Littering is one of the global problems faced by the people of the world. Every year the amount of rubbish dumped into the environment is increasing. Garbage piled up in the landfill and the matter is a waste. In the developed countries recycling and disposal garbage done by segregated by type. While in countries that are not yet practice garbage just dumped and left it to decay. It will take a long time. Among the materials thrown by humans is paper from sources such as newspapers, books and magazines, plant waste from plantations and factories such as rice husks, coconut husk, corn, wheat and so on.
Moreover leftovers from domestic, hospitality field, food stores and restaurants also become garbage if not managed properly. A current problem is human like to littering the environment. They throw garbage into the river, on the streets, in the resort areas and parks are the bad habit and caused bad effects. Many side effects occur when man littering their environment.
Rubbish thrown away in the urban area will affect the drainage system. Debris will accumulate and pile up will cause clogged drains and ditches. Clogged drains cause water to flow slowly into the river or sewerage area well. This will worsen when there is heavy rain. Heavy rain overnight will cause flash floods, mainly because of the drainage system is not functioning properly or are blocked, and could not channel rain water into the river or the sewer. Flash floods brought much harm to an area especially the city. It will cripple economic activity, destruction of properties and can sometimes lead to loss of lives. Although they occur in the short term, but the effect is very large to human activities in large cities.
Garbage disposal that throws into rivers and the sea also cause water pollution. Aquatic life will be affected by the dumping. Garbage is thrown into the river will go through decomposition process. During the decomposition process occurs, microorganisms that tends to rot garbage is going to use oxygen for this purpose, this would cause the oxygen level in the water is reduced. What happens is that aquatic life such as fish and algae in the water will be lack of oxygen. This will hinder and retard the
growth of living things. Content of carbon dioxide that is too high in the water will also be toxic to the living things. Their effects on humans create a lack of food resources of the aquatic resources such as fish and seaweed forming part of the global population source of protein.
Discarded rubbish can be divided into two types, namely in the form of liquids or solids. Most of this waste is made up of organic chemicals. Rubbish being thrown into landfill will produce methane gas cunning and can accumulate in the soil. Effect will cause soil contamination. The level of contamination is serious when an area of land has changed color, normal, abnormal, and plants in that it withered. Additionally seepage from landfills (leachate) that seep into the ground will result in heavy metals, toxic chemicals and waste water penetrated into human resources. Constituent materials can cause human diseases such as cancer if exposed to it in the long run. Methane gas produced by a decomposition process can cause an explosion underground and if near the human residential areas.
Rubbish being dumped in open spaces will be a breeding ground for diseases and germs. Rats, cockroaches, flies and animals other pests are concentrated in the area and spreading of germs to other places. Earlier onset of food eaten flies or cockroaches, if ingested by humans will cause food poisoning and subsequently attacked a serious illness. If serious, may be fatal to humans or the danger of the emergence of new diseases such as H1N1 and SARS contagious. Littering also can kill or harmful to the wildlife. Animal such birds or marine life will suffocate or choking when they consume the garbage, besides it also can trap the animal. Items such as broken glasses can cause hazard to the public.
Littering also cause pollution to the environment. Indiscriminate littering habits have an adverse effect on the tourism industry. Interesting places such as cities, public parks, and tourist spots will be dirty and show a bad image to the country. The garbage that is not properly managed will show bad scenery for the tourist. This will cause dirty and polluted environment.
Cite this The Global Litter Problem
The Global Litter Problem. (2016, Oct 17). Retrieved from https://graduateway.com/littering-effect/