What are some causes and effects of water wastage, particularly in Australia?
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Answer:
One large and significant effect of increased consumption (and production) activities is an increase in solid waste generation. Solid waste that is not re-used or recovered largely ends up in managed landfill. Australia has approximately 1168 landfills (DoEE n.d.[b]), which handle approximately 20 million tonnes of waste each year, with 8 per cent of Australia’s landfills (classified as large) accepting 75 per cent of the waste (Pickin 2013). Australia’s National Waste Policy has clear goals to reduce the amount of waste for disposal, and that ‘all wastes, including hazardous wastes, will be managed in a way that is consistent with Australia’s international obligations and for the protection of human health and the environment’ (DoEE n.d.[c]).
Despite increases in population and economic growth, the amount of solid waste being sent to landfill has been decreasing in recent years. Landfills mostly operate under close regulatory control of jurisdictional environmental regulators; they need to be managed for odour, leachate, fire risks, litter and problem wastes (Pickin 2013).
Hazardous wastes are a particular concern because of their potentially harmful effects on humans and the environment, despite their small amounts. They are highly dependent on the level of regulatory control. There are a range of hazardous wastes, with a range of fates (including landfill, recycling, chemical/physical treatment, biodegradation and incineration). Overall, hazardous waste volumes have increased during the past few years—from 4.6 million tonnes in 2010–11 to 5.7 million tonnes in 2013–14. The quantity of hazardous waste is projected to rise to approximately 9.9 million tonnes in 2033–34. This represents an average growth rate of 2.8 per cent per year, compared with a projected average population growth rate of 1.5 per cent, and is equivalent to the long-term projected economic growth rate (Latimer 2015).