THE PROBLEMS WITH WASTE

Solid waste is essentially garbage: waste produced in our homes, businesses and some
industrial sources. Solid waste production in this country is growing in volume and in
toxicity. More and more of our everyday products contain toxic chemicals, such as
mercury or PBDEs (flame retardant chemicals), and these toxic products are combined
with a plethora of other chemicals, which eventually impact public health and the
environment. There are numerous solid waste facilities in New England, including
landfills, incinerators, and a growing number of transfer stations. Many of the older
facilities run by municipalities have been closed down because of environmental
concerns, paving the way for the waste industry to market their state-of-the-art
management and facilities.

We Produce Too Much Waste

In 2007, Americans threw out about 570 billion pounds of municipal solid
waste. Compared to other nations, the United States has a record of generating waste
at an alarming rate. Home to only 4% of the global population, we are responsible for
more than 30% of the planets total waste generation. Each American discards an
average of more than 1,650 pounds of garbage every year, or approximately 4.6 pounds
per person each day, nearly double the 1960 average of 2.7 pounds per day.

We live in a time of throw-away consumerism- a time when companies are producing

one time use DVDs so that consumers dont have to deal with the hassle of renting and
returning. The waste stream grows in volume and toxicity because corporations continue
to profit by producing seemingly useless products, and they are not pressured to
prioritize recycling, reuse, or substitute less toxic alternatives in their ingredients.