Waste management can help in improving the health status of our country. Justify the statement
Answers
Effective waste management can do wonders for our country’s health status.
1. Environment- If handled well toxic material can be stopped from contaminating ground water and other water bodies and eventually finding their way into the food chain. Also, it will ensure that the air and soil are not polluted unnecessarily either.
2. Social- Any interference with the environment eventually affects humans. By good waste management, such interference with nature can be minimized and many problems, including health related issues can be prevented. The number of people affected by diseases that spread through vectors like mosquitoes or houseflies will decrease. Thus, the health quotient of society will improve.
3. Economic- If waste is managed well the nation’s economic health also improves.
a) A smaller percentage of the national/state budget will be spent on the prevention and cure of diseases. The same funds can be utilized in other progressive projects. For instance, the Punjab government spends a considerable amount on battling cancer, caused by contaminated water and is left with very little finances for other areas.
b) Waste management companies need manpower to carry out the operations. Hence, it generates numerous job opportunities.
c) It allows materials to be recycled and reused, thus saving on the expenses of making a product from scratch and also encourages new recycling businesses to be set up.
4. Ethically- Only if the current generation encourages waste management, will the next generation be able to learn about taking care of nature, as part of their ethics and upbringing. A nation can be healthy and survive for long only if the citizens take the responsibility of preserving the environment and of teaching the youngsters to do the same.
While there have been some improvement in pollution control and waste management in recent times, a lot more has been done. Industries and healthcare institutions have in general set up effluent treatment plants and incinerators or other mechanisms to take care of their waste once norms and strictures have been put in place, but it is the domestic sector that needs to be reigned in.
Some types of waste is today being processed to obtain plant feeds or manure. Similar or other methods or processes ought to be devised for various other types of waste. It must always be kept in mind that if waste is not managed properly, it could be hazardous to our health in a very serious way.