Municipal solid waste generation can have various disadvantages if the right municipal solid waste management methods are not in place. Landfills are the most common of these and have been used for many years, but this municipal solid waste management method is not very effective. The waste in landfills can take decades or even centuries to completely break down, and while doing so, it can release toxic gases that are major contributors to environmental pollution. Landfills also tend to take up a lot of space, with millions of tons of waste generated every year by the U.S. alone.
Municipal solid waste recycling is one of the pros of municipal solid waste generation, because items like metal and plastic can be reused and removed before burning the waste. Municipal solid waste generation is a process that is ongoing, as every U.S. household comes up with at least one big garbage bag every week. This really adds up if municipal solid waste management methods are not efficient and just end up dumping the waste somewhere in a landfill. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has very well demonstrated what can happen if waste is not disposed of properly. So, the municipal solid waste recycling programs are a small step, but they do add to some positives to the picture.
Municipal solid waste generation can be a good thing, especially when waste to energy programs are implemented and the millions of tons of waste in landfills are turned into energy to heat and power homes and offices. It is important to control these processes carefully, however, or there can still be some resulting environmental damage. Pollution control must be strictly followed in order to stop smoke or gases from being released. But if the waste to energy plants are built correctly, environmental damage should not occur in the area.
Municipal waste to energy plants practice municipal solid waste management very well, and they can use a number of methods to turn waste into a source of green renewable energy. Some of the waste to energy methods include gasification, incineration, anaerobic digestion, and pyrolysis. As various landfill in the United States are becoming overfilled, and with a number of them having closed already, the waste to energy programs are becoming more important than ever. Waste to energy programs are currently probably the best methods of municipal solid waste management, not only because they take the excess waste out of landfills and get rid of it in a non-polluting way, but it also becomes a source of renewable energy to generate much needed electricity for our homes.
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