GLRPPR Sector Resource: Final Report of the Governor's Task Force on Waste Materials Recovery and Disposal
Title:
Final Report of the Governor's Task Force on Waste Materials Recovery and Disposal
Abstract:
Waste is a fact of life. Materials that are
not fully consumed or reclaimed are generally discarded. As a result, our natural resources are strained in at least two significant respects. First, resources used to produce goods and services are not being consumed efficiently. Second, natural resources are impacted by the management of waste, whether by composting, recycling, incineration, or landfilling. Landfills are developed, for example, and the corresponding use of land is permanently altered. Air emissions occur as waste is composted, incinerated or left to decompose in a landfill. Local water resources might be affected. The more waste, the greater the impact, and these impacts can last over long periods of time to the detriment of future generations both environmentally and economically. If waste generation can be minimized -- or even prevented -- we can reduce the strain on natural resources. Indeed, the prudent use and preservation of natural resources are the hallmarks of environmental stewardship. While we recognize that waste is a current fact of life, or at least life as we have come to know it, there may come a point in time when the amount of waste generated, or the rate of waste disposal itself, is simply too great to be supported by society over the long haul from an economic and environmental perspective. After all, the current model, to the extent it involves the consumption of natural resources to make products that are used and discarded, does not mimic natural systems where waste is recycled and its components are reused in future cycles of production again and again.
URL:
http://wasteresources.wisconsin.gov/docview.asp?docid=10521&locid=83
Source:
Wisconsin Governor’s Task Force on Waste Materials
Resource Type:
Article/report
Date of Publication:
December 2006
Associated Sectors:
