Landfill & waste issues

Description

Virtually everything we use creates varying degrees of waste throughout its life cycle. Today, many nations face a looming waste management crisis, as their landfills reach capacity and continue to degrade the environment. Cheap labor costs in India are propelling a boom in the recycling of computer waste but at the cost of workers' health. Whilst in Manila, achieving 'zero waste' is becoming a reality, as recyclable waste is turned into construction products. In Japan, electricity and heat generated from garbage incinerators is being used to run public buildings. 180 million kilos of disposable diapers per year end up in landfill in the Netherlands, but a recycling company has found an innovative way to turn them into raw materials. A Ghana entrepreneur creates an ingenious way to turn trash into handbags; and the US increases its e-waste recycling centres.

Runtime

24 min

Subjects

Genre

Date of Publication

2012

Database

Alexander Street

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