why is it important to us?
2007-10-04 00:56:06 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment ➔ Other - Environment
The four-tier solid waste management hierarchy ranks the most preferable ways to address solid waste. Source reduction or waste prevention, which includes reuse, is the best approach (tier one), followed by recycling (tier 2). Waste that cannot be prevented or recycled can be combusted with energy recovery (tier 3). Tier 4 is landfilling or incineration without energy recovery. Both of these disposal options take place according to proper regulations.
Why is source reduction at the top of the hierarchy? Because the best approach to managing solid waste is to avoid creating it in the first place. This means reducing the amount of trash you discard and reusing containers and products instead of throwing them away.
Once waste is created, recycling, which includes composting, is one of the most effective methods of reducing the amount of material in the waste stream. If waste cannot be recycled, incineration or sanitary landfilling are the next preferred methods of treatment.
2007-10-04 01:05:14 · answer #1 · answered by Hawk996 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Four tiers and recycling are cool but there will always be some waste left that we have to deal with through disposal. If we fail to manage that solid waste safely, there would be lots of pollution to ground and surface water and health problems. The US does a pretty good job at managing its waste stream, although there is plenty of room for improvement.
2007-10-04 20:46:57 · answer #2 · answered by Stumpy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what would you have us do with it. shoot it into space. we have to find better solutions.
2007-10-04 09:20:55 · answer #3 · answered by Aloha_Ann 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋