Recycling Plastics Issues - Report Example

Name Course Instructor Date Due to globalization, industries and companies have been set up in large numbers to provide different products and services to their target customers and clients. By this, companies have different packaging methods. Most companies will opt to repackage their products in most efficient and a way that would not cost them a lot.Therefore,marketers must ensure they comply with the relevant environmental authorities by ensuring their products or services they are not overstating environmental benefits (Szasz,1991) Green guides and administrative rules from the governing authorities should provide companies with instructions of which these companies should adhere to the letter. Plastic’s impact on environment starts from the first stage of manufacturing, utilization and lastly to disposal. This is because; manufacturing needs substantial amounts of fossil fuels a non-renewable supply. Air pollution takes place when these plastics are burnt hence releasing smoke that contaminates the environment.Whenever plastic products become non-biodegradable, they can block the drainages and sewage systems thus endangering the society. For this reason, companies should take preventive measures when using these products. They also need to come up with ways to curb with such measures. Companies being set up should therefore ensure that they have as well established recycling facilities in their premises.Recycling of plastic has associated benefits(Rousakis and Bernard, 1994). To mention a few, recycling provides livelihood for millions of families and people in developing countries via informal employment or formal economic activities. Another advantage is that, saves non-renewable sources like gas and oil and lastly, contributes to energy savings and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. To add on, plastic carryout bags are very convenient, waterproof, strong, and lightweight. These are the benefits that companies can have on the long run. Companies in preparation of this process they should communicate to the relevant government authorities and fulfill collective measures that follows suit the establishment of recycling facility.Such companies can follow the following steps: Finding a recycler, setup of Bins, consolidation of bags, and finally customer education. To start with, finding a recyclershould be the first priority when launching the firm. This will allow the retailers interact directly with end markets or even the intermediaries to end markets (Horn).Companies should as well engage themselves in asking themselves question like pricing and cost, agreements, type of strapping, expected materials and mode of transportation.Once the company has gotten a recycler and the end market of the materials, type of customer collection bins, location and size should be set up. The set up bins should be free from pollution, placed in a visible location and clearly visible signage to instruct the customers what bags to place in the bins. The third process is consolidating the bags on how to merge and transfer bags to a centralized place.A complete plan to assemble plastic film as part of regular waste management activity can reduce labor and cost of recycling plastic bags and film.According to (Horn, 2012) he puts across that, educating the customers should take place through providing information notation on bags and posters and any viable advertisement that will educate the public. Placing the bins in a visible location as well as clear direction to where to place your garbage helps keep the environment clean. Training of employees on the proper use of bags is an important component of reuse and conservation effort. To grocers and other retailers they should as well encourage their employees of using bags necessary for a specific job and encouraging shoppers to reuse their reusable bags or disposable bags. It the duty of the government to ensure that companies being set, are meeting the expected regulations that relate to environmental factors. This is by ensuring these companies have a method of recycling their plastic product that is not hazardous to the environment but environmental friendly. When these measures are followed, it saves the municipalities costs related to disposal of waste (Grundey, 2009).Companies that deal with plastic products should be on the front line to promote the society to dispose their products in the provided centers where litterbins are provided. It is through this process that the recycling process will take place hence clearing all garbage in the environment. Environmental Protection Agency recommends recycling whenever possible as well as disposing of trash at a combustion facility or in a landfill only when recycling is not possible. Riskywaste should be held separately by either private companies or the local sanitation departments that is responsible in providing safe disposal of toxins. Incase companies have no such facilities to put up the recycler facility in their firm they should therefore, rely with such departments on agreeable contracts for plastic products correction(Godwin, 2002). If not so, then the government ought to take active measures to companies who are not ready to comply with environment pollution. In order to promote local and foreign investment, it is important to have a predictable and stable macroeconomic environment. This means transitioning to a green economy needs a new mindset of carrying out companies activities. This is by having skilled labor and professionals that can work in these sectors. Reducing the environmental effect and heading to zero waste comprises of encouraging recycling and reduction reliance on landfills for waste disposal. Burning of the plastic products worsens the living conditions of humans as well as the environment at large. This is because air becomes polluted whenever plastic products are burnt, hence releasing some carbon monoxide that forms poisonous compounds that are harmful to humans. This therefore calls for Air Pollution Standards to put in place so that such companies can be changing their method of disposal. Air pollution intensifies chronic heart and lung disease that would lead to death. Therefore, customers need be educated about the same as burning of these plastic products endangers their lives. However, waste is a resource to they that recycle and reuse. Such companies correct the waste followed by sorting where the final process is conversation. These companies provide the solution of burning to conversion of gases from such gases to generate energy. Companies using this method of recycling encourages reusing of waste.However, ordinary citizens would not take the time to sort recyclable items from their trash. Nevertheless,notwithstanding such predictions, a home recycling has been thriving. According to a survey done between 1988 and 1996 the report showed that, the municipal curbside recycling collection climbed from about 1,000 to 8,817 according to Bio Cycle magazine.However, some companies fear customers’ inquiry of the environmental impacts of their products. The anti-recyclers maintain that government bureaucrats have imposed recycling on people against their will—conjuring up animage of Big Brother hiding behind every recycling bin. Yet several consumersFrom “Recycling Is Not Garbage,” by Richard A. Denison and John F. Ruston, MIT’s Technologysuch as the Rowland Company in New York, have found that recycling enjoys strong support because people believe it is good for the environment and conserves resources, not because of government edict. Landfill space is a commodity whose price varies from time to time and fromplace to place. Not surprisingly, prices tend to be highest in areas where population density is high and land is expensive. In the second half of the 1980s, asenvironmental regulations became more stringent, large numbers of old landfills began to close, and many simply filled up, particularly in the Northeast. New landfills had to meet the tougher standards; as a result, landfill prices in these regions escalated dramatically. The real question communities must face is whether adding recycling to a traditional waste-management system will increase the overall cost of the system over the long term. The answer, in large part, depends on the design and maturity of the recycling program and the rate of participation within the community. , prices of recyclable materials fluctuate, so that an accurate estimate of revenues emerges only over time. For another, costs tend to decline as programs mature and expand. Most early curbside recycling collection programs were inherently inefficient because they duplicated existing trash-collection systems. Using recycled materials, helps avoid the air and water pollution typicallycaused by manufacturing plants that rely solely on unprocessed, virgin raw materials. Because using recycled materials reduces the need to extract, process,refine, and transport the timber, crude petroleum, ores, and so on that are necessary for virgin-based paper, plastics, glass, and metals, recycling lessens the toxic air emissions, effluents, and solid wastes that these manufacturing processes create. It is virtually beyond dispute that manufacturing products from recyclables instead of from virgin raw materials—making. Third party recycling centers are vital in ensuring effectiveness and easing handling of plastic products in extensive geographical areas. In other words, third party vendors help verify the global recycling network. Recyclers are important for the storage, handling, recycling, processing and reuse of plastic products. By so doing, recyclers contribute to environmental sustainability and important in safeguarding human health, which is the main reason for closely monitoring plastic products. Considering that many countries may lack capabilities or adequate recycling or collection systems, there is need to impose restriction on companies to develop third part recyclers or fund existing on before getting a right to sell plastic products (Al-Salem et al., p. 2629) Third party can be developed although through various methods. Firstly, companies should engage training in developing recyclers. Thus, companies should engage and provide training programs for a broad geographical coverage. Thus, for companies to have right to sell plastic products, training for purposes of organizational health and safety (OHS) is vital. In addition, these recyclers must learn about workers’ rights and integrity. Moreover, third part recycling centers can be developed through guidance on local laws, sector laws, as well as organizational code of conduct. This will ensure recyclers process the products in accordance to the set practices as well as in full compliance to the relevant regulations. Moreover, the plastics industry is second only to the chemicals industry in generating toxic releases that damage the ozone layer, emitting more than 12 million pounds of ozone depleting chemicals in 1994. Production of low-density polyethylene (used to makepackaging and soda bottles) from virgin resources generates 62 to 92 pounds oforganic pollutants per ton of product manufactured. In 1995, this amounted toapproximately 500 million pounds of pollutants that needed to be burned, recycled, or discharged. Similar impacts are associated with the production ofpolystyrene (throwaway cups and foam packaging) and polypropylene (packaging). Finally, plastics production facilities are dangerous to the people as highly corrosiveand hazardous chemicals are released. Thirdly, companies should provide resources, facilities and technologies that are sensitive to environmental protection for recyclers. Additionally, companies should get involved with third part recyclers by providing safe working conditions and assume manufacturing processes that are environmentally responsible focusing on environment, compliance with environmental standards and safety (Al-Salem et al., 2009). Several Companies use plastic bottles to package their commodities such as water and beverages. These commodities are then distributed through various outlets all over the world and are sold to customers, who after using these products they dispose the plastic bottles. This means that the plastic bottles become wastes and end up being environment pollutants. Therefore, Companies need to be concerned of what happens to plastic bottles they use for packaging of their products. It should be the responsibility of the company that owns the brand of the plastic bottle to ensure that after the customers are done using the bottle they do not just dispose it. This should be controlled prior to the sales of the products in the bottles. Producer responsibility in recycling plastic bottles should be made a condition as a way of minimizing the pollution of the environment by plastics. The producers should have effective management off all plastics they use in terms of recycling them. A good way of collecting these plastics and recycling them by every company will considerably reduce environmental pollution by these plastic bottles, which are a danger to human and aquatic life. Companies should come up with innovative methods for well-organized production and recycling of plastic bottles. The life cycles of theses bottles should be taken in to consideration when designing the mode of recycling them (EU, 2009). There should be legislation to strengthen the recycling prevention and reuse of plastic bottles. Producers should be engaged in setting up recycling of end of life plastic bottles. Taking financial responsibility and engaging in waste management should be made a condition for companies before they sell their products. Companies should make this information available publicly on the extent to which a plastic is recyclable and reusable. The companies should design the plastics in a special way to decrease impact to the environment and waste generation throughout production and consequent use in the future. This being a condition to companies before making sales will encourage production, development, and recycling of plastic bottles which are fit for many uses, are durable and are safe for environment (EU, 2009) According to (Godwin, 2002) the introduction of bottle bills also known as deposit laws are one of the best ways to attain the goal of producer responsibility. These are methods that are used for getting back beverage bottles and cans in order to recycle them. People are encouraged to return the bottles after they are done using them. When someone returns a bottle for recycle he/ she is given a monetary refund incentive, which motivates people to turn up the more. The use of bottle bills is a proven and working method with the benefits of conserving the energy and natural resources, creating new jobs and businesses, reduce waste disposing costs for the local government, reducing litter among many other benefits. Brand owners could use such a method to take responsibility if their products throughout the product life cycle. In Europe for instance, Extended Producer Responsibility (ERP) helps in creating incentives for brand owners to minimize waste and encourage them to support mechanisms that ensure effectiveness in recycling. Examples of EPR principles applied to beverage bottles are deposit systems, higher recycled content standards and the use of bottles that can be refilled. Moreover, linking with a recycling investment is the best way forward for any company that is using plastic bottles. Such investing companies that specialize in the procurement of plastics collaborate with manufacturing companies, brokers, and other sources to supply plastic recyclers. Such can include companies like, Black-bridge investments and Grass Roots Recycling Network. With the help and cooperation with such investments manufacturing companies can be able to aim at ensuring Zero waste in the environments. Zero waste is a system approach that ensures management of resources, maximizing recycling, minimizing waste, reducing consumption and ensuring that products are made to in a way they can be reusable, repairable and be recycled. (Bill Sheehan, 2000). On the other hand, local governments can influence public policy and market practices in several important ways, including Procurement and contracts and deposit laws. On the issue of procurement and contracts, exclusive beverage contracts for public venues and schools should establish container recycling rates and minimum recycled content standards. An example of a manufacturing company that uses bottle and that has attempted to take responsibility is the Coca-ColaCompany. Although they have had their failures, the Coca-Cola Company has made the marketing decision to increase its use of Polythene Tetra phthalate (PET) plastic, and move away from the use of easily recyclable glass and aluminum for their containers. Reference Bill Sheehan, PhD GRRN. "Zero Waste and Climate Change." Zero Waste, Recycling and Climate Change (2000). Godwin, Michelle Gerise. "Producer take Back Campaigns." Responsibility is Green (2002). Horn, MRKE eDA. Key safety, security, service and legal measures reuired for the successful management of a guest house. SA: Diss. Nelson mandela, 2011. Rousakis, , John and A. Weintrab Bernard. "Packaging, Environmentally Protective Municipal Solid Waste Management, and the Limits to the Economic Premise." Ecology (1994): 947. Szasz, T. S. Ideology and insanity. NewYork: Syracuse University Press, 1991. Grundey, Dainora. "Eco-Marketing And Eco-Labelling: Does It Ensure Customer Loyalty For Eco-Products In Lithuania." Transformation in Business & Economics (2009): 152-179. Al-Salem, S. M., Lettieri, P., & Baeyens, J. Recycling and recovery routes of plastic solid waste (PSW): A review. Waste Management, (2009). 29(10), 2625-2643. EU. Green paper. Brussels: UNEP (2013). Read More