Solid and Hazardous Waste Policy Challenges

Introduction 

The growing economic activities in the world contribute to significant release of different waste products to the environment. The waste is in different forms that affect water sources, land and air (Singh, et.al, 2014).  Indeed, poor policies to control such pollution pose the population to different health issues. Further, hazardous release of waste products poses danger to the environment especially due to contribution to global warming (Singh, et.al, 2014). When the waste gets into water bodies, it results to death of aquatic organisms due to contamination and ingestion of micro plastics. The problems originate from poor policies in place from governments in controlling the disposal of waste products from agricultural and industrial activities. Effective waste management bases on integrated approach that accounts for different emission from gasless was ate and solid materials (Singh, et.al, 2014). It is the role of government to ensure that people and industries are responsible in their waste disposal and management to reduce contamination of the environment.  

Three Environmental Challenges/Problems Associated with Waste Management Challenge

There are different challenges that relates to waste management in the world with the first being poor dumping methods by industries. A significant number of industries that produce quantities of waste as by products do not have mechanisms to control such wastes (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). Indeed, it is common go have such companies releasing untreated waste to water bodies. Further, some of the solid materials end up in landfills. The management lacks adequate information on how to manage their waste and control the extent of pollution their activities cause to the environment. Another challenge is inadequate knowledge and will power by the society to recycle some of the materials they use (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). The problem is evident on users of plastics that contributes significant amount of pollutants to land and water bodies. Indeed, a significant amount of plastics needs reusing instead of throwing them and acquiring new ones. The relatively low pricing of plastic materials makes it challenging for government to convenience people on need to recycle available plastics (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). 

In addition, waste management face the problem of overutilization of land by people through different farming activities. The rising population in the world requires people to cultivate large tracts to ensure food sufficiency (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). However, the available cultivatable land cannot meet the demands thus resulting to overuse of chemicals such as fertilizers to maximize yield (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). The excess fertilizers when washed by rain ends in water bodies such as rivers. Further, due to continuous cultivation activities people influence issues of soil erosion that also drain to water bodies (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). Therefore, despite the efforts to manage waste, the agricultural activities contribute to significant amount of pollutants to rivers and lakes. 

Direct and Indirect Impact to Environmental Values from Waste Management Challenges

The challenge of dumping of chemicals into water bodies results to contamination of water bodies through reduction of available oxygen for aquatic organisms (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). The impact is death of fish and aquatic plants. Further, the waste reduces the penetration of light in water and this lowers process of photosynthesis of aquatic plants (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). Further, people who rely on rivers for domestic water get an expose to possible health problems due to contamination. Concerning plastics, their presence in water expose micro plastic contamination of fish. When fish and aquatic birds ingest micro plastics, they suffer from ingestion and this pose them to possible deaths Plastic pollution of the world’s seas and oceans as a contemporary challenge in ocean governance (Haward, 2018).  Further, burning of plastic materials as form of waste management releases dangerous gases such as ethane to the environment (Haward, 2018).  Inhalation of such gasses by human beings results to respiratory complications and thus lowering productivity of the society. Air pollutants from industries and landfills contribute to rise of green gases that cause global warning and changing weather patterns in the world (Metcalfe et.al. 2011). The impact is possible rising of temperatures on earth’s surface and incidences of floods due to melting ice at the poles. In addition, contamination from fertilizers to the water bodies result to increment in aquatic plants that competes directly for oxygen with aquatic animals (Metcalfe et.al. 2011).  

Recommended Policies to Address the Waste Management Challenges

One policy that is relevant in responding hot the challenge of water pollution through industrial waste is giving strict regulation to industries on waste management. Governments require carrying constant visits to industries to ensure that their waste disposal is friendly to the environment (Durgekar, 2016). The impact will be reduction in amount of waste that ends in water bodies. Further, during erection of any industry, the management should provide a guideline on how it plans to manage its waste. The governments need licensing companies that show commitment to managing their waste from their industrial activities. Indeed, industries should have mechanisms to scrub green gases from their production activities and a method to decompose their waste through organic means (Durgekar, 2016).  Another recommendation is implementation of regulations that restrict use of plastics by the public (Durgekar, 2016). Governments require developing policies that ban plastic use especially as bags in the society. The regulations should have provision to prosecute the individuals who go against the order and require them to pay fines. In addition, it is necessary for government to conduct campaigns that sensitize people on need to recycle plastics to avoid contamination (Durgekar, 2016). Through the initiative, people will understand and their role in upholding a clean environment thus lowering issues of unhealthy environment. Additionally, it is recommendable that government promotes use of organic fertilizers as opposed to inorganic fertilizers. The impact of such products is reduction of chemicals that ends in rivers when it rains and soil erosion takes places. 

Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Pros/Cons of Implementing Recommended Policies

Socially the recommended policies will help in ensuring that the private sectors work with the government in reducing pollution. Therefore, incidences of unhealthy population due to exposure to unnecessary contamination will be minimal. Further, it will challenge the people to take personal responsibility in contribution to environmental conservation. Politically, polices will work in reducing the amount of funds used by government in responding to controlling pollution in later bodies. Therefore, government will be able to serve other needs of people with relative ease. Economically, people will save money they use for hospital bills due to contamination and this money used to support other life needs. Further, the government will benefit from rise in fish production in clean water bodies and this supports increment in food availability. The situation also creates work opportunities for individuals who engage in fishing activities. Concerning, the environment the policies will help reduce issues of global warming in the world and rising temperatures on earth (Durgekar, 2016). However, the policies pose some limitations such as high cost of starting companies due to expensive licensing. Further, ban on plastic has direct impact on the poor who find the materials convenient and cheap for their use as carrier bags. Another limitation is inadequate availability of organic fertilizers for farmers thus posing possible lowering of food production if inorganic fertilizers are unavailable. 

Conclusion

Solid and Hazardous Waste management policies are important in ensuring that there is conservation of environment and upholding of human health. However, the policies face different challenges especially from industries that fail to embrace responsible waste disposal mechanisms. The impact of such activities is dumping of chemicals in water bodies and emission of green gasses to the environment. Additionally, dumping of waste in landfills add to pollution on land and has potential to add to the green gasses in the environment. Agricultural activities especially from overuse of fertilizers result to such chemicals ending in water bodies thus increasing amount of aquatic plants. The aquatic organisms compete for oxygen and significant number die from such competition. However, different policies such as regulation of industries waste management and licensing are necessary to control waste contamination. Further, the governments need to consider banning use of plastics and providing alternatives carrier bags for the society. The implementation of such polices will have significant benefits though faced with few limitations. It is actually the role of government to ensure that waste management policies work and the population live in a clean and safe environment. 

References

Durgekar, v. (2016). Towards Sustainable Waste Management through Technological Innovations, Effective Policy, Supply Chain Integration & Participation. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 35(1), 140-149. 

Haward, M. (2018). Plastic Pollution of the World’s Seas and Oceans as a Contemporary Challenge in Ocean Governance. Nature Communications, 9(667), 1-3.

Metcalfe, C. D., Beddows, P. A., Bouchot, G. G. et.al. (2011). Contaminants in the Coastal Karst Aquifer System along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Environmental Pollution, 159(1), 991-997. 

Singh, J., Laurenti, R., Sinha, R. & Frostell, B. (2014). Progress and Challenges to the Global Waste Management System. Waste Management & Research, 32(9), 800-812.