Nowadays, each of the different theses on environmental pollution has their supporters and their opponents. Many believe in the human impact on the global warming process, others reject it.
Others believe that recycling is “pointless.” This is a big mistake, because it depends on the health of the planet as our main and currently only home.
But whatever we talk about, whatever we defend, there is one thing most people agree on – waste is extremely harmful on the terrestrial ecosystem. Their mismanagement can result in a potential deterioration in our quality of life.
Undoubtedly, the ways in which we deal with them will determine the fate of mankind in the coming decades.
Plastic Products
Photo: Pixabay
Plastic waste is not necessarily harmful to our health, although it can to be in the migration of chemicals to our food, water, etc. Indirectly, however, they are all detrimental to us and all life on the planet.
Only recently the UN added them to the list of hazardous waste. This is necessary because the vast majority of them are not biodegradable and others are not degradable at all.
The latter have recently been banned throughout the EU, but we are still far from the ideal goal of achieving a world free from the harmful effects of plastic.
In our country and to this day we continue to use the 8 types of plastics, on which restrictions have been imposed – until the quantities are exhausted, as there are many despite the expiration of the deadline for compliance with the new legislation, which entered into force on 3 July 2021.
Recently, the results of a very legitimate scientific study of one of the departments from the Parthenope University in Naples, Italy, were announced.
According to the data provided by the team, microplastics will play a detrimental role in terms of of the reproductive abilities of the male part of humanity. According to a study published in the first months of 2021 , all of this can only happen in a few decades.
The anxiety is serious and to the extent that in 2050 great a number of couples will now need assisted reproduction in order to have children.
Paper and cardboard
Paper has a very high degree of recyclability, because its main component is cellulose. Cellulose molecules are easily separated, but also easily joined together.
This makes paper practically a renewable product. Which is really good news, because the raw material from which it is produced – trees – is a valuable resource for our ecosystem.
Because they are too valuable for us to use only as a raw material, more and more people, offices, organizations and governments apply various good practices in terms of the minimum use of paper and the maximum effort to recycle it afterwards.
Waste electrical equipment and electronics (WEEE)
Photo: Unsplash
There is a special European directive which prohibits the disposal of electrical and electronic equipment together with general household waste.
This is because in addition to being harmful to nature when they fall freely into it, these products cause serious pollution to the environment even with only its production process.
For the same reasons we shouldn’t get used batteries in our trash either. The little remaining charge in them can be recycled, which will be in the service of nature, in addition saves money in production.
Radioactive waste
It is important to recycle radioactive waste, as some of it can be reused . In this way we reduce the production of nuclear products from scratch, which saves nature a large amount of potential pollution , and for us – risk.
Industrial waste
Every year the various industries generate a huge amount of waste materials, which if they will not be recycled, they will simply be wasted. In addition, they will have to prepare new ones in their place, whose production process will be no less polluting for nature.
Fashion
“The waste that no one sees” – that’s what some call fashion. Synthetic textiles, which have gained popularity in recent years, are largely non-recyclable.
This is a problem as fashion trends change quickly or clothes become obsolete due to regular washing. So for a long time they ended up in the trash and could rarely reach recycling points.
Fortunately, more and more global fashion brands are offering sustainable lines of clothing, shoes and jewelry, made entirely of materials that do not harm nature.
Do we have to recycle?
Basically the answer is no. Bulgarian legislation does not impose such an obligation on all citizens. But in a current ordinance of the Sofia Municipality, for example , there is an explicit ban on mixing total household waste with recyclable waste, subject to separate collection.
It is also forbidden to dispose of hazardous waste in addition to the specified points which practically transport them to their recycling. Similar restrictions apply at the local level in other municipalities.
Furthermore, insofar as our efforts as individuals on recycling are limited to separate collection of the various types of recyclable waste, we are obliged to comply with our debt. We conclude that the conscientious citizen has no choice but to recycle.
How and where can we dispose of the various wastes for recycling?
Local municipalities are obliged to provide special containers for separate waste collection , divided by type of waste – plastic, metal, paper, glass. Radioactive waste and WEEE are collected most often on a periodic basis with the help of mobile points.
Today in larger cities are placed with special containers in which we can put used, but washed and ironed clothes . Thus, they can fall into the hands of those in need. If the clothes are no longer suitable for wearing, they will be redistributed to a recycling center.
In the west beer mugs are returned to the store. In doing so, the customer earns points with which he receives a discount on his next purchase of beer. This encourages consumers to participate in the environmental process.
The web portal Ecoabonament.bg will help you with advice and comprehensive services in the field of waste collection and recycling opportunities for all types of waste.
We can prepare for you a special program to increase the amount of recycled materials that are used in your business, as well as for the overall reduction of its environmental footprint.
Photo: Pixabay