Every year 14 billion pounds of waste is dumped into the ocean (Amaral para. 7). For instance the 206 million pounds of hazardous toxins is dumped into U.S. waterways every year (Breslin para. 1). This is one of the biggest problems we have today, not just in the US but all over the world. Mainly due to the health of people it harms and especially for the animals whose environment the waste impacts because they can’t do anything about it, they don’t even know there’s a problem until it’s too late.
There are many companies who are aware of this problem and yet they do nothing to help the environment. Companies could find better ways to dispose of their products or harmful waste, but choose not to because it’s more inconvenient for them and it costs more to properly dispose waste. That being said, there is no excuse for not finding better ways to dispose of the waste, because not only has it been proven to cause health problems, it has also been proven to be potentially deadly in certain cases to living things impacted by the pollution and environmental harm.
In many cases, it is well known that toxic waste creates pollution wherever its discarded, whether it’s in the ocean or landfills (Conserve Energy Future/Parker). It is known that there is the biggest garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean that,“lies between Hawaii and California and is often described as, larger than Texas, even though it contains not a square foot of surface on which to stand” (Parker para.1). This is how bad it got over the years due to all the waste there is hardly any space to walk without tripping over garbage. That means it’s even worse for the aquatic life that most likely mistake the waste for food and die from the consumption.
Another big issue in the world is, “poorly managed waste disposal systems and normally results in damage to the land and the surrounding environment” (Conserve Energy Future para. 5). Not having properly managed waste disposal systems is the lack of persistence from all communities to make a better environment for its people. We need to try harder as a nation to help the world be the best it can be. If we all would work together to help dispose of waste one day at a time we could lower the amount of pollution from waste occurring.
The pollution from the world causes health problems every year. This is due to poor waste disposal systems because if not properly disposed, “the wastes remain there for years impacting on soil quality and polluting the land” (Conserve energy future para. 6). According to this companies should care more to assist the situation by making their products out of biodegradable substances that are eco-friendly. However there is very little assistance from most companies. There are a few who recognize the situation and have taken in matters in their own helping hand. We still have major problems keeping all waste properly disposed of. The waste from everyone around the world just sits in the sun allowing its toxins to leaking through the soil, air, and even into water which, “may irritate the skin or eyes, make it difficult to breathe, cause headaches and nausea, or result in other types of illness” (EPA para. 1). Not only can it cause minor health issues it can also cause major ones like cancer, birth defects, and kidney failure.
This is a tragedy to all of those who help the environment and live healthy lifestyles to prevent these risks but can still catch on to these health problems. We all need to help others who care for the health of everyone to create a healthier and better environment.
If we don’t take the health risks that hazardous wastes can cause serious it may lead to severe cases of death through illness. It can affect the lives of people and animals. Most likely when animals encounter the garbage patch its, “estimated 100,000 marine animals are strangled, suffocated, or injured by plastics every year” (Parker para. 8). That makes up a vast amount of animals who are dying a year because they confuse plastic waste for other aquatic life they prey on for food. Imagine how tragic it must be for these animals who rely on the ocean for their source of food but in return feed on garbage. Not only does this harms animals it also affects us negatively because, “hazardous substances produce toxic effects in humans or the environment after prolonged exposure to the substance, which is called chronic toxicity” (EPA para.3). Companies all over are aware of what is happening but figured not many people would care if their consumers are still purchasing their products. The truth is not many people are aware of these problems that come from the waste of everyday products.
That is why companies need to stop pushing off the importance of hazardous waste because they feel everyone won’t care or simply all the pollution from waste will be forgotten. If they won’t help make a change, that means it’s up to the people to make it. This overall is a reason to help make a big difference in the environment for everyone including all animals. Helping the environment will reduce the risk to being exposed to hazardous waste.
In conclusion, we all are the reason there is so much waste whether its toxic or not. Most of the products we use contain plastic but it is our job if we are willing to make a change. We can make a difference simply by changing the products that are made with plastic or by encouraging everyone around the world to recycle. If we can strive to make daily changes of what we purchase and how we dispose of waste, it can bring many changes to society’s outlook on how important it is to our environment. This in many ways can have a huge impact on our environment and the world.
