Solid Waste Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Solid Waste Management - Research Paper Example As well, they are major contributors in the current polluted status of the earth. There are many ways by which they can help the cause of source reduction. First, they can offer repair of their broken products, so that consumers will not just easily throw away broken manufactured products such as electrical devices. They can also invest on emission purifier that ensures that whatever they release to their surroundings are free from harmful chemicals. They can also help fund discovery of natural materials that may substitute synthetic, non-biodegradable material that they are currently using. For example, they may opt to use biodegradable cartons for packaging instead of the non-biodegradable Styrofoam, which takes a long time to degrade and pollutes water or even land. Speaking of packaging, manufacturers should work on packaging their products with the least material possible, especially when the consumers throw them away anyway. With these steps, not only will the factories help th e environment, they can also save money through it solid waste management (EPA, 2011). 3.) The Middlemen The supermarkets, considered as one of the middlemen between the manufacturers and consumers, can contribute a lot in solid waste reduction. They may give incentives to the buyers who bring their own bags, probably an old plastic bag, in lieu of getting a new one every time they shop. Supermarkets, as well as other establishments such as schools and restaurants, can also be a venue for nearby households to bring their recyclables to. This way, processing of these recyclables becomes a lot cheaper because no extra manpower is needed to get them from every home (EPA, 2011). Gas...From the research it can be comprehended that the principle of source reduction suggests that the reduction of wastes produced can be achieved by using the minimum amount of resources in units as simple as households or as big as manufacturing. This can be done by the 3 R’s, reuse, reduce, recycle, in which materials can be used again like how it was used before, by making new products with less freshly gathered materials, and by modifying a material so that it can be used differently from how it was used before. For example, scratch papers can be reused again for beddings of pet rodents, can be grind and processed again so that the fresh products that are used to make paper are reduced, and they can be recycled so that it can be used to make lamps out of paper mache. Evidently, regular practice of this 3R’s not only ensures waste reduction, but can save natural resources as well. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, solid waste management plan strictly followed by everyone makes a sustainable community. As what was discussed above, natural resources, which are currently continuously being depleted, are saved. Landfills, which are dedicated for inefficiently managing wastes, can be cleared and used instead as residential areas or parks. Living things can be better protected from the harmful effects of chemicals by properly disposing them. However, solid waste management still poses several disadvantages.