Where there is an increase in population,there is a geometric increase in consumption too. The waste produced becomes harder to get rid of as many do not think about where every used article in their hands will end up .Many just throw dirt anywhere without thinking of where it will actually ends up.Thinking about managing waste from our homes to the streets needs to be a collective effort.
In most developing countries like Cameroon,waste management is still a very big challenge but many people do not seem to understand how waste affects us. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Not so much anymore.You may not have the heep of dirt in your home or close to your house ,but where ever it lies, it affects the environment in a very negative way until it is recycled.
The problem with poor waste disposal and management is a lot harder to ignore now. As many people turn to dump waste just anywhere.it is sometimes carried away by floods or rain water after heavy down pour blocking drainage systems .
People who live close to waste dumps with no foreseeable changes towards recycling are exposed to a lot of health risks. On a bigger scale,poor waste management has led to issues such as ocean pollution, global warming, air pollution, and environmental degradation. All the issues mentioned have negative consequences on the quality of life; not just for humans, but to plants and animals too .It is evident that we need to inform ourselves about the effects of excess waste production and improper waste management. it is important to lend our voices to also raise awareness about proper waste disposal and recycling.
Given that waste management needs a collective efforts,we will need to practice the 5 R's of waste.According to the 5 R's if waste, if we start by refusing what we do not need then we will be reducing alot of waste in our communities.We can then refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and then recycle. if you plan on running a waste management or recycling business, Incorporating this methodology into your business' waste reduction and recycling efforts will minimize landfill waste and help take your recycling program to the next level.