1. Trash Leads to Air Pollution
Once your trash arrives at the landfill, they need to get rid of it somehow. Most landfills do this by incinerating their waste. Now, landfills contain all kinds of dangerous chemicals and materials. Those products get burned and end up in our air and water supplies. This disposal system is harmful to us and the planet. All kinds of dangerous emissions are created during the incineration process. These include dioxins, methane gas, toxic metals, and other acidic gases. People living and working around the landfill are affected in several ways.
- Breathing the polluted air from the incinerator
- Eating locally-produced food that’s been contaminated by the polluted water supply
- Drinking contaminated water
Dioxins are one of the most harmful pollutants. They cause all kinds of issues ranging from thyroid problems to neurological harm. Recycling will reduce the amount of trash that ends up in these incinerators. Therefore, we can keep our local air and water cleaner just by recycling.
2. Plastic Waste Ends Up in our Oceans
Most people love visiting the ocean. Their clear blue waters are hard to resist. However, they aren’t always clear of waste. In fact, plastic is becoming a predominant issue in the pollution of our oceans. If you haven’t heard, there is something called The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This floating island of plastic is the biggest collection of ocean waste in the world. It currently lies between California and Hawaii and contains almost 2 trillion pieces of plastic.
Here are some quick facts about ocean pollution.
- 8 million tons of plastic waste are thrown into our oceans every year.
- The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is currently the size of Texas. It grows larger all the time.
- At this rate, the oceans will contain higher weights of trash than fish.
Ocean plastics contaminate the water and the wildlife that calls it home. Marine life doesn’t know the difference between plastic and their food sources. As a result, they often end up consuming it. It takes up room in their digestive system, but it doesn’t ever digest completely. They end up starving since they have no room left for real food. So, how do we fix these issues? By recycling, you can help drastically reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our beautiful oceans.
3. Recycling Protects Natural Resources
Recycling creates new products out of old ones. This cuts down on our need for more materials. Most of the products we buy are made from plastics, metals, and paper. These are all extracted or taken from the Earth. So, fewer trees are cut down, less oil is extracted to make plastics, and less mining takes place when we recycle. This also protects our natural places for future generations of humans and animals.
Wrap-Up
Hopefully, this article will inspire you to start recycling or improve your current recycling routine. By doing so, you’ll be helping to create a cleaner and healthier planet. Our collective health will improve too. It takes a little extra effort, but the results are so worth it.
