Reducing Environmental Degradation
Rapid urbanization and economic activity increased the plastic waste in society. Most of these plastic waste are improperly dumped on our ocean, rivers, and lands which causes air, land and water pollution. Since the plastic waste contaminates these areas, it depletes the resources coming from our environment. This proves how important solid waste management is in our society.
Facts
UN (2016) released a report that environmental degradation and pollution cause almost a quarter of all deaths, up to 234 times as many premature deaths as occur in conflicts annually and the deaths of more than 25% of all children under the age of five.
Source: IISD. (2016). Retrieved from https://sdg.iisd.org/news/environmental-degradation-leading-cause-of-deaths-globally-says-un-report/
10-20 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans every year.
5.2 trillion
plastic particles are currently floating in the world’s oceans.
$13 billion number of estimated losses per year associated with marine plastic debris due to the negative impact on marine ecosystems.
Source: Sloactive. (2021). Retrieved from https://sloactive.com/world-environment-day/
One ton of recycled cardboard saves 9 cubic yards of landfill space.
Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity.
Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 mature trees.
Source: Bell. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/50-interesting-recycling-facts
In the last decade, researches spent a great deal of time analyzing the waste in the water around some 57 large rivers that flow into our oceans. From studying the river and surrounding landscape, they were able to estimate that 10 rivers are the hosts of 90% of the plastics getting dumped into the oceans.
Source: UNEP. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/interactive/beat-plastic-pollution/
