Hazardous Waste: Should We Be Concerned?

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I was watching a program that included an excerpt of some facts about what was actually reported back in 1983. The report said that “266 million tons of hazardous waste were generated – more than a ton for every person in the United States.” The report went on to say that about "70,000 different chemicals are manufactured around the world, most of which have not been thoroughly tested for safety." The use and careless disposal of these chemicals are contaminating our food, water, and air and are seriously threatening the ecosystems on which we depend. As you know, chemicals have become a part of our everyday lives. We LIKE the convenience of plastics, detergents, and aerosols, but we are often unaware of the dangers associated with them, as they find their way into our water and even the ground by way of landfills, drains and sewage sludge. What can we do? Stop using them. Use paper instead of plastic anything or recycle all plastic containers. Use safe detergents that are harmless to the environment and don’t use or purchase anything in an aerosol can. I’m sure you have heard about plastic six-pack holders – the rings for canned soft drinks, beer, etc. These discarded holders end up in the oceans and are a hazard to birds and other marine life. They are left on the beaches by careless persons and they get dumped into our waterways or the wind propels them into the water. Did you realize that they are invisible underwater and sometimes gulls and terns catch one loop around their necks when fishing. They drown or strangle themselves. Pelicans too, end up with the ring stuck around its bill and can’t open its mouth, so it starves to death. Young seals and sea lions get the rings caught around their necks and as they grow, the rings get tighter and the animals suffocate. While some states in the U.S. require that the six-pack rings be photodegradable, which means that they break down in sunlight after 30 days, that doesn’t solve short-term problems. What can you do? Before you toss six-pack holders into the garbage, make sure that you snip each circle with a knife or scissors. It’s a simple thing to do. When you are on the beach, pick up any six-pack rings you find and take them with you and then snip them before you discard them. You can make a difference.