Sadaf Nazir

Environmental Journalism
20-03-12
Litter Trashes the Environment
Human's waste relates to products that are of no use to us anymore. These products range from
synthetic plastics such as grocery bags to old appliances. The general rule is that if you can't use
it, throw it. These products are otherwise known as garbage. People throw it since they don't
have use for it anymore and when they do, it becomes part of nature. The problem is nature does
not have use of it either.
Usually people don't think garbage would cause environmental pollution. In fact, garbage can
cause the drop of air quality, water pollution and waste of resource. Besides, it influences the
economic development.
Thus, prevention and management of garbage becomes a new important task for us. Therefore
we need to know where the garbage comes from first.
First, it comes from industries. Industries produce various waste water, gas, toxic substances and
chemical wastes. If they are placed in the open air or dumped or illegally poured into the river.
As a result, the environment is damaged.
Second, domestic garbage: As citizens have weak knowledge of environmental protection, they
scatter waste paper and glasses. They use a lot of disposable products at will. Thus, much
pollution is caused such as dust pollution.
Third, medical garbage: special products with a lot of bacteria have been leaved behind;
including medical polluted water, medical wastes, one- shot injectors and so on. If they are not
careful handled and directly poured into the river or simply placed or even illegally resold, some
communicable disease would spread.
Garbage brings lots of damages to the environment.
First, water pollution: garbage produces a large amount of acidic, basic, toxic wastes. Some
waste water contains mercury, lead, and cadmium which pollute the underground water once
they penetrate into the ground. Most rivers are polluted by ammonia nitrogen, volatile phenol,
and permanganate. Some rivers lose the self- cleaning function and thus, influence the
reproduction of aquatic life.
Second, air pollution: in trash area, because of the burning and placing of garbage, there are
various toxic gases containing sulfur. Dusts and small particles fly with the wind and thus, sulfur
dioxide in the air significantly increases. Thus, acid rain frequently happens, so does the particle
pollution.
Third, soil pollution: many areas are used to place garbage and thus, land degradation and
desertification happen. Because of a large amount of plastic bags, waste metals are leaved in the
soil; the soil is hardened, and not suitable for planting crops.
Fourth, harmful to human beings' health: toxic gases are released by garbage and fly everywhere
with the wind. As a result, sulfur dioxide, lead in the air arise and cause many respiratory
diseases. When underground water is polluted, people may get diarrhea, trachoma and other
diseases.
Fifth, harmful to the economic development: according to researches, 70% of garbage can be
recycled. If it is recycled, it can create many profits, very helpful to the economic development
and employment rate. Otherwise, it causes resource waste and ecological disruption which
absolutely influence economic development.