Let’s look at what could happen if nobody decided to recycle.
We’ve probably all been told to recycle at some point in our lives. Recycling plays an important part in keeping our planet healthy. It minimizes the waste that gets put into landfills, and allows the materials we have to get more use. So, what would happen if everyone stopped recycling? Let’s look at what could happen if nobody decided to recycle.
There Would Be Bigger Landfills (And More of Them)
One of the more well-known consequences of a world without recycling is that landfills would grow in number and size. The size of landfills can be reduced when you don’t have recyclable materials contributing to them. Therefore, if those materials never get recycled, they end up in landfills, where they don’t belong. This only serves to make landfills larger than they have to be.
There will also come a time when landfills grow to be too big. This time will arrive much sooner if recyclable materials keep getting added to the pile. As a result, new landfills will have to be opened up much sooner.
More Harm Will Come to Natural Habitats
Another problem with landfills is that they release harmful toxic fumes into the environment. These fumes can bring great damage to natural habitats. When we don’t recycle, landfills run out of space sooner, forcing them to expand. This, in turn, means that landfills will be able to harm a wider range of wildlife.
There Will Be More Carbon Emissions
Oftentimes, materials that can’t be recycled will be taken to incinerators. These incinerators will burn the materials in order to create energy. The drawback is that a lot of carbon dioxide gets formed in the process, which is harmful to the environment. Carbon dioxide isn’t even the only harmful chemical that’s formed. Other chemicals, like dioxins, can be created as well, which can hurt humans and animals alike. When you recycle materials, fewer of those materials find their way into incinerators, reducing the harmful chemicals that get put into the air.
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