Essay On Waste In America

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As we look around there is much concern about the waste of America, how it is disposed, what affect it has on the environment today and the future. Although technology has advanced from what we once used to deposal of waste, there is still much concern. Even though we use garbage grinders, compaction trucks and pneumatic collection systems, we have noticed that using open dumping and improper incineration of solid waste is having a huge impact on pollution issues and health issue to mankind. There are different categories of how waste is determined. First of all solid waste is “any type of garbage, refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant. Water supply treatment plant or air pollution control facility and other discarded …show more content…

(WM, 2016) The last type of landfill is inert landfill. This landfill contains concrete, cured asphalt, rocks, bricks, yard debris, limbs and leaves which can be use or recycled. Another type of waste is hazardous waste. “Hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or sludges. They can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes.” (EPA, 2016) Sometimes hazardous waste can be very simple and not thought of as being hazardous. One may not consider batteries as hazardous but they contain acids and bases, lead and cadmium. Think about your computer, simple product right, but the CRT-base computer monitors have lead in them. The thermostats and fluorescent lamps have mercury. Lets not leave out the renovation and demolition waste which may have traces of paint containing lead. There are four characteristic that help identify