Pennsylvania has issued a new plan, Zero Waste Pennsylvania, in order to tackle the waste management problem in our state. The organization PennEnvironment has introduced legislation to place a fee on single use plastic bags, and reduce the amount of plastic straws and foam containers used by making them available only on request.
They are also working to change major Pennsylvania waste streams. Waste streams are the succession of trash from the time it is made until it ends up in its final locations, such as landfills. The main stream in PA is food waste and the fastest growing stream is electronics(e-waste). Every year, millions of electronic devices are thrown away, and while they represent only 2% of America’s waste, it accounts for 70% of the toxicity that all waste introduces into the environment. And for food waste, the legislation requires companies to develop proper composting programs which will keep the food waste from ending up in landfills.
The cheap cost of sending trash to landfills and incinerators makes it easy for citizens to continue with old, detrimental habits and has caused our state to be the biggest importer of trash from other states. PennEnvironment’s solution to this is to increase the cost of these services, provide local governments with better access to new tools to handle the trash, and promote the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) through campaigns.
Want to know how you can get involved with SAS and new changes in Chester County Environmentalism?
Our club participates in frequent trash cleanups in local parks and public places, which is our way of making an impact. Want to know how you can make an impact too? Come out and help us collect trash, which keeps our surroundings beautiful, or try implementing small changes within your own household.
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