 The climate crisis
• 4 Pollution
• 5 Invasive species

T he world’s wildlife populations have plummeted by more than two-thirds since 1970 – and there are no signs that this downward trend is slowing. The first phase of Cop15 talks in Kunming this week will lay the groundwork for governments to draw up a global agreement next year to halt the loss of nature. If they are to succeed, they will need to tackle what the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) has identified as the five key drivers of biodiversity loss: changes in land and sea use; direct exploitation of natural resources; climate change; pollution; and invasion of alien species.

Changes in land and sea use

Clearing the US prairies: ‘On a par with tropical deforestation’

“It’s hidden destruction. We’re still losing grasslands in the US at a rate of half a million acres a year or more.”

Tyler Lark, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, knows what he is talking about. Lark and a team of researchers used satellite data to map the expansion and abandonment of land across the US and discovered that 4m hectares (10m acres) had been destroyed between 2008 and 2016.

Large swathes of the United States’ great prairies continue to be converted into cropland, according to the research, to make way for soya bean, corn and wheat farming.

Changes in land and sea use has been identified as the main driver of “unprecedented” biodiversity and ecosystem change over the past 50 years. ​​ Three-quarters of the land-based environment and about 66% of the marine environment have been significantly altered by human actions.

North America’s grasslands – often referred to as prairies – are a case in point. In the US, about half have been converted since European settlement , and the most fertile land is already being used for agriculture. Areas converted more recently are sub-prime agricultural land, with 70% of yields lower than the national average, which means a lot of biodiversity is being lost for diminishing returns.

“Our findings demonstrate a pervasive pattern of encroachment into areas that are increasingly marginal for production but highly significant for wildlife,” Lark and his team wrote in the paper , published in Nature Communications.

Boggier areas of land, or those with uneven terrain, were traditionally left as grassland, but in the past few decades, this marginal land has also been converted. In the US, 88% of cropland expansion takes place on grassland, and much of this is happening in the Great Plains – known as America’s breadbasket – which used to be the most extensive grassland in the world.

What are the five biggest threats to biodiversity?

According to the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity there are  five main threats  to biodiversity. In descending order these are: changes in land and sea use; direct exploitation of natural resources; climate change; pollution and invasive species. 

1. For terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, land-use change has had the largest relative negative impact on nature since 1970.  More than a third of the world’s land surface and nearly 75% of freshwater resources are now devoted to crop or livestock production. Alongside a doubling of urban area since 1992, things such as wetlands, scrubland and woodlands – which wildlife relies on – are ironed out from the landscape. 

2. The direct exploitation of organisms and non-living materials, including logging, hunting and fishing and the extraction of soils and water are all  negatively affecting ecosystems .   In marine environments, overfishing is considered to be the most serious driver of biodiversity loss. One quarter of the world’s commercial fisheries are overexploited, according to a 2005  Millennium Ecosystem Assessment . 

3. The climate crisis is dismantling ecosystems at every level. Extreme weather events such as tropical storms and flooding are destroying habitats. Warmer temperatures are also changing the timing of natural events – such as the availability of insects and when birds hatch their eggs in spring. The distribution of species and their range is also changing. 

4. Many types of pollution are increasing. In marine environments, pollution from agricultural runoff (mainly nitrogen and phosphorus) do huge damage to ecosystems. Agricultural runoff causes toxic algal blooms and even  "dead zones"  in the worst affected areas. Marine plastic pollution has increased tenfold since 1980, affecting at least 267 species.

5. Since the 17th century, invasive species have  contributed to 40%  of all known animal extinctions. Nearly one fifth of the Earth’s surface is at risk of plant and animal invasions. Invasive species change the composition of ecosystems by outcompeting native species. 

Hotspots for this expansion have included wildlife-rich grasslands in the “prairie pothole” region which stretches between Iowa, Dakota, Montana and southern Canada and is home to more than 50% of North American migratory waterfowl, as well as 96 species of songbird. This cropland expansion has wiped out about 138,000 nesting habitats for waterfowl, researchers estimate.

These grasslands are also a rich habitat for the monarch butterfly – a flagship species for pollinator conservation and a key indicator of overall insect biodiversity. More than 200m milkweed plants, the caterpillar’s only food source, were probably destroyed by cropland expansion, making it one of the leading causes for the monarch’s national decline .

The extent of conversion of grassland in the US makes it a larger emission source than the destruction of the Brazilian Cerrado , according to research from 2019 . About 90% of emissions from grassland conversion comes from carbon lost in the soil, which is released when the grassland is ploughed up.

“The rate of clearing that we’re seeing on these grasslands is on par with things like tropical deforestation, but it often receives far less attention,” says Lark.

Food crop production globally has increased by about 300% since 1970 , despite the negative environmental impacts.

Reducing food waste and eating less meat would help cut the amount of land needed for farming, while researchers say improved management of existing croplands and utilising what is already farmed as best as possible would reduce further expansion.

Lark concludes: “I think there’s a huge opportunity to re-envision our landscapes so that they’re not only providing incredible food production but also mitigating climate change and helping reduce the impacts of the biodiversity crisis by increasing habitats on agricultural land.” PW

Direct exploitation of natural resources

Groundwater extraction: ‘People don’t see it’

From hunting, fishing and logging to the extraction of oil, gas, coal and water, humanity’s insatiable appetite for the planet’s resources has devastated large parts of the natural world.

While the impacts of many of these actions can often be seen, unsustainable groundwater extraction could be driving a hidden crisis below our feet, experts have warned, wiping out freshwater biodiversity, threatening global food security and causing rivers to run dry.

Farmers and mining companies are pumping vast underground water stores at an unsustainable rate, according to ecologists and hydrologists. About half the world’s population relies on groundwater for drinking water and it helps sustain 40% of irrigation systems for crops .

The consequences for freshwater ecosystems – among the most degraded on the planet – are under-researched as studies have focused on the depletion of groundwater for agriculture.

But a growing body of research indicates that pumping the world’s most extracted resource – water – is causing significant damage to the planet’s ecosystems. A 2017 study of the Ogallala aquifer – an enormous water source underneath eight states in the US Great Plains – found that more than half a century of pumping has caused streams to run dry and a collapse in large fish populations. In 2019, another study estimated that by 2050 between 42% and 79% of watersheds that pump groundwater globally could pass ecological tipping points, without better management.

“The difficulty with groundwater is that people don’t see it and they don’t understand the fragility of it,” says James Dalton, director of the global water programme at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “Groundwater can be the largest – and sometimes the sole – source in certain types of terrestrial habitats.

“Uganda is luxuriantly green, even during the dry season, but that’s because a lot of it is irrigated with shallow groundwater for agriculture and the ecosystems are reliant on tapping into it.”

According to UPGro (Unlocking the Potential of Groundwater for the Poor), a research programme looking into the management of groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa, 73 of the 98 operational water supply systems in Uganda are dependent on water from below ground. The country shares two transboundary aquifers: the Nile and Lake Victoria basins. At least 592 aquifers are shared across borders around the world.

“Some of the groundwater reserves are huge, so there is time to fix this,” says Dalton. “It’s just there’s no attention to it.”

Inge de Graaf, a hydrologist at Wageningen University, who led the 2019 study into watershed levels, found between 15% to 21% had already passed ecological tipping points, adding that once the effects had become clear for rivers, it was often too late.

“Groundwater is slow because it has to flow through rocks. If you extract water today, it will impact the stream flow maybe in the next five years, in the next 10 years, or in the next decades,” she says. “I think the results of this research and related studies are pretty scary.”

In April, the largest ever assessment of global groundwater wells by researchers from University of California, Santa Barbara, found that up to one in five were at risk of running dry. Scott Jasechko, a hydrologist and lead author on the paper, says that the study focuses on the consequences for humans and more research is needed on biodiversity.

“Millions of wells around the world could run dry with even modest declines in groundwater levels. And that, of course, has cascading implications for livelihoods and access to reliable and convenient water for individuals and ecosystems,” he says. PG

The climate crisis

Climate and biodiversity: ‘Solve both or solve neither’

In 2019, the European heatwave brought 43C heat to Montpellier in France. Great tit chicks in 30 nest boxes starved to death, probably because it was too hot for their parents to catch the food they needed, according to one researcher . Two years later, and 2021’s heatwave appears to have set a European record, pushing temperatures to 48.8C in Sicily in August. Meanwhile, wildfires and heatwaves are stripping the planet of life.

Until now, the destruction of habitats and extraction of resources has had a more significant impact on biodiversity than the climate crisis. This is likely to change over the coming decades as the climate crisis dismantles ecosystems in unpredictable and dramatic ways, according to a review paper published by the Royal Society.

“There are many aspects of ecosystem science where we will not know enough in sufficient time,” the paper says. “Ecosystems are changing so rapidly in response to global change drivers that our research and modelling frameworks are overtaken by empirical, system-altering changes.”

The calls for biodiversity and the climate crisis to be tackled in tandem are growing. “It is clear that we cannot solve [the global biodiversity and climate crises] in isolation – we either solve both or we solve neither,” says Sveinung Rotevatn, Norway’s climate and environment minister, with the launch in June of a report produced by the world’s leading biodiversity and climate experts. Zoological Society of London senior research fellow Dr Nathalie Pettorelli, who led a s tudy on the subject published in the Journal of Applied Ecology in September, says: “The level of interconnectedness between the climate change and biodiversity crises is high and should not be underestimated. This is not just about climate change impacting biodiversity; it is also about the loss of biodiversity deepening the climate crisis.”

Writer Zadie Smith describes every country’s changes as a “local sadness” . Insects no longer fly into the house when the lights are on in the evening, the snowdrops are coming out earlier and some migratory species, such as swallows, are starting to try to stay in the UK for winter. All these individual elements are entwined in a much bigger story of decline.

Our biosphere – the thin film of life on the surface of our planet – is being destabilised by temperature change. On land, rains are altering, extreme weather events are more common, and ecosystems more flammable. Associated changes, including flooding , sea level rise, droughts and storms, are having hugely damaging impacts on biodiversity and its ability to support us.

In the ocean, heatwaves and acidification are stressing organisms and ecosystems already under pressure due to other human activities, such as overfishing and habitat fragmentation.

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) landmark report showed that extreme heatwaves that would usually happen every 50 years are already happening every decade. If warming is kept to 1.5C these will happen approximately every five years.

The distributions of almost half (47%) of land-based flightless mammals and almost a quarter of threatened birds, may already have been negatively affected by the climate crisis, the IPBES warns . Five per cent of species are at risk of extinction from 2C warming, climbing to 16% with a 4.3C rise.

Connected, diverse and extensive ecosystems can help stabilise the climate and will have a better chance of thriving in a world permanently altered by rising emissions, say experts. And, as the Royal Society paper says: “Rather than being framed as a victim of climate change, biodiversity can be seen as a key ally in dealing with climate change.” PW

The hidden threat of nitrogen: ‘Slowly eating away at biodiversity’

On the west coast of Scotland, fragments of an ancient rainforest that once stretched along the Atlantic coast of Britain cling on. Its rare mosses, lichens and fungi are perfectly suited to the mild temperatures and steady supply of rainfall, covering the crags, gorges and bark of native woodland. But nitrogen pollution, an invisible menace, threatens the survival of the remaining 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) of Scottish rainforest, along with invasive rhododendron, conifer plantations and deer.

While marine plastic pollution in particular has increased tenfold since 1980 – affecting 44% of seabirds – air, water and soil pollution are all on the rise in some areas. This has led to pollution being singled out as the fourth biggest driver of biodiversity loss.

In Scotland, nitrogen compounds from intensive farming and fossil fuel combustion are dumped on the Scottish rainforest from the sky, killing off the lichen and bryophytes that absorb water from the air and are highly sensitive to atmospheric conditions.

“The temperate rainforest is far from the sources of pollution, yet because it’s so rainy, we’re getting a kind of acid rain effect,” says Jenny Hawley, policy manager at Plantlife, which has called nitrogen pollution in the air “the elephant in the room” of nature conservation. “The nitrogen-rich rain that’s coming down and depositing nitrogen into those habitats is making it impossible for the lichen, fungi, mosses and wildflowers to survive.”

Environmental destruction caused by nitrogen pollution is not limited to the Scottish rainforest. Algal blooms around the world are often caused by runoff from farming, resulting in vast dead zones in oceans and lakes that kill scores of fish and devastate ecosystems. Nitrogen-rich rainwater degrades the ability of peatlands to sequester carbon, the protection of which is a stated climate goal of several governments. Wildflowers adapted to low-nitrogen soils are squeezed out by aggressive nettles and cow parsley, making them less diverse.

About 80% of nitrogen used by humans – through food production, transport, energy and industrial and wastewater processes – is wasted and enters the environment as pollution.

“Nitrogen pollution might not result in huge floods and apocalyptic droughts but we are slowly eating away at biodiversity as we put more and more nitrogen in ecosystems,” says Carly Stevens, a plant ecologist at Lancaster University. “Across the UK, we have shown that habitats that have lots of nitrogen have fewer species in them. We have shown it across Europe. We have shown it across the US. Now we’re showing it in China. We’re creating more and more damage all the time.”

To decrease the amount of nitrogen pollution causing biodiversity loss, governments will commit to halving nutrient runoff by 2030 as part of an agreement for nature currently being negotiated in Kunming. Halting the waste of vast amounts of nitrogen fertiliser in agriculture is a key part of meeting the target, says Kevin Hicks, a senior research fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute centre at York.

“One of the biggest problems is the flow of nitrogen from farming into watercourses,” Hicks says. “In terms of a nitrogen footprint, the most intensive thing that you can eat is meat. The more meat you eat, the more nitrogen you’re putting into the environment.”

Mark Sutton, a professor at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, says reducing nitrogen pollution also makes economic sense.

“Nitrogen in the atmosphere is 78% of every breath we take. It does nothing, it’s very stable and makes the sky blue. Then there are all these other nitrogen compounds: ammonia, nitrates, nitrous oxide. They create air and water pollution,” he says. He argues that if you price every kilo of nitrogen at $1 (an estimated fertiliser price), and multiply it by the amount of nitrogen pollution lost in the world – 200bn tonnes – it amounts to $200bn (£147bn) every year.

“The goal to cut nitrogen waste in half would save you $100bn,” he says. “I think $100bn a year is a worthwhile saving.” PG

• Invasive species

The problem for islands: ‘We have to be very careful’

On Gough Island in the southern Atlantic Ocean, scores of seabird chicks are eaten by mice every year. The rodents were accidentally introduced by sailors in the 19th century and their population has surged, putting the Tristan albatross – one of the largest of its species – at risk of extinction along with dozens of rare seabirds. Although Tristan albatross chicks are 300 times the size of mice, two-thirds did not fledge in 2020 largely because of the injuries they sustained from the rodents, according to the RSPB .

The situation on the remote island, 2,600km from South Africa, is a grisly warning of the consequences of the human-driven impacts of invasive species on biodiversity. An RSPB-led operation to eradicate mice from the British overseas territory has been completed, using poison to help save the critically endangered albatross and other bird species from injuries they sustain from the rodents. It will be two years before researchers can confirm whether or not the plan has worked. But some conservationists want to explore another controversial option whose application is most advanced in the eradication of malaria : gene drives.

Instead of large-scale trapping or poisoning operations, which have limited effectiveness and can harm other species, gene drives involve introducing genetic code into an invasive population that would make them infertile or all one gender over successive generations. The method has so far been used only in a laboratory setting but at September’s IUCN congress in Marseille, members backed a motion to develop a policy on researching its application and other uses of synthetic biology for conservation.

“If a gene drive were proven to be effective and there were safety mechanisms to limit its deployment, you would introduce multiple individuals on an island whose genes would be inherited by other individuals in the population,” says David Will, an innovation programme manager with Island Conservation , a non-profit dedicated to preventing extinctions by removing invasive species from islands. “Eventually, you would have either an entirely all male or entirely all female population and they would no longer be able to reproduce.”

Nearly one-fifth of the Earth’s surface is at risk of plant and animal invasions and although the problem is worldwide, such as feral pigs wreaking havoc in the southern United States and lionfish in the Mediterranean , islands are often worst affected. The global scale of the issue will be revealed in a UN scientific assessment in 2023.

“We have to be very careful,” says Austin Burt, a professor of evolutionary genetics at Imperial College London, who researches how gene drives can be used to eradicate malaria in mosquito populations. “If you’re going after mice, for example, and you’re targeting mice on an island, you’d need to make sure that none of those modified mice got off the island to cause harm to the mainland population.”

In July, scientists announced they had successfully wiped out a population of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes using a gene drive in a laboratory setting, raising the prospect of self-destructing mosquitoes being released into the wild in the next decade.

Kent Redford, chair of the IUCN Task Force on Synthetic Biology who led an assessment of the use of synthetic biology in conservation, said there are clear risks and opportunities in the field but further research is necessary.

“None of these genetic tools are ever going to be a panacea. Ever. Nor do I think they will ever replace the existing tools,” Redford says, adding: “There is a hope – and I stress hope – that engineered gene drives have the potential to effectively decrease the population sizes of alien invasive species with very limited knock-on effects on other species.” PG

Find more age of extinction coverage here , and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on Twitter for all the latest news and features

• Biodiversity
• The road to Cop15
• Endangered species
• Endangered habitats
• Climate crisis
• Conservation

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Environmental Issues Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on environmental issues.

The environment plays a significant role to support life on earth. But there are some issues that are causing damages to life and the ecosystem of the earth. It is related to the not only environment but with everyone that lives on the planet. Besides, its main source is pollution , global warming, greenhouse gas , and many others. The everyday activities of human are constantly degrading the quality of the environment which ultimately results in the loss of survival condition from the earth.

Source of Environment Issue

There are hundreds of issue that causing damage to the environment. But in this, we are going to discuss the main causes of environmental issues because they are very dangerous to life and the ecosystem.

Pollution – It is one of the main causes of an environmental issue because it poisons the air , water , soil , and noise. As we know that in the past few decades the numbers of industries have rapidly increased. Moreover, these industries discharge their untreated waste into the water bodies, on soil, and in air. Most of these wastes contain harmful and poisonous materials that spread very easily because of the movement of water bodies and wind.

Greenhouse Gases – These are the gases which are responsible for the increase in the temperature of the earth surface. This gases directly relates to air pollution because of the pollution produced by the vehicle and factories which contains a toxic chemical that harms the life and environment of earth.

Climate Changes – Due to environmental issue the climate is changing rapidly and things like smog, acid rains are getting common. Also, the number of natural calamities is also increasing and almost every year there is flood, famine, drought , landslides, earthquakes, and many more calamities are increasing.

Above all, human being and their greed for more is the ultimate cause of all the environmental issue.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Minimize Environment Issue?

Now we know the major issues which are causing damage to the environment. So, now we can discuss the ways by which we can save our environment. For doing so we have to take some measures that will help us in fighting environmental issues .

Moreover, these issues will not only save the environment but also save the life and ecosystem of the planet. Some of the ways of minimizing environmental threat are discussed below:

Reforestation – It will not only help in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem but also help in restoring the natural cycles that work with it. Also, it will help in recharge of groundwater, maintaining the monsoon cycle , decreasing the number of carbons from the air, and many more.

The 3 R’s principle – For contributing to the environment one should have to use the 3 R’s principle that is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Moreover, it helps the environment in a lot of ways.

To conclude, we can say that humans are a major source of environmental issues. Likewise, our activities are the major reason that the level of harmful gases and pollutants have increased in the environment. But now the humans have taken this problem seriously and now working to eradicate it. Above all, if all humans contribute equally to the environment then this issue can be fight backed. The natural balance can once again be restored.

FAQs about Environmental Issue

Q.1 Name the major environmental issues. A.1 The major environmental issues are pollution, environmental degradation, resource depletion, and climate change. Besides, there are several other environmental issues that also need attention.

Q.2 What is the cause of environmental change? A.2 Human activities are the main cause of environmental change. Moreover, due to our activities, the amount of greenhouse gases has rapidly increased over the past few decades.

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Threats to the Global Environment

Introduction.

The environment is our surround, and its safety depends on how we treat it. There are several ways the environment has been damaged in the 21 st  century: climate change, biodiversity loss, water and air pollution, natural disasters including droughts and high temperatures, and the drain of natural resources. The world has noticed the changes and is taking measures to ensure the environment is protected, including planting trees, using less paper, and using renewable energy sources. In the united states project, the two projects that I will discuss are the use of fossil fuels as an energy source and globalization. Fossil fuels are made from decomposing animals and plants. These fuels are found in the earth’s crust and are made of hydrogen and carbon and can be turned into energy. When these fuels are burned, they release huge amounts of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere leading to global warming. When introduced to the air, the nitrogen oxides lead to acid rain. The major sources of nitrogen oxide emissions are cars and trucks, ships and airplanes, large industrial operations, and coal-fired power plants. The best solutions for businesses that reduce the release of these gases into the air include managing and reducing emissions, buying renewable energy, and increasing energy efficiency. Individuals using cars and trucks should minimize miles and conserve energy (Johnsson et al., 2019).

Globalization is defined as the increase in the flow of goods, capital, services, and ideas across international boundaries. Globalization has brought a lot of change to the world and greatly affected the global environment. Some positive effects include less international aggression and increased international cooperation. To the environment, it has impacted and not in a positive way, including increased transportation of goods, economic specialization, decreased biodiversity, and increased awareness. In terms of increased transport of goods, the environment has been affected by increased emissions, invasive species, and the destruction of habitats. Also, overspecialization leads to environmental issues that involve habitat loss, overuse of resources, and deforestation. Globalization, according to research, cannot be stopped but can be improved. Between 200 and 2010, trade only accounted for 20% of net manufacturing losses in the United States. The world should provide better education, career training, and less rigid labor markets to avoid teh pressures of globalization (Chen et al., 2021). The paper’s main aim is to discuss the two issues chosen that affect the environment and identify the factors that make them serious risks. Then analyze ways in which humans have contributed to the aggravation of the two threats to the environment and suggest ways the global community can take to prevent worse effects of the threats to the environment.

Fossil Fuels

Factors that make fossil fuels a threat to the environment.

When buried carbon-based organisms that died long ago decompose, they form fossil fuels. The carbon-rich deposits are extracted from the organisms and burned to produce energy. Fossil fuel is non-renewable energy that makes up 80% of the world’s energy. The types of fossil fuels are coal, gas, and oil. Burning of these fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, lead, and particulate matter. Airborne nitrogen pollution affects not only the air we breathe but also the water and land we walk on. Nitrogen is the most abundant component of air and is used by both animals and plants. Sources of power from human activities such as industrial wastes, agriculture, electric power generation, transportation, and upset the natural balance of nitrogen in the atmosphere. Nitrogen oxides, when released into the atmosphere, contribute to the formation of acid rain and smog. Research from the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) shows that emissions from these fuels are the main cause of global warming. Studies from 2018 show that 80% of global emissions of carbon dioxide came from fossil fuels. Coals, as fossil fuels, are the dirtiest of them all and are responsible for a 0.3C to 1C increase in global temperatures. Natural gas is referred to as the cleaner fossil fuel, but it accounts for 20% of global carbon emissions. Oil releases around a third of the world’s carbon emissions. In recent years, there have been spillages that affect the ocean ecosystem (Johnsson et al., 2019).

Fossil fuels cause air pollution, water pollution, and climate change. Climate is affected when carbon dioxide emitted during the burning of fuels causes global warming. The more CO2 released, the more heat is trapped on earth through the greenhouse effect. The increase in temperatures leads to deforestation, droughts, scarcity of food sources, and a rise in sea levels. Water pollution occurs when sulfur dioxide dissolves into water and creates sulfuric acid, which produces acid water leading to the acidification of freshwater bodies such as lakes and oceans, which are habitats for many water animals. Air pollution happens when carbon monoxide, sulfur oxide, and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. The effects of these gases released into the air include cancer, respiratory disease, and cardiovascular disease. People prone to these effects are pregnant women, children, and the elderly (Ueckerdt et al., 2021).

How humans have contributed to aggravating the threat

Humans have also contributed to the effects of fossil fuels on the environment. When fossil fuels are retrieved from the ground, they leave the ground open, threatening human safety. The process also leaves open holes, which result in soil erosion and contamination of soil, surface water, and groundwater. Also, sometimes the extraction of fossil fuels happens in areas that had trees before. Humans are the ones who direct the whole process meaning that they promote deforestation so that the extraction can occur. During the burning of fossil fuels to release toxic gases, the process is directed by humans meaning that they directly contribute to the production of the gases that produce acid rain and affect the respiratory system of humans (Erickson et al., 2018).

Measures to mitigate worse effects of the threat

One way to mitigate the use of fossil fuels is adapting the use of renewable sources such as solar energy, hydroelectricity, and wind power. Transitioning to clean energy significantly reduces emissions that negatively affect the environment. Nuclear emissions and renewable energy do not produce s emissions and are recommended worldwide to slow the effects of climate change. Businesses are recommended to manage and reduce emissions by preparing annual greenhouse gas inventories and setting targets to reduce the emissions. Also, businesses are required to increase energy efficiency to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. They should develop and implement an effective corporate energy management program that allows them to manage the energy they use to manage other business aspects. Businesses are aloe recommended to buy renewable energy to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that impact the environment negatively (Wood & Roelich, 2019).

Individuals are required to minimize miles since driving cars produces large amounts of nitrogen oxide emissions. Drivers are advised to consolidate driving trips and take public transport when possible to help cut down air pollution. Through the conservation of energy methods, such as buying equipment that uses less electricity, such as heaters, refrigerators, and air conditioners, individuals are able to minimize airborne nutrient pollution. Another way to mitigate the use of fossil fuels is by taking part in carbon offsetting programs which are designed to reduce the carbon produced from activities such as burning fossil fuels. An example is when taking a flight to a place, one can buy the carbon offset credits that support projects that reduce the amount of carbon in the air (Erickson et al., 2018).

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Earth Day 2024: 4 effective strategies to reduce household food waste

Post-doctoral Fellow, EAT-Lancet 2.0 Commission, Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of Guelph

Assistant Professor of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University

Associate Professor of Applied Nutrition, Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph

Disclosure statement

During his PhD, Amar Laila received funding from The Helderleigh Foundation to support his research on food literacy.

Cristina Gago has received funding from the Google Health Equity Initiative, the Harvard University Rose Service-Learning Fellowship, the Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network Early Career Scholar Award, and the Harvard T32 Educational Program in Cancer Prevention (NIH 5T32CA057711); she is currently consulting for a research project funded by Healthy Eating Research.

Jess Haines receives funding from Canadian Institutes of Health Research, National Institutes for Health, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research, Danone Institute North America, The Helderleigh Foundation, Health Canada, and Public Health Agency of Canada.

Boston University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation US.

University of Guelph provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation CA.

University of Guelph provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA-FR.

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The global food system produces enough food for everyone, yet, in 2023, 333 million people worldwide were food insecure and 783 million were chronically hungry . An estimated 1.3 billion tons of food — 14 per cent of all produced — is lost or wasted globally every year.

1.3 billion tons of food is enough to feed over three billion people .

Food waste contributes to nearly eight to 10 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions . That level of emissions is on the scale of what a large country would produce — just under total emission estimates of the United States and China — posing serious contributions to climate change.

The greatest contributors to food waste are high-income countries, where the average consumer wastes between 95-115 kilograms of food per year . In Canada, approximately 60 per cent of food produced is lost or wasted per year, costing an estimated $49.5 billion. This figure constitutes about half the annual food purchase costs in Canada and three per cent of Canada’s 2016 GDP .

We are researchers who have worked or are currently working on solutions to this issue of food waste.

Why food loss and waste occurs

Food waste and loss occurs at every stage of the food chain.

Pre-distribution food loss can occur, for example, due to poor harvests. Meanwhile, the post-harvest handling and storage can also cause waste as food is discarded for imperfections or damaged in transit.

While some food loss and waste — such as with eggshells, tea bags or bones — is unavoidable, a lot of it can be avoided, especially in retail and household settings.

The retail context is where approximately 14 per cent of avoidable food waste occurs as foods are often overstocked by grocery stores prioritizing constant availability at the expense of wasted product.

In households, food is primarily wasted due to spoilage, with the greatest volume lost being perishables, especially fruits and vegetables . This last area accounts for nearly half of all food waste in Canada.

Consequences of food loss and waste

In Canada, each household is estimated to throw away nearly three kilograms of food that could have been eaten each week. To put that number in context, that is about 15 apples or large carrots sent to the landfill unnecessarily each week.

Food costs account on average for over 11 per cent of household income, with lower-income families having to shell out an even greater percentage of their income on food .

The average household is throwing away almost $900 each year and with nearly seven million Canadian households struggling to get enough food on the table — and two in five reporting cost as a barrier to healthy eating — that waste adds up.

Read more: How to make your life greener in 2024

Beyond money alone, food waste may also impact the health of our diets. Often, it’s the nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables and perishables ending up in the trash, rather than shelf-stable ultra-processed foods which have known health consequences.

With food loss and waste occurring at every stage of the food chain, the solutions are needed at every stage as well. While food loss earlier in the chain may be harder to avoid, retailers and households hold the power to address food waste every day.

Current solutions targeting food waste include upcycling food waste , creating city compost programs to reroute waste away from landfills, and promoting consumer awareness via education to prevent food from becoming waste in the first place.

Interventions for food waste in practice

Eager to address this global issue, our research group developed and piloted a four-week intervention in 2020 to reduce household food waste among Canadian families.

Mothers, fathers, and children were invited to participate in four week intervention with the following components:

1) A cooking class

2) Four text messages per week including information about food waste and reminders to reduce waste

3) A toolkit, which included things like a veggie brush (to reduce vegetable peel waste), a cookbook focused on reducing food waste, meal and shopping planner, reusable containers to store leftovers and a fridge magnet poster showing where foods are best stored .

The families reported high satisfaction with the overall intervention and special appreciation for the cookbook and veggie brush as tools in food waste prevention.

Parents also reported increases in confidence to reduce household food waste. The children involved in the study also reported improved ability to interpret best before dates — or food that is not as fresh as it was, but still perfectly edible.

At the household level, we found a 37 per cent decrease in avoidable fruit and vegetable waste measured using four-week food waste audits where waste was collected and weighed out separately.

These results are promising in that they demonstrate that even in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (summer 2020), families could still reduce food waste using simple tools and prompts without decreasing fruit and vegetable intake. Another promising result is that we were able to engage both parents and children, resulting in individual and household-level changes.

Tips for healthier eating and reduced food waste

Incorporating healthy food into our diets should not be too much of a chore, but busy schedules and rising grocery prices can get in the way.

Finding simple ways to reduce household food waste is crucial.

That said, responsibility for food loss and waste should not only fall on individual consumers. While individuals can make a difference, larger policy changes — in how food is grown, processed and distributed — are also needed.

Read more: We found 3 types of food wasters, which one are you?

If you are interested in eating healthier and helping improve our planet’s health, here are some steps you can take:

1) Plan your meals before shopping

2) Learn to love leftovers

3) Properly store food for minimum spoilage

4) Advocate for change!

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Waste — The Threats Of Municipal Solid Waste

The Threats of Municipal Solid Waste

• Categories: Environmental Issues Pollution Waste

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E-Waste Causes and Effects Essay

If individuals’ mobile phones, televisions, computers, and laptops were bought several years ago, these devices could be discussed as the trash today. That is why a lot of electronic equipment becomes specific e-waste that contains many toxic substances harmful to people’s health.

As a result, the disposal of electronic materials is risky for society, which has a great responsibility to minimize e-waste as well as the leakage of harmful substances during the recycling processes.

The constantly increasing amount of e-waste depends on such causes as the technological development and growth of population in the context of the consumerism tendency, and the effects of e-waste are the spread of toxic substances which cause many serious health problems.

The major causes which lead to the increase of e-waste are the focus on the technological development and innovation and the enhanced rate of electronic devices’ production, which is associated with the idea of consumerism. Thus, Leonard pays attention to the fact that when a person buys a computer now, “the technology is changing so fast that within a couple of years, it’s […] an impediment to communication” (Leonard 11).

As a result, a person is oriented to buy more electronic devices to respond to technological changes and modern tendencies. That is why, in many developed countries, proposed electronic products have a minimal life span with an average of one and a half year, and this fact causes the rate of the development in the modern world which facilitates the significant rate of electronic waste.

The advancement in technology leads to the production of new electronic appliances and products which become the trash in a year, and it is important to note that people are the experts in making more trash (Carroll par. 2). This fact has also contributed to the rise of many multinational corporations that have significantly influenced the electronic market system through the improved production of electronic products (Leonard 11-12).

Furthermore, the global population has increased significantly over the years, triggering the rate of electronic product use. This fact has led to an increment in production to meet the market demand for electronic products (Leonard 10). Thus, the population increase causes a significant increase in e-waste due to the improved demand and introduction of more technologically improved products.

It is also important to pay attention to the effects of the e-waste increase, which are the spread of toxic substances, heavy metals, and the associated health problems. In the modern world, most of the processes used in disposing of e-waste have contributed to a significant number of impacts on the environment and then, on human health.

O’Rourke states that when electronics “are dumped in landfills, these substances can leach into the soil and groundwater,” and moreover, when the waste “is incinerated, contaminants and toxic chemicals are generated and released into the air” (O’Rourke 121). Thus, the toxins released from the disposed waste materials end up in the atmosphere, water sources, and soil.

The majority of the modern established and developing economies face the potential effects of improperly disposed e-waste materials. This tendency develops about enhanced rates of electronic products consumption and production. The following are some of the significant effects of e-waste plastic products made of polyvinyl chloride, including computer housing and cables, pose a potential threat to the environment.

During production, such materials produce furans and dioxins that pollute the air causing respiratory ailments (Leonard 4-5). Accumulation of lead from electronic components and computer screens poses a potential chronic toxic effect on the living organisms, including plants and microorganisms, due to the improper disposal of e-waste.

In human health, kidney damage is one of the serious problems associated with cases of exposure to lead substances (O’Rourke 121-122). Lead released from the disposed of e-waste on landfills also contaminates water supplies.

The spread of toxic substances and harmful heavy metals lead to people’s significant problems with their health. Carroll supports this idea while claiming that “a cycle of disease or disability is already in motion” (Carroll par. 8). From this point, the global recycling practices on e-waste have also contributed to the increased health risks.

The released toxic materials can damage the human nervous system, cause high blood pressure, retardation, and affect child development (Carroll par. 9-10).

Such a chemical as polybrominated biphenyls found in plastic covers, television set covers, connectors, and circuit boards causes an increased risk of lymphatic system cancer (Leonard 4-5). This is one of the chemicals found in disposable switches, batteries, discharge lamps, thermostats that accumulate in higher concentrations in organisms.

E-waste has been considered one of the most potent factors of pollution. E-waste materials contain toxic and hazardous substances that when mishandled, can cause harm to human health and the general environment. Thus, the modern disposal of such wastes, including recycling, makes them a significant threat to the community.

That is why, the society as a whole, including producers and consumers, has the great responsibility to influence the increase of e-waste and to minimize its harmful effects on the public’s health because the development of technologies leads to increased production of electronic devices, and this situation leads to more e-waste and more toxic substances.

Works Cited

Carroll, Chris. High-tech trash: will your discarded TV end up in a ditch in Ghana ? 2008. Web.

Leonard, Annie. Story of stuff, Referenced and Annotated Script . 2007. Web.

O’Rourke, Morgan. “Society Must Address the Potential Dangers of E-waste.” Opposing Viewpoints: Garbage and Recycling. Ed. Mitchell Young. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. 120-126. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2020, March 18). E-Waste Causes and Effects. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-studies-e-waste-causes-and-effects/

"E-Waste Causes and Effects." IvyPanda , 18 Mar. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-studies-e-waste-causes-and-effects/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'E-Waste Causes and Effects'. 18 March.

IvyPanda . 2020. "E-Waste Causes and Effects." March 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-studies-e-waste-causes-and-effects/.

1. IvyPanda . "E-Waste Causes and Effects." March 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-studies-e-waste-causes-and-effects/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "E-Waste Causes and Effects." March 18, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-studies-e-waste-causes-and-effects/.

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Q&A: Paper, plastics and penalties. How audits can improve curbside recycling

by The Ohio State University

For decades, curbside recycling has been a fixture in U.S. neighborhoods as a way to empower ordinary citizens to protect their environment and reduce waste. It's a system, though, that relies on consumers to know what items are recyclable—and which ones can contaminate a delicate ecosystem.

New research from faculty at The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business examines the effectiveness of one tool that recycling companies, organizations and municipalities can use to limit contamination: curbside recycling audits.

"Our objective was to examine how different forms of curbside audits impacted households' recycling performance," said Erin McKie, assistant professor of operations and business analytics at Fisher and lead author of the paper.

"Specifically, we wanted to find out how curbside feedback of varying severity influenced recycling quality (as measured using household contamination rates) and participation (as measured using recycling cart set-out rates)."

McKie, along with Aravind Chandrasekaran, the Fisher Distinguished Professor of Operations, and Sriram Venkataraman, associate professor at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, authored the study, which was recently published in Production and Operations Management .

Q&A with Erin McKie:

I've heard most of our recycling ends up in landfills…is this true, and why?

If recycling is too expensive compared to other disposal methods, such as landfilling, then yes, materials may be landfilled. However, the direct landfilling of recyclables is not as widespread of a phenomenon as often suggested by the media. Curbside recycling programs generate nearly $1 billion dollars in community revenues and recover millions of pounds of materials for reuse annually.

At the same time, markets for recyclable materials are extremely dynamic and profit margins can be very thin. According to industry experts, approximately 100 curbside programs have been canceled in the U.S. in recent years, with even more scaling back their programs. Hence, the threat of program cancellation resulting in landfilled materials is very real and always present.

What are the biggest threats to recycling?

Contamination is one of the largest cost drivers and, accordingly, one of the biggest threats to the recycling industry . It is caused by household-level sorting errors—i.e. when unaccepted or non-recyclable materials are placed in recycling bins. About 20-25% of collected recyclables are contaminated.

Removing contaminants to meet industry quality standards costs material recovery facilities (MRFs) millions of dollars per year in operational costs. These costs can stem from increased plant downtime (a moderately sized MRF can lose $10,000 for every 10 minutes it is shut down due to contaminants), increased labor sorting fees, spoilage, etc.

In short, contamination is often what causes thousands of tons of otherwise recyclable materials to be burned or landfilled, thereby polluting the environment and costing communities millions in foregone recycling revenues. Contamination can make recycling a revenue-negative effort.

Another factor that leads communities to abandon recycling is the lack of program participation. In order for recycling to be profitable, residents must both recycle well and recycle often.

So, to get a better idea of how well households are recycling, you reviewed curbside audits conducted by a consulting group in Columbus, Ohio. During the auditing process, inspectors examined recycling bins for things that didn't belong. What did the auditors do when they found a contaminant?

If a contaminant was found, then one of two possible outcomes occurred:

• The household received a cart warning, wherein their recycling bin was tagged with an information card highlighting which item(s) were improperly recycled. We refer to this as an information-only approach to correct household behaviors.
• The household received a cart refusal, wherein their recycling bin was tagged with an information card, and, in addition, the household's recycling bin was not emptied. In this case, the resident was required to remove the contaminant to receive service in the future. We refer to this approach as an information-plus-penalty approach to correct household behaviors.

Did people take offense at being penalized for trying to recycle something that isn't recyclable?

No, we found that the information-plus-penalty mechanisms (cart refusals) were very effective. Specifically, households that received this punitive feedback reduced their contamination severity by 59% and were 75% less likely to commit a violation in the future.

Additionally, we found that household recycling participation behavior did not decrease after households received a punitive feedback mechanism.

Was this surprising?

Yes! While the use of curbside auditing mechanisms is promising, recycling industry stakeholders (e.g., recycling education organizations, MRFs, and local community leaders) remain divided on the use of cart audits. Several stakeholders fear that punitive mechanisms such as the cart refusal, in particular, will discourage participation.

However, we found that the opposite occurred―households recycled more when they received either form of feedback (including cart refusal).

Prior to our analysis, we were unaware of any industry or academic study that had examined the granular, household-level effect of these feedback mechanisms to settle this debate.

What were some of the caveats from the research?

While we show that the cart refusal mechanism is effective, to be leveraged, a municipality must first have the political willpower to implement this type of punitive measure.

Second, there are conditions in which the mechanism is more/less effective, for example:

• It is more effective when administered to households with moderate to high education and income levels, and low to moderate population densities.
• It is most effective at reducing the presence of aspirational contaminants (e.g., to-go containers, plastic bags). We did not find evidence that suggested it would work well on more egregious contaminant categories (e.g., trash, bagged and bulky items).
• It is also less effective when administered in areas with older populations and high population densities.

How can this research help recycling organizations and municipalities with their efforts?

In short, the results from our research show that information in the form of cart refusals can help increase the amount of materials captured, in addition to improving captured material quality.

By using the most effective feedback mechanism identified through this study, either exclusively or paired with a courtesy warning, recycling stakeholders can better protect the future of U.S. community recycling programs.

Provided by The Ohio State University

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