Uses And Misuses Of Natural Resources

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USES AND MISUSES OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Residential Residential wastes are generated by people in their everyday environment. Familiar examples of such wastes are household trash, such as yard trimmings and food scraps, used batteries, and scrap tires. In order to educate the public about advantages of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling, EPA has collected information about these and other types of residential wastes and designed Web sites for related EPA activities and programs. The Web resources listed below cover residential waste management, federal and state laws and regulations, availability of local information on a particular type of waste, and frequent questions from the public.

Backyard Burning Backyard burning refers to the burning of household trash by residents on their own property. Air emissions from backyard burning are released directly to the atmosphere and are considered harmful to human health. These Web pages provide information about the health hazards and environmental effects associated with backyard burning and discuss state, local, and tribal standards; regulations; and programs concerning this activity. In addition, this Web resource explains alternatives to backyard burning for communities and individuals and suggests publications for further reading.

Batteries Batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel, which can contaminate the environment when batteries are improperly disposed of. This Web site focuses on reducing the municipal waste and environmental contamination associated with the use and disposal of batteries, provides information about battery reuse and recycling, and links to related EPA publications.

Composting This Web site focuses on composting of yard trimmings and food scraps to prevent landfilling of this type of waste. The pages stress various benefits of composting, provide a comprehensive, searchable, and link to information about federal regulations of composting facilities and regional and state composting programs. Consumer Tips This Web site contains seasonal and holiday tips for waste prevention, reuse, and recycling. Household Hazardous Waste

OMTEX CLASSES THE HOME OF TEXT AAMINOMTEX Leftover, or unused household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients are considered "household hazardous waste" (HHW). These Web pages describe HHW reduction, reuse, recycling, and disposal options; offer related resources (such as a list of common household products with potentially hazardous ingredients and a list of suggested alternatives to common hazardous household items); and point to HHWassociated programs, publications, and topics. Medical Waste Medical waste is generally defined as any solid waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals. This Web resource lists all types of medical waste; points to relevant federal and state regulations; and links to federal agencies that regulate different aspects of medical waste management as well as other companies of interest in this field. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) (i.e., trash or garbage) This Web site includes an overview of MSW management, key facts about the MSW stream in the United States and recycling activities associated with a variety of materials recovered for recycling. The site discusses MSW source reduction, combustion, and landfilling; and links to state, tribal, and community-based information supplied by those sources and by EPA programs. The site points to more than 40 subjects related to MSW management, such as buying recycled materials, lifecycle analysis, pollution prevention, and used oil. The backyard burning, batteries, composting, household hazardous waste, medical waste, and scrap tires Web pages are located under the umbrella of the MSW site. In addition, the MSW site hosts information about major EPA MSW programs including Jobs Through Recycling, WasteWise, and Pay-As-You-Throw. Organic Materials This Web site provides information about organic materials, which are the largest components of our trash, and include yard trimmings, food scraps, wood waste, and paper and paperboard products Scrap Tires This Web site offers an overview and statistics on scrap tire management as well as laws/statutes—particularly state scrap tire legislation and programs. It also describes innovative uses of scrap tires. Three large scrap tire markets are described in detail: tirederived fuel, civil engineering, and ground rubber used in highways and other applications. In addition, this Web resource lists relevant EPA, state, and independent research publications and links. Used Oil Oil keeps our cars, lawnmowers, and many other machines running smoothly. But, once oil is used, it must be discarded properly, to keep it from contaminating the environment. This Web site describes ways for recycling used oil.

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Since the beginning, humankind has been generating waste, be it the bones and other parts of animals they slaughter for their food or the wood they cut to make their carts. With the progress of civilization, the waste generated became of a more complex nature. At the end of the 19th century the industrial revolution saw the rise of the world of consumers. Not only did the air get more and more polluted but the earth itself became more polluted with the generation of nonbiodegradable solid waste. The increase in population and urbanization was also largely responsible for the increase in solid waste. Four Rs (Refuse, Reuse, Recycle, Reduce) to be followed for waste management 1. Refuse. Instead of buying new containers from the market, use the ones that are in the house. Refuse to buy new items though you may think they are prettier than the ones you already have. 2. Reuse. Do not throw away the soft drink cans or the bottles; cover them with homemade paper or paint on them and use them as pencil stands or small vases. 3. Recycle. Use shopping bags made of cloth or jute, which can be used over and over again [will this come under recycle or reduce?].Segregate your waste to make sure that it is collected and taken for recycling. 4. Reduce. Reduce the generation of unnecessary waste, e.g. carry your own shopping bag when you go to the market and put all your purchases directly into it. Each household generates garbage or waste day in and day out. Items that we no longer need or do not have any further use for fall in the category of waste, and we tend to throw them away. There are different types of solid waste depending on their source. In today’s polluted world, learning the correct methods of handling the waste generated has become essential. Segregation is an important method of handling municipal solid waste. Segregation at source can be understood clearly by schematic representation.One of the important methods of managing and treating wastes is composting. As the cities are growing in size and in problems such as the generation of plastic waste, various municipal waste treatment and disposal methods are now being used to try and resolve these problems. One common sight in all cities is the rag picker who plays an important role in the segregation of this waste. Garbage generated in households can be recycled and reused to prevent creation of waste at source and reducing amount of waste thrown into the community dustbins.