Working Towards Sustainable Waste Management
by bravo seoThe City of San Francisco is the 14th most populous cities in United States. The burgeoning commercial industries and relentless migration have fostered high quality living, yet the backlash of the city’s healthy economy is waste management problems.
Garbage has always been the subject of debate among San Francisco residents and local officials. One fundamental challenge that remains unsolved is the continuous propagation of solid waste. Solid waste materials resulting from national and international activities continue to spread.
The local government had utilized modern methods of waste management, but efforts to achieve urban waste management have gained differing views and disputes. The use of landfills is regarded as a threat to public health and environmental impact. Other changes would have displaced traditional activities such as hauling in San Francisco, clean up San Francisco, yard waste removal, and demolition in San Francisco.
In 1989, the Integrated Waste Management Act was passed prompting California counties to reduce 50 percent of garbage in landfills. In the same year, the City started its residential and commercial recycling program.
Regardless of the bill, waste management seems incommensurate. In mid 1990’s, San Francisco had received a drastic record of high per capita waste generation rate. Each household had an average of 7 ˝ pounds of waste and recyclables per day, it has grown by leaps and bounds from the usual 5 pounds per day. Commercial establishments have generated over 70% of the city waste.
According to research, the insufficiency in urban waste management can be fulfilled in three ways. First, mandatory measures on recycling should be imposed on owners of commercial establishments and residents. Second, industries identified as the highest waste producers must take responsibility for wise resource use. Third, these three approaches should be compelled to each individual: e 1) Avoid creating waste in the first place, 2) Purchase durable, repairable products and reusable packaging, and 3) Purchase more products made from recycled materials in order to strengthen the market for recovered materials. These strategies, in addition to increasing recycling centers and programs, will help reduce San Francisco’s waste stream.
Recycling and waste reduction represent a major local-economy growth sector that is still largely untapped. Recycling and reuse are generally more labor-intensive than garbage hauling in Alameda. However, it provides employment opportunities for people with low skill levels. Business taxes from such recycling and reuse businesses will also expand local government revenues.
In 2007, the city boasted a high recycling rate of 69 percent and waste reduction had been largely voluntary. San Francisco also reduced its landfill dependence by exporting waste to Alameda County.
Currently, the government has organized campaigns that gear towards strong public participation. The California Integrated Waste Management Board is aggressively promoting a program towards waste reduction, pollution prevention, protection of resources, and global warming awareness.