Rubbish Dumps Adelaide: What Are Garbage Dump Sites?
A rubbish dump is where all the world’s trash resides before being slowly digested into new material by bacteria and the elements. These vast mounds of waste rot away into nothingness as toxic gases leak from them as their contents slowly decompose into new forms.
Many people make their living from searching through rubbish dumps for things to sell. Unfortunately, this way of life doesn’t pay well; many families in rubbish dump communities live on less than $2 per day. For more information about rubbish dumps rental Adelaide, click here.
Africa’s largest landfill site
Kenya’s capital city welcomes visitors with an enormous mountain of waste covering over 30 acres. It is filled with wildlife ranging from birds and cows to waste pickers who make their living by collecting it daily.
Kennedy Road and Abahlali base Mjondolo shack dwellers campaigned tirelessly against their local dump, citing its health impacts on their community. Many items that end up here are unusable for use elsewhere and contain hazardous elements like mercury and lead that pose severe dangers.
The government supports the continued operation of this open air landfill as it generates carbon credits and electricity through processing trash; however, its proximity causes numerous health issues for nearby workers and residents.
The world’s largest floating dump site
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located off of Hawaii and California coasts, is an enormous collection of trash. This vast accumulation is caused by gyres – circular ocean currents which circulate waste around. Land-based sources, such as drinking straws and plastic bottles as well as shipping (nets and baskets), contribute to its composition.
Wind and currents often sweep these items into gyres, where they may then be consumed by currents as garbage from other regions is collected in similar fashion.
Scientists and ecologists had long predicted the existence of floating trash dumps; however, Charles Moore first observed them in 1997 while yacht racing.
The world’s largest dump in India
India, as the world’s top producer of garbage, produces mountains of waste in cities like Mumbai. Waste pickers like Jahana Shaikh make a living scavenging at these sites for scrap metal; but it can be hazardous work; one local doctor estimates he sees up to 70 patients daily suffering from respiratory or stomach conditions related to air pollution. For more information about rubbish dumps rental Adelaide, click here.
The site emits huge quantities of methane gas, a greenhouse gas which traps heat and contributes to global warming, as well as being home to numerous stray dogs and leopards who attack residents for food or kill them outright.
The world’s most polluted river
Dhaka River in Bangladesh has become a bio-dead zone due to unchecked dumping practices. Leather tanning factories are the main polluter, sending chemical-laden waste straight into its waters.
Citarum River in Indonesia provides vital water supply to millions of residents, yet is one of the world’s most polluted rivers – its levels of faecal coliforms surpass legal limits by over five times!
Human and industrial waste – plastic, rubbish dumps, fertilisers and chemicals – is creating an environmental disaster, with people suffering burns from toxic exposure as well as rashes, intestinal issues and chronic bronchitis as its consequences. A film explores this tragic topic.
The world’s largest dump in Mexico
Garbage dumps release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that contribute to climate change. Furthermore, they emit methane gas which has 28 times greater warming effects than carbon dioxide – creating health risks among workers at garbage dump communities.
Mexico City’s leftist government announced in December its intention to close Bordo Poniente landfill and transform trash into reusable materials and energy instead. They aim to attract bids from companies which can exploit methane gas generated from decomposing rubbish as part of this plan.
Hundreds of pepenadores (scavengers) who made a living at the site will lose their jobs; however, the city will work toward creating an agreement that helps them find other means of supporting themselves and their families. For more information about rubbish dumps rental Adelaide, click here.
The world’s largest nuclear dump
Homes, schools, hospitals, and markets generate an overwhelming amount of rubbish which lands up in landfill sites. Non-biodegradable items such as wood, paper, plastic and broken glass linger there for an indefinitely.
Recyclable rubbish decays to produce leachate and gas that contaminates local water supplies, prompting some landfill sites to burn their rubbish to generate energy for use by nearby communities.
Countries have tried different means of disposing of nuclear waste, with most agreeing that burying it underground is the optimal method. Any attempts at hiding nuclear waste beneath Antarctic ice or firing it into space have failed to meet safety criteria and have proven ineffective.