top of page

The Global Waste Problem: 'Status Quo'

 

Profit Driven Methods Long Proven to do Massive Damage to Our Environment

Incineration

Burning of Waste

Incineration - 1

  • Waste incineration systems produce a wide variety of pollutants and toxic emissions which are detrimental to human health, including dioxins, toxic metals and acid gases;

  • Dioxin is one of the most toxic chemicals and is a known human carcinogen and endocrine disruptor; 

  • Dioxin may cause cancer and neurological damage, and disrupt reproductive systems, thyroid systems, respiratory systems etc.

Landfills
Encapsulating Waste for Thousands of Years

Vietnam’s Quoc Nguyen Linh Vinh, has won the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management’s Environmental Photographer of the Year (EPOTY) 2017 award. “The hopeful eyes of the girl making a living by rubbish”. Was taken in the waste dump of the city of Kon Tum in Vietnam, the poignant image captures a child and mother making a living from collecting waste. Describing their experience taking the picture, Vinh said: “The child was happy, looking at the dark clouds and chatting to her mother. This was so touching. She should have been enjoying her childhood and playing with friends rather than being there.”

  • There are large long-term costs associated with landfills; causing pollution to the local environment by contaminating the groundwater and aquifers, contaminating the soil, and producing methane;

  • Methane as a greenhouse gas is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO2); 

  • Greenhouse gases are said to be the leading cause of climate change.

bottom of page