Landfills still the most unpopular land development
In a recent article in Waste & Recycling News, a survey on land use ranked landfills at number one in the “most opposed development” category. More than 3 of 4 people surveyed opposed the building of landfills, outpacing power plants, quarries, casinos, and Wal-Marts. With so much public opposition, is it any wonder that municipalities across the country are looking at alternatives to the high-dollar investments needed to build new landfills?
The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality conducted a “waste characterization study” in 2009 which found that up to three-quarters of the “waste” in Nebraska landfills could be either recycled or composted. What if we were to view these materials as a “resources” rather than waste? Then the recovery of these potentially valuable materials would be the norm, and most of us would agree that “wasting resources” is not one of our common values.
There is no doubt that the “problem of waste” is a shared responsibility between consumers, producers/ manufacturers and government, and that it will require a joint effort to reduce, reuse and recycle items that are now being landfilled. Thankfully, there is a growing body of research and hands-on experience that can be easily accessed by individuals, communities and businesses.
Do you know what resources lurk in your company’s waste? Contact WasteCap Nebraska if you would like a free waste assessment or waste audit. We can help you learn how to reduce inputs, manage recycling programs and recover valuable resources in your operations. Because, a resource is a terrible thing to waste.
Here are some interesting links for more information on this topic.
http://www.wasterecyclingnews.
http://zwia.org/joomla/index.