22
Nov

The Waste Management Market in California

junk disposal in California

California, with its position as the leader in state action on the environment and its large, diverse economy boasts one of the most sophisticated waste management markets in all of North America.

California’s waste market is an evolving sector driven by tight state regulation, new technology and a sustainability oriented culture. The mix of industries and residents in the state presents a distinct blend of challenges and opportunities for waste collection, recycling, composting, and disposal services.

Market Overview and Trends of California Waste Management

Regulatory Framework

The waste management market is heavily influenced by California’s stringent environmental regulations. Assembly Bill (AB) 341 and AB 1826 both require commercial recycling and organic waste diversion, while SB 1383 is aimed at achieving a 75% reduction in organic waste disposal in landfills by the year of implementation to reduce the emission of methane. These policies encourage innovative business and municipal investments on waste management solutions.

Urbanization: Changing the dynamic of how we live

California, as the most populated state in the US produces millions of tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) per year. The trend of fast urbanization of cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ontario and San Diego increases the amount of waste produced which creates a need for collection, recycling, and disposal services in an efficient manner.

Sustainability Goals

California has very ambitious waste reduction goals, a 75% recycling rate and significant reductions in landfill dependency. They encourage investment on recycling infrastructure, composting facilities and waste-to-energy technologies.

Key Waste Management Players in California

Dumpster Rental Companies

The biggest players globally for waste collection, recycling and disposal services are present in California. Some for example are deeply involved in the creation of San Francisco’s zero-waste program: a model for cities across the country.

Recycling Facilities

California has sophisticated recycling for paper, plastics, metals and electronic waste. It is also at the forefront of innovations in plastic recycling, with facilities currently experimenting with chemical recycling to convert non-recyclable plastics into source materials.

Composters and Organic Waste Processors

Agromin and Recology have large composting facilities that process organic waste into compost and soil amendments. These facilities are essential to fulfill SB 1383.

Landfills and Waste-to-Energy facilities

Though California does everything in its power to keep as much waste out of a landfill as possible, they are still a necessity for rubbish that cannot be recycled. Massachusetts also operates several waste-to-energy facilities that make energy and electricity from the trash while minimizing landfill volume and producing renewable energy.

Segmenting California Waste Management Market By Type

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

Municipal solid waste (MSW) constitutes a major portion of the waste stream in California. Local programs emphasize curbside recycling, composting, and public education to minimize contributions to landfills.

Water in Circular Economy (C&D)

Infrastructure projects and urban development, such as the construction of housing and transportation, generates a substantial amount of C&D waste in California. Some cities have writs which command the contractors to recycle or reuse C&D supplies that include concrete, wood and steel.

E-Waste

California, being a tech hub, generates a lot of electronic waste. Laws like the Electronic Waste Recycling Act regulate the disposal and recycling of computers, televisions, batteries and other devices.

Organic Waste

The emphasis is on organic waste such as food scraps and yard trimmings because landfills are a significant source of methane emissions. With its organics diversion mandate, SB 1383 leads to an increase of composting and anaerobic digestion facilities.

Hazardous Waste

Some California industries generate hazardous waste that needs tailored treatment and disposal. Hazardous materials are managed by companies such as Clean Harbors which handle them in a safe and environmentally sound manner.

Difficulties Faced by California in Its Waste Management Market

Recycling Market Instability

Changes in the world market, like China’s 2018 National Sword policy that rejected foreign trash and trash imports into China, upset recycling export tons worldwide, and California has begun to pay for it by investing more into its own domestic recycling infrastructure.

High Operating Costs

Compliance with California’s stringent regulations, in addition to high labor and infrastructure expenses, can create a financial burden for waste management companies.

Impurities in Recycling Streams

As a consequence, recycler-processing heavy metals or certain types of plastic will struggle to get rid of contaminants making it expensive and inefficient.

Infrastructure Gaps

Urban centers like Ontario have well-developed solid waste management systems, but rural areas miss out on more sophisticated facilities such as those for composting and recycling.

Innovations and Opportunities

Waste-to-Energy Technologies

It is considering advanced waste-to-energy technologies like pyrolysis and gasification to produce low-emissions energy from waste.

Circular Economy Initiatives

More companies and municipalities are applying circular economy principles to eliminate waste in the first place and design for maximum resource recovery.

Organic Waste Diversion

As development of composting and anaerobic digestion facilities increase, there are chances to divert organic waste from landfills into valuable commodities such as finished compost and biogas.

Waste Management Firms with Cutting-edge Technology

IoT-enabled waste bins, route optimization software, and sorting using artificial intelligence make it more efficient and cost-effective.

Future Outlook

As California’s sustainability and innovation policies ramped up to meet the challenges of interconnected crises as we entered this new decade, California’s waste management market is primed for growth.

These changes will also require investments to scale recycling infrastructure, composting facilities and waste-to-energy technologies delivering the state’s ambitious goals. California has set an example for waste management that could be beneficial for the rest of the country by encouraging public-private partnerships and innovation.

References

18
Jan

The Giant Covid Waste Bin Dilemma – A Hazard to Health and Safety

US COVID waste

The giant Covid waste bin dangerous for everyone’s health

The World Health Organization (WHO) is concerned about the consequences of the astronomical production of waste linked to Covid-19. In a report, its experts explain that the tens of thousands of tons of medical waste produced during the pandemic have strained global treatment systems. This inadequate and inappropriate waste management could have a significant effect on the health of people and the planet, according to the director of HIV, health and development at the United Nations Development Program.

Between March 2020 and November 2021, 87,000 tons of personal protective equipment were shipped by the United Nations to meet countries’ urgent needs in the face of the pandemic. It is very likely that a large part ended up in waste, according to the WHO. 140 million test kits have also been sent. The equivalent, according to the WHO, of 2,600 tons of non-infectious waste (mainly plastic), and 731,000 liters of chemical waste (i.e. a third of the volume of an Olympic swimming pool). The eight billion doses of vaccine administered worldwide could have produced, again according to the WHO, 144,000 tons of additional waste.

The eight billion vaccines represent 144,000 tons of waste

Figures that make us dizzy, and only represent the tip of the iceberg. These estimates do not take into account purchases of medical products made outside the framework of the United Nations emergency operation nor waste produced directly by the population (used medical masks, for example). According to a study published in November 2021 in the journal of the American Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the pandemic generated 8.4 million tons of plastic waste between March 2020 and August 2021, while 26,000 more tons have since landed in the ocean.

According to the WHO organization, 30% of health facilities worldwide (60% in the poorest countries) are not adequately equipped to manage waste. This situation is dangerous for caregivers, who can be exposed to pathogenic microorganisms, but also for populations living near landfills and waste disposal sites. Air pollution, deterioration of water quality, explosion in the number of disease-carrying pests… Poor management of medical waste can ruin their living conditions.

It is absolutely vital to provide caregivers with quality personal protective equipment. But it is also essential to ensure that they can be used safely without harming the immediate environment, said waste management experts of the Health Emergencies Program at Dumpster Guys Corpus Christi. The report presents several avenues for better managing this waste: use of ecological packaging, development of recyclable or biodegradable gloves and masks, investment in waste treatment technologies without incineration, etc. Hoping that this will succeed in containing the tsunami.

As alerts on the environmental front multiply, we have a small favor to ask of you. We hope that the year 2024 will bring many advances for ecology. Whatever happens, we will be there to bring you clear information, in complete independence. Times are tough, and we know that not everyone has the ability to pay for information. But we are financed exclusively by donations from our readers: we depend on the generosity of those who can afford it. This vital support means that millions of people can continue to learn about environmental peril, regardless of their ability to pay for it.

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With your support, we will continue to make articles open and free, so that everyone can read them. Thus, more people can become aware of the environmental emergency weighing on the population, and take action. Together, we can demand better from the powerful, and fight for democracy.

11
Aug

How the pandemic has affected garbage collection in the USA

US COVID

If you don’t live in the US, you might not know how bad the problem with garbage disposal is. It’s a big problem that needs to be fixed.

When an epidemic starts spreading, it’s hard to know how this will affect the people in the country. It might affect one group of people more than another, or one industry, like finance, more than others.

The latest COVID 19 outbreak has hurt garbage pickup in the United States in a pretty bad way.

More news and movies about the epidemic have changed how trash is picked up in the US. Due to the pandemic crisis, many are skipping normal trash pickups and instead tossing their waste in bags around the exterior of their homes. Both the locals and the garbage collectors have had some issues as a result of this.

Getting rid of the trash in the US

Trash collection is one of the most important parts of society, so it’s hard to believe that it didn’t start until the 20th century. Government or private firms in the city offer garbage collection as a service to help with trash and rubbish collection.

In the late 1800s, Vienna was the first place where pick up trash was started. This system was made to clean the streets with trash. In 1894, the town of Sanitation was the first place in the U.S to collect trash. The Municipal District of Chicago, set up in 1889, came up with this program. The first time trash was picked up in New York in 1896.

Garbage is an issue in most places throughout the country. In the United States, there are three ways to pick up trash: at the curb, in the alley, or the back lane. In the US, curb side pickup is the most familiar and most used way to get rid of the trash. Most countries use this method to stop waste from being dumped illegally, which is the most common plan in most parts of the United States.

How has the COVID pandemic in the US changed the way trash is picked up

Everyone in society has to deal with the problem of trash. It needs to be handled carefully, or it will become a health risk, an annoyance, and the cause of many other problems.

In the USA, different waste management strategies are followed to get rid of trash, this is done by both private and public services. They are called “waste management” companies because they’re in charge of picking up trash throughout the United States. They take care of both getting rid of trash and recycling it.

According to South Carolina waste management experts, compared to the years before, the global epidemic had a big effect on trash collection since people were so concerned about the virus that they couldn’t avoid leaving trash around.

The pandemic had an impact on garbage collection and disposal since thousands of people died while working to collect and dispose of rubbish. Garbage collectors and dumpster rental services were the primary victims of the epidemic.

First, the global epidemic has led to much trouble in the US. Even though there were more deaths in other countries, it hurt the US the most. The American economy has been hit very hard by this. Not as many people buy things as they used to.

This has had a lot of different effects on businesses. It mostly changes how businesses that pick up trash get rid of their waste. People used to throw away things like old TVs, laptop computers, clothes, and furniture before the pandemic. People today throw away their trash, food, and medicines. So, garbage collection companies have changed the use of dumpsters in a new way.

Not just waste generation was altered by the epidemic. Lockdowns have also had an impact on trash management, mostly because there was a gap between collecting waste and processing it.

Since the virus spread, many people have stopped having their trash picked up. So, the trash collectors who are still around have to work harder. Trash collectors who work for the company that possesses dumpsters still get paid, but trash collectors who work for companies that don’t own dumpsters don’t get paid at all because they don’t collect enough trash.

The pandemic has definitely been a setback for the United States of America. Since the pandemic, there have been far less people to process the garbage that we generate as a society. This has created a lot of setbacks in our society and has even led to some people having to do their own garbage collection.

7
May

US Landfill Management

A landfill is a site where discarded solid waste can be disposed of, and it is often referred to as a dump or a rubbish tip, siting where solid waste is collected and disposed. The waste is often brought by dumpster rental or lifted by crane or a bulldozer.

Though landfills are sometimes used as a method of disposing of solid waste, other techniques are available. Recycling is an alternative that prevents soil and environmental pollution, conserves natural resources and is easier for landfills and incineration.

According to the results of an EPA survey in the U.S. in 1989, approximately 11 million tons of toxic waste were disposed of in landfills, which did not include industrial waste. That same year, 17.4 million tons of solid waste were sent to landfills.

Good Practices Of Us Landfill Management

The U.S is currently facing a serious issue of landfills which are reaching max capacity. Some of the good practices of landfill management include (1) compactors are used to reduce the volume of waste, (2) the waste is segregated by material, then (3) the hazardous material is segregated again into the category of hazardous waste.

The active life of a landfill is divided into periods of 5-10 years called as Phases where the waste is covered with dirt, and the land is considered inactive. Composting the waste to create rich soil to dig a new landfill.

Challenges Faced By Us Landfill Management

Landfills are an integral and important part of the waste management in the US. There are about 4,600 landfills operating in the US and about 10% of the nation’s trash is deposited to the landfills.

Landfills have been the preferred method of waste disposal in the US since the 1930s, when the first sanitary landfill was opened. Until recently, they were also believed to be a solution to the growing waste, as they can accommodate trash for long periods of time. In the last few years, however, many landfills have started to close down.

Innovative Solutions To Solve Us Landfill Issues

Landfills are the final resting place for all things we throw away, from broken appliances to banana peels. In 2014, US citizens generated about 254 million tons of trash that year—about 4.4 pounds of garbage per person, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Although it may sound gross, much of that trash is an essential ingredient in making compost, the nutrient-rich soil amendment that can help grow an even more sustainable tomorrow.

What Is The Landfill Situation In The US

The United States alone produces about 250 million tons of trash, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Most of the trash produced by the US ends up in landfills via dumpster rentals. Landfills have been around since the 1950s to help dispose of trash, but recently, they have started to run out of space in landfills, so the US is now looking for new ways to dispose of trash.

In the past, Americans used to throw different types of trash in one bin, but now, they separate the trash into different categories which makes it easier to dispose of. They are trying to find ways to produce less trash and find new ways to dispose of trash.

What Happens To Recyclable Materials In The United States

When it comes to recycling in the United States, single-stream systems are used, in which recyclable of all kinds are thrown into same bin to be cleaned and sorted at recycling facilities.

How Does Landfills Work

A landfill is a disposal site where trash is buried in layers. A landfill is the last resort for waste materials that cannot be recycled, burned for energy recovery or converted into another usable product. As a general rule, anything that is either biodegradable (decomposable by bacteria) or flammable can be disposed of in a landfill, sometimes renting a dumpster to bring all the junk to the nearest landfill.

When a landfill is being built, planners have to account for future population growth, land subsidence (settling of the ground), and for the weight of covering soil and material. To ensure that materials stay in place, large cells are divided by walls.

The walls are made from a variety of materials and are designed to be strong enough to support the weight of the covering soil and the waste. If a landfill fails, the trash and other materials can be pushed over the sides of the landfill and cause a mess.

10
Apr

The Various Uses of Dumpster Rentals

The industry of waste management refers to the field of activities involving the collection, transport, processing and disposal of solid wastes.

This includes waste collection, recycling, and disposal activities. Rental services are an integral part of such operations. They are quite useful in a variety of situations, such as renovation projects, construction, waste disposal, and more. Such services are often used by contractors during cleanup and construction processes. Because of their usefulness and high demand, dumpster rentals are available in many locations.

Dumpster Rental – How It Works

Dumpsters can be rented for all sorts of uses. Many people in the past have made many uses from a construction site dumpster rental. Some of the uses that people have made from dumpster rentals are, to store their belongings in when they are moving, temporary storage of items, to use them to throw out unwanted items and to use them as a long term storage option.

The various uses of dumpsters

Dumpsters are used for many different things.

They can be used for trash, recycling, industrial materials, and other things! It’s important to choose which type of dumpster is right for you and your project. You don’t want to waste money on a dumpster that you’re not going to use all the time! For example, if you have a large amount of trash to get rid of, you do not want to rent a small dumpster.

Alternatively, if you have a small amount of trash to get rid of, you don’t want a giant dumpster. You will save money by getting the right dumpster for your project.

How to choose the right dumpster for your project

Dumpster rentals are beneficial for businesses, not just individuals.

They can be used for a large variety of reasons. They can be used for construction waste and debris, or to clean out an existing business. You can also use them if you are having office renovations done. If you’re in a business where you create a lot of junk mail, you can use a dumpster to keep the clutter under control. You can place all of your junk mail in the dumpster and then when it’s full, you can empty it!

Common uses of dumpster rental

Dumpster rentals are really useful for people who need to get rid of trash. These days, most people are aware of the benefits of using dumpsters. They have a variety of uses.

For example, they can be used by homeowners as well as real estate agents and property managers. They can also be used by businesses, industrial organizations and contractors. People can get rid of home remodeling debris, building debris, yard debris and more. That is why they are called roll off dumpsters. There are lots of websites that allow the user to compare between various dumpsters. These websites will provide the user a number of useful details like the pricing, specifications and features.

9 Possible Places to use a dumpster

Dumpster rentals come in handy for a variety of uses! Such a tool is utilized for everything from transporting construction debris to getting rid of extra trash and rubbish. Dumpsters can be rented either in a big size or small size depending on what you’ll be using them for.

If you’re looking for a cheap way to get rid of extra debris, trash, and rubbish, a small dumpster will do the trick! On the other hand, if you need a big dumpster for other uses such as construction, a large dumpster will be a more economical choice. Dumpsters come in handy for a variety of uses and are a great resource for when you’re in a bind.

Get the right dumpster for your project

Dumpster rentals are proving to be a vital tool in the field of business and home improvement. They are used in a wide variety of situations, including: to clean up after a construction job, to get rid of excess trash in a business, to improve landscaping if you’re cleaning up your lawn, and many other uses.

It’s beneficial to have multiple uses for a good dumpster rental; this gives you the freedom to choose between them, depending on your situation.

One of your most important considerations for any move is to rent a dumpster. Dumpsters are a great way to dispose of trash, and they are easy to find. There are many businesses that provide these services, so no matter what you need, you’re likely to find a business that can help you out. You should arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible before you start sorting through your things.

By renting a dumpster, you can help to keep the city clean while doing your own work and limiting pollution. You’ll want to rent a dumpster that is suitable for the kind of hauling job you’re doing. If you are working with a contractor, be sure to ask how many cubic yards you’ll need for the project. Also know about local waste management regulations.

Some dumpster rental providers even allow you to rent for a month or more. If you’re not familiar with cubic yards, you may have to do a quick search. Allow plenty of time to find an available dumpster and have it delivered before you need it.

23
Jun

San Diego waste management law

Its character based on voluntarism is certainly laudable, but the federal law which formulates the concepts of “disposal” and “material recovery” does not offer much technical indication. There is therefore only one principle: principle according to which waste must be disposed of and materials recovered in order to be reused.

The ambition of the law does not go beyond these two notions since it does not consider the technical or regulatory conditions under which the waste will be eliminated. This is the law relating to classified installations which will take care of regulating, for example, factories’ incineration. Thus, classified installations designate establishments housing industrial, commercial, craft or agricultural activities whose operation causes environmental pollution (pollution of atmosphere, noise), or users for public safety, health and sanitation.

The term “installation” is taken in a very broad sense: it can also refer to a factory than a plot. The law relating to classified installations meanders regulatory history. This law, which is as fundamental as the previous one, also concerns the production and disposal of waste and applies to installations which may present dangers to the protection of the environment.

All facilities production and disposal of waste thus remain subject to the state law of California. But the origin on classified installations dates back to a decree of 2010 relating to unhealthy, inconvenient or dangerous factories and workshops.

The regulation of classified installations is one of the most old environmental law regulations since its creation dates back to the nineteenth century. Its purpose is to control certain activities harmful to the environment for preventive purposes. It creates obligations which are chargeable on the operator and subject the installations to supervision by the administration.

The equipment or activities subject to regulation are classified occasionally in a list called the nomenclature of classified installations on the basis of information provided by the legislator. The establishments are divided into three classes:

  • The first includes those who must be away from homes in particular,
  • The second concerns those whose distance from homes is not strictly necessary, but it is nevertheless important not to allow training only after having acquired the certainty that the operations involved practice are carried out in such a way as not to inconvenience the owners of the neighborhood, nor to cause them damage,
  • The third groups together those who can stay without inconvenience with homes but must remain subject to police surveillance.

The first-class establishments like San Diego dumpster rental were subject to authorization by decree issued by the Council of State. The second-class establishments were authorized by the governor, and the tird-class establishments were authorized by the mayors.

The law relating to dangerous, unhealthy or inconvenient for goal to facilitate controls on companies, to strengthen sanctions, to relax the regulations by creating a category of installations subject to a simple declaration. While not modifying the principles defined in the past, the scope of that law has been reduced compared to that of earlier times:

  • Only industrial or commercial establishments with dangers or inconveniences to safety, health or convenience neighborhood, for public health or for agriculture are the scope of the law, excluding establishments of agriculture and state or local government enterprises …
  • A simple declaration is instituted for establishments of third class. We will then witness a continuous swelling of the third class since manufacturers will seek to enter into
    the least restrictive system.

However, there were also positive provisions: (1) operating conditions are added to the authorization orders as well as additional prescriptions, (2) a temporary authorization regime is created, (3) the case of renewal of authorizations or declarations are extended, (4) authorizations can be suspended and establishments declared closed in the event of non-compliance with prescriptions, (5) the state hygiene councils are involved. A recent waste management decree came to detail on a few points regarding composition of files submitted by dumpster operators, system of provisional authorizations, etc.

27
Feb

USA East Coast Pollution

The Supreme Court case and the petition from the East Coast states underscores one clear fact: air pollution regulations, including for climate change, boil down to the problem of coal. Coal is by far the most polluting form of power generation used in the U.S. and Midwestern and Appalachian states depend disproportionately on coal power.

The throwaway consumer culture in the United States is a far bigger contributor to ocean plastic pollution, which has become so pervasive that plastic is expected to outweigh all the fish in the oceans. A new study finds coastal waters and water supplies along a fifth of U.S. coasts are vulnerable to pollution from hidden underground water transfers between oceans and land (study by NASA maps hidden water pollution in U.S. coastal areas).

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment into the atmosphere. Ever since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, America has had much trouble with environmental issues, air pollution in particular.

Animal manure, excess fertilizer applied to crops and fields, and soil erosion make agriculture one of the largest sources of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the country. Other sources include stormwater, wastewater, fossil fuels, fertilizers for home use, and yard and pet waste. A better waste management system is needed.

Pollution off United States East Coast in increasing. Great swirls of pollution cover the northeastern United States and parts of Canada in a true-color Terra MODIS image. While clouds in this image appear solidly white, the pollution is a murky, semi-transparent gray that makes indistinct the image’s geographic and aquatic areas.

Dredging of east coast ports are under way because of the New Panama Canal expansion and the expectation of larger container ships. The Jasper Ocean Terminal is a planned container terminal to be built on the Savannah River upriver from Savannah, GA that is expected to begin operations in the mid 2020s.

And it’s not just the east coast of Florida that is affected. Big Sugar has always relied on the geographic separation of the Gulf from the Atlantic to keep voters divided. Through social media, the rampant abuse by polluters is linking outraged citizens the west coast with their counterparts on the east coast.

Water pollution has become a health hazard in the U.S. and waterborne bacterial illnesses have become a constant danger. There are many factors that contribute to water pollution. Animals, humans, illegal dumping off the coast, people leaving their garbage on the beach, and cigarettes littering the sand are just a few.

Furthermore scientists have found a record amount of microplastic particles trapped in Arctic sea ice — as much as 12,000 pieces per liter of ice. The level of plastic pollution, measured in core samples taken at five different regions in the Arctic in 2014 and 2015, measured three times higher than previous studies.

Most of the plastics are found in the North Atlantic garbage patch that foams within the North Atlantic Gyre. The North Atlantic is sandwiched between Western Europe, West Africa, the east coast of the United States, and Northeast South America. These zones are contributing significantly to the pollution of the oceans.

14
Dec

The causes of oceanic plastic pollution

Oceanic pollution is reaching catastrophic levels, threatening not just the beauty of nature and sea life, but our lives themselves. This is due to behaviors that are hard to change.

Unfortunately rivers and the sea are often considered a dump. As waste thrown in them disappears from sight very quickly, preventing any individual or collective awareness.

Actions to inform and Educate

The negligence of individuals is a major problem. This problem should be at the heart of the concerns of the people of this earth. At all times human waste was dumped into rivers and the sea, but it was a biodegradable material since our early history. In recent decades though, this is no longer the case. This is a first in the history of humanity.

Coastal open dumpsites and garbage islands are appearing. They are real time bombs. Unable to reduce their production of plastic waste and unable to transport them to a treatment site, island populations are forced to a nearby storage (near the lagoons or the coastline). These piles of waste are in full extension with the storage areas reaching saturation. They are at the mercy of the first natural disaster, like a cyclone, a tsunami or rising waters.

The infamous 2004 Tsunami for example, scattered most of the open dump sites in the region, including the Maldives, where the garbage polluted the 170 islands and islets nearby.

Actions to reduce, sort and revalorize

Regarding maritime transport, spills overboard, containers lost or abandoned at sea during storms and which one day release their cargo are all sources of marine pollution

80,000 pairs of sports shoes (Nike) found themselves in 1990 on the surface of the ocean. In 1997, it was an invasion of some 5 million pieces of Lego that ended up on the beaches of England.

Possible counteractions are GPS identification and tracking of containers and owners’ accountability.

Lack of means or will is another issue. Lack of resources and / or political will are obstacles to a significant improvement of the situation. Storage of waste in the form of open dumps near the coast or lagoons is a problem.

Actions to reduce, grind and compact

Offshore fishing is responsible for a large part of the plastic pollution from nautical and marine activities. Drift nets (ghost nets) weighing several hundred kilos and constituting real floating reefs are a plague for all marine species. Floats of coastal fishing activities (traps, nets, or pearl farm in Polynesia) litter the coastline.

One way to avoid getting all this junk in the sea is by starting to clean our houses and surroundings and make sure we use proper waste removal practices. If you need to rent a dumpster to handle all your home waste, then use a professional rolloff dumpster service if needed. Remember you will be making a service to yourself and to the earth, if your junk ends up in a landfill and not in the sea.

17
Apr

Best Dental Care For Children


There is no better time to begin teaching proper good oral hygiene than at a young age. If good habits are formed early in life, children are more likely to stick to these good practices.

Children start to lose their baby teeth at about six years old. From this age, children will begin to grow their adult teeth. Once the permanent teeth come out, it needs proper care as they can no longer be replaced, and parents play an influential role in maintaining proper oral health.

Below are the expectations that you can prepare for as soon as their first adult teeth start to come out.

  • There is a chance that the child will lose a bit of weight. When their teeth loosen up, it will be difficult for them to chew their food, ultimately losing their appetite.
  • Loose teeth are sensitive. It is therefore essential to assist your child in his or her brushing routine so as not to disrupt the teeth-cleaning habits you have worked so hard to establish.
  • Allow loose teeth to fall out on its own. Forcefully pulling them out can cause pain, discomfort and even infection.

To maintain good dental health, here are some of the most critical rules every parent should live by.

Always Avoid Sugar Whenever Possible

Most parents say that there is no way to do this. But even if kids love sweets, parents have the last say whether they get a treat or not. Introducing sugar to your children is not just risky for their health, it can also aggravate bacterial growth.

The pathogen mainly responsible for this problem is called Streptococcus mutans. As the bacteria digest sugar, they produce an acid that can attack your child’s teeth enamel. When this process is not prevented, dental caries can quickly develop.

Sugars are found in almost everything we eat and drink. But refined sugar creates the worst damage. It is advised that parents regulate foods like cookies, chocolates, and candies. Even packaged fruit juices contain a lot of refined sugar. As an alternative to dessert, fruit slices are less damaging.

Eliminate Thumb Sucking and Pacifiers

The action of thumb sucking is normal for babies. Although providing a pacifier to babies soothes them, you must never put honey, sugar or corn syrup. This can lead to cavities. Thumb sucking is a behavior that parents should monitor. Train them to use pacifiers instead as sucking the thumb as it is a difficult habit to get rid of.

As soon as your kids hit two or three years old, it is time to throw away the pacifiers. If children continue to suck their thumbs, you must see a one of the best dentists immediately to find solutions to the problem. Prolonged sucking affects the growth of a child’s jaws and the alignment of teeth. This issue must be addressed right away before it causes many oral problems.

Make Brushing Teeth A Habit

Even before an infant has his or her first tooth, you must start cleaning their mouth using a clean wet cloth. It is also important that you guide your kids on how they brush their teeth. Since their motor skills are not yet refined, assisting them while they brush their teeth will help gain the dexterity needed to brush their teeth all on their own.

Toothbrush and Toothpaste

The toothbrush should be replaced every three to four months, or when the bristles start to fray. Avoid family toothbrushes from touching one another to reduce the risk of transferring decay-causing germs.

Always air-dry the toothbrush after use and never share one to the other members of the family. As for the toothpaste, you only need to use a pea-sized amount. For younger children who do not know how to spit yet, make sure to buy appropriate fluoride-free toothpaste.

It is encouraged by dental professionals that children get their first dental visit before the age of three, or as soon as their first teeth appear. It does not just foster good oral care habits, but it also eliminates the fear children usually have on dentists.

17
Sep

Lifestyle Choices For A Healthy Heart


One of the most serious medical conditions known to Americans (and all over the world) is heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in our country. Although that is a known fact, many people still go around, unaware of how to prevent heart conditions that can possibly end their life in just a snap of a finger.

Due to the non-modifiable factors that come into play, everyone can be at risk of experiencing a heart disease at some point. One example of a non-modifiable factor is genetics. Heart disease doesn’t just happen because of poor lifestyle choices. When genes come into play, it almost always becomes the determinant whether you live longer or not.

Choices, as mentioned above, is considered a modifiable factor in preventing heart failure. The earlier the start, the earlier you prevent it from happening. And if genes come into play, then at least you prevent the early onset of heart conditions that you might have faced. Remember, your choices influence how your heart will be 10 to 15 or more years from now.

If you smoke, quit now! Smoking is one of the leading modifiable factors that causes heart attack, stroke and other coronary diseases. Smoking has a very unfavorable effect of increasing your triglycerides (bad fat) which causes fat buildup in your arteries.

When this happens, plaque occurs and the arteries will harden causing atherosclerosis. This condition is usually difficult to correct as the buildup tends to calcify over time. Smoking also affect other organs causing your body’s functionalities to go haywire.

Mind your diet as it plays a big role in keeping a healthy heart. We already know that sugars won’t do any good and should be avoided at all cost. A diet that essentially contains less fat is favored including raw fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids from fish, fiber or whole grains can keep your weight at bay and prevent heart disease.

A diet that often involves fish is the most favored eating plan you need to eat. Nuts, herbs, and healthy oils are also good produce to incorporate in your diet.

Manage your weight so that you maintain low blood pressure. Experts recommend to practice at least 30 minutes of workout every single day. You don’t need to sign up to a gym membership right then and there.

The point of this is to keep an active lifestyle in order to avoid any sudden weight gain. Another way of maintaining a healthy weight is knowing the number of calories you need in a day. If you lean towards a more sedentary lifestyle, reduce your food intake to the required number of calories your slightly inactive body needs.

Does your family have a history of diabetes? If so, you need to start managing your health right now. Diabetes is not just the impairment of your body to comprehend insulin, it also complicates your entire body thereby risking you of other organ failure. If left untreated, type 2 diabetes will almost always lead to stroke or a peripheral artery disease.

Stress can cause multiple different ways in affecting your health. People who experience stress tend to be the victims of heart conditions due to their inability to support a healthy lifestyle.

The sleep loss, headaches, body fatigue and exhaustion brought by stress force your heart to work extra hard. If this isn’t compensated, your coronary system will become overworked and the risk of other heart diseases are right around the corner.

Adopting stress-reducing habits and a healthy lifestyle helps rally your heart health. Exercising is one of the best ways in reducing stress as it promotes the release of feel-good hormones. Meditation and eating right can also benefit the body more than you think.