Many solid waste companies and municipal landfills have the
situation well in hand; do you?
Birds,
mammals, and reptiles can be injured or killed by the trash we throw away. The
magnitude of the problem is growing every day, especially because some types of
litter do not readily disintegrate and therefore remain in the environment as a
threat for decades. To help protect wildlife and natural habitats, local
cleanup campaigns and recycling plans are now being implemented.
The Litter Problem
The
amount of litter that ends up spoiling the beauty of the natural environment is
not surprising considering the amount of waste we produce. Glass bottles, plastic
packaging, tin cans, newspaper, cardboard, and other types of garbage litter
urban and rural landscapes everywhere. According to Wildlife Fact File, about
160 million tons of trash is thrown away every year in the U.S. or
approximately three and a half pounds per person each day. Paper products alone
account for over 40 percent of this garbage. Sometimes the wind blows trash
from overloaded garbage cans and litters the environment. Naturally litter can
last for a long time depending on the disintegration of the garbage. For
example aluminum cans do not disintegrate, and some plastics take decades to
break down.
How Litter Threatens Wildlife
Litter
can be very harmful to wildlife. Discarded fishing lines can trap the legs,
wings, or neck of waterfowl such as swans or moorhens. A fishhook may get stuck
in a bird's throat. Water birds suffer lead poisoning when they accidentally
swallow small lead fishing weights. Broken glass can cut the feet of foxes,
coyotes, or badgers, and unbroken bottles present a hazard to various small
animals. Lizards often crawl inside bottles or cans to bask warm interior, to
seek protection or search for food; but they may find it difficult to squeeze
out again and can die of overheating. Small mammals in search of food often get
their heads caught in the openings of jars. Replacing lids on bottles and jars
before discarding can help prevent animals from becoming entrapped. Birds,
fish, and mammals may be ensnared by plastic six-pack holders. This can be
prevented this by cutting up the plastic rings so that they do not become
traps.
Animals That Use Litter
Litter
may appear to be helpful to wildlife. At night in some urban areas, foxes look
for garbage on the streets. Often they feed on chicken bones, pieces of
hamburger, and other leftovers from fast-food meals. During the day pigeons
take over from foxes, these birds often flap around a food-laden garbage can of
peck crumbs on the pavement. Gulls are well-known scavengers. These birds have
greatly increased their number by feeding on thrown-away food. Inland, they
gather in flocks over garbage dumps, where they eat even the filthiest scraps.
Human
food is not necessarily good for wild animals. Deer, for instance, love bread
and sweets. These purified grain products may form gummy masses in the stomachs
of ruminants and interfere with digestion. Deer may actually die from ingesting
too much food with a flour base. Discarded food can also become contaminated
with microorganisms that cause food poisoning. More likely, however, the wild
animals will become accustomed to free handouts and be unprepared to hunt for
themselves if the source of human food is cut off.
How the Waste Industry is Protecting Animals
There
was a time when many animals fell victims to discarded trash in municipal dumps.
In addition to the waste itself, wildlife was threatened by heavy equipment
workers who did not understand how their actions could threaten a fragile
ecosystem. Animals were often struck by trucks or crushed by heavy machinery.
Some became entrapped in trenches, open pits or pipes. While dumps still exist
in some remote locations, most are being replaced by sanitary landfills.
The
evolution of sanitary and secure landfills was accompanied by environmental
planning that provided protection for wildlife and guaranteed that the land
would be reclaimed for future wildlife inhabitants. Some methods of protection
seem to be standard procedures at most landfills and many facilities have some
pet project designed to provide for the safety and continued survival of some
special creature.
Butterfield
Station in Phoenix, Arizona serves as a good example of what precautions are
normally taken at Waste Management Inc. (WMI) owned and operated landfills. The
landfill is securely fenced to exclude many animals. Strict speed limits are
enforced to protect animals from being hit. At the close of every day, all
refuse is covered with a six inch covering of soil to keep animals from being
injured by the debris. All truck beds and other such containers are covered
with tarps to keep animals out. Domestic animals are not permitted in the
landfill. Any escaped debris is collected from roadways and along the perimeter
of the landfill on an on-going basis. Small waste containers are provided with
animal proof lids to keep wild animals from getting to the waste. Many Waste
Management facilities provide special roll-off containers for small towns and
villages to use during community clean-up events.
It is
common for landfills to have pet projects to protect individual species that
are of particular concern. Kirby Canyon Recycling and Disposal Facility in
Morgan Hill, CA with help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, City of San
Jose, researchers from Stanford University and consulting biologists have
embarked upon a conservation plan to increase and maintain the population of
the endangered Bay Checkerspot Butterfly. Approximately two hundred and fifty
acres have been set aside for the checkerspot, which was nearing extinction in
1985. The Kirby Canyon Conservation Agreement, which celebrated its 10th
anniversary in 1996, provides for: the setting aside of land; establishment of
a trust fund for studies of the butterfly; management of cattle grazing to
ensure appropriate balance of plant resources; habitat restoration and enhancement;
and ongoing scientific monitoring of the Bay Checkerspot population. In
addition, Kirby Canyon has set aside marshland for the preservation of the
endangered Red Legged Frog.
Altamont
Landfill and Resource Recovery Facility in Livermore, CA has implemented a
special program to protect the endangered San Joaquin Kit Fox. The protection
program includes many projects to protect the San Joaquin Kit Fox. Exclusion
zones are placed around dens. Limited disturbance of areas adjacent to
construction and storage areas must be maintained. Escape ramps are constructed
in all holes or trenches greater than 2 feet deep, and sides must have a slope
no greater than 45 degrees. Pipes with a diameter of four inches or greater
must be inspected for kit foxes before being buried, capped or moved. Vehicles
observe a 20 M.P.H. speed limit except on county, state or federal roads. Staff
and visitors are instructed not to harass any Kit Fox or other unidentified fox
in the vicinity of the landfill. Feeding of wildlife is not permitted. Off road
traffic is prohibited. General precautions that are followed at all landfills
are observed at Altamont.
The
Kettleman Hills Facility in Kettleman City, CA also has protection programs for
the San Joaquin Kit Fox, Giant Kangaroo Rat, the Blunt Nosed Leopard Lizard,
the San Joaquin Antelope Squirrel, and two state species of concern, the
Burrowing Owls and badgers.
Landfills
have made great strides in protecting wildlife. But everybody must become
involved in protecting wildlife from household waste. Recycling reduces the
litter problem. Improvements in package construction can reduce unnecessary
waste and make them less harmful to wildlife. Proper disposal methods can help
to keep litter that we accumulate from becoming a death trap to wild animals.
If people learn to respect the environment and are aware of the threat trash
poses to wildlife, they will be less likely to litter.
What You Can Do!
There
are many things that your clubs, science classes and families can do to help
protect animals from being injured by trash. Below are some ideas.
1. Look at
the products your family uses. Is there a lot of extra packaging that is not
needed? Tell the company by letter, phone or e-mail. They have offices set up
to handle such concerns. Don't buy from companies who refuse to reduce
unnecessary packaging.
2. Check
the trash that your family discards. Does your trash get placed in an animal
proof container? That will help protect animals. It is still wise to check each
item that you discard. What packages could injure animals? Cut up or tie
plastic bags and six pack holders into knots to prevent injury to small
animals. Remove can tops completely. Seal food in leak proof bags. Put lids on
bottles and jars, or plug holes before disposing of them.
3. Get
involved with community cleanup projects such as Earth Day
4. Better
yet, make community clean up a routine. If you see trash in a field or along a
road, pick it up (wear gloves or some other hand protection).
5. Teach
others about the need for protecting animals from trash.
Note:Shared from
environmentalchemistry.com
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