Single-Use Plastic and Recycling
Environmental According to 2018, solid waste data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Floridians generated approximately 37.4 million tons of solid waste in 2016. Increasing landfill space, cost, and contamination are a few of the challenges local governments face. Plastics don't help the growing difficulties either. Recycling plastic isn't a realistic solution to the plastic pollution crisis. Items like grocery bags have persisted in the environment for a long time, and we are likely ingesting plastic in seafood.We, as a society, accumulate a lot of trash, and not all of it is organic material. We toss things like crumbling asbestos tiles, toxic chemicals, coal ash, and lead paint away. For instance, coal ash is a waste byproduct that contains contaminants like cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. It has the potential to seep into nearby water systems if there are poor waste management practices. There are little things that make an impact too. Rechargeable batteries contain many toxic metals and chemicals, like lead oxide, which can lead to contamination of our soil.
The garbage disposal problem is challenging and will continue to pose issues as the population grows and natural resources are used.
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| Florida Department of Environmental Protection Graph |