Reducing the hazardous waste in
America's landfills starts at
home. Millions of households are producing billions
of pounds
of solid waste. Products used every day in our homes leach
hazardous chemicals after entering
landfills. There are a
number of simple steps that
average consumer can take to limit
the damage that many of these
toxic materials are doing to the
environment.
The garbage situation has become a
big concern in cities all
around the country and not only is
this a political issue, but
it is also a problem that has
caught the attention of the
general population. We all realize there is a growing problem
but nobody likes to admit that
their garbage is contributing to
the problem.
Many municipalities have already
started a recycling program to
deal with the growing mountains of
paper, plastic, glass, etc.
Although it takes a bit of effort
on the part of the public to
sort and separate their garbage,
people are now beginning to
realize that the future of our
environment is at stake.
One household product that is
causing a problem these days is
throwaway batteries. Each year, Americans throw away 84.000 tons
of alkaline batteries. These AA, C and D cells that power
electronic toys and games,
portable audio equipment and a wide
range of other gadgets comprise
20% of the household hazardous
materials present around the
country in America's landfills.
When a battery in one of the
products we use fails, we simply run
out and buy a replacement. The dead battery ends up in the garbage
and no one thinks about where it
goes and what happens to it after
the garbage is picked up.
Sealed inside these alkaline cells
are harmful materials which are
not encountered by consumers
during normal use. However, when the
batteries enter a landfill, the
casings can be crushed, or can
easily degrade, which causes
mercury and other toxins to leach into
the environment.
The problem of batteries in
landfills is one of the easiest to
solve. Using rechargeable power can significantly
reduce the number
of batteries which end up in
landfills. Rechargeable batteries can
be used again and again, up to
1,000 times. One rechargeable cell
can replace up to 300 throwaway
batteries, keeping the landfill free
not only from the batteries
themselves, but also from the paper and
plastic materials that are used to
package them.
There are a number of
manufacturers in the country today who deal in
rechargeable products and some of
them have a number of programs
already in place to ensure that
rechargeable batteries never enter a
landfill at all. For example, one of the largest manufacturers
of
rechargeable products is now
offering a lifetime replacement guarantee
on all round cells. If the product ever fails to accept or hold a
charge, the company will promptly
replace it and recycle the used cell.
If you have an environmental
agency in your area, you might like to
work on this issue with them, or perhaps
they already have a program
set up to dispose of used
batteries. As a concerned citizen, your
suggestions and input will be
invaluable to them as they attempt to
come up with some solutions.
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