Environmental Issues

Solid waste management has become a big and important issue to many economies in the world. There is need to ensure a well-planned solid management strategy so that the problem of solid waste accumulation which can lead to more problems such as health problems and environmental degradation can be avoided. This paper seeks to examine the solid waste management in China and Canada

Introduction
Natural resources endowed to any country are of great importance for economic development. However, economic activities lead to degradation of some of these natural resources. Human activities in this case play most important roles. Day to day activities may lead to air, water or soil pollution. Many countries in the world are facing environment challenges, which are both from external and internal sources. Global warming, acid rains, air, soil and water pollution are some of problems being faced by many world economies. An increase in solid waste has also been a challenge to many economies. Strategies to manage this waste have been implemented in many countries but a lot more needs to be done. Purpose of this paper is to examine solid waste management in both China and Canada.

Objectives
This paper shall highlight importance of solid waste management. In addition to this, this paper will find out differences and similarities in solid waste management in two main countries, China and Canada. Solid waste management is not an easy task thereby there is a requirement for all countries to design policies that can ensure solid waste management in a controlled manner. Thereby this paper will highlight and suggest policies suitable for these countries.

Solid Waste Management in China
Scenarios in China
It has been observed that rapid growth of solid waste in China for the last two decades has caused rapid increase in environmental damage. In many Chinese rivers, 70 of the water is rated as severely polluted. A report from China National environmental Monitoring Center postulates that no major city in china has a good air quality. Ecological systems near Shanghai and other major cities are dangerously close to collapse.

Urban and rural areas of China have suffered severe environmental problems. Realizing these issues, higher authorities in China have tried to design policies that can help in decreasing or to control these environmental and ecological damages (News Agency, 2003). China has not been consistent in implementing environmental measures, which have been proposed over the years (Bemhard, 1995, p. 86-88). Many environmental issues faced by China include water, air, noise and soil pollution and it includes organic waste oil products, nitrates, sulphates cyanides, arsenic and heavy metals, mercury and cadmium, chromium and phenolic compounds. According to many reports, it has been seen that around 15 million tons of ash is annually emitted to Chinese rivers by coal-fired power industries.

Laws Related To Solid Waste Management
It has been observed in case of China that enforcement of environmental laws and apparatus have not been emphasized. Within citizens, higher authorities observe that environmental awareness is stumpy. This has led to more environmental problems. Many different kinds of policies have been designed that have not been taken seriously. There is an utter need to increase environmental awareness in citizens whether by increased advertisements or by utilizing media. Options that have been currently considered for solid waste management in China include landfills, which account for more than 70 of the total. Second option has been compositing and this option accounts for 20. Waste incineration plays a minor role. There has been increased recovery and recycling technologies as well as improved sanitary landfills. Main approaches to management of solid waste have been centralized on dumping and technology waste landfills.

Waste Recycling as an option
Waste recycling is usually done by waste collectors, either at the source or at the site where this waste is disposed. There are two kinds of compositing. One is known as high temperature compositing and the other is referred to as mechanical type. Solid waste incinerators are found in less than 10 municipal in China. Ministry of construction is responsible for management of solid waste on national levels. Environmental Sanitary Departments organizes management, transportation, and disposal of waste.

Solid Waste Management in Canada
According to OECD, contemporary environmental problems currently being faced in Canada include climate change, air and water pollution, wastewater collection and disposal of waste. Environmental protection is not explicitly integrated in countrys constitution. Federal and provincial authorities address only political and specific issues. Canadian government should integrate environmental concerns into its economic and sectoral decisions.

Waste treatment and disposal in Canada has usually been managed through municipal and regional governments (Paul, 2005). Canadian government has been a bit reluctant in promoting waste reduction and recycling and no comprehensive approach has been observed in this case (Barry, 1994, p. 152). Canadian federal government and provinces plays a great role in solid waste management. Federal government has a role of gathering and disseminating information, conducting research, developing national guidelines and demonstrating activities as far as waste disposal is concerned. Canadian Council of Resources and Environment Ministers are involved in the mechanisms that involve the waste management.

However much is being done as far as solid waste disposal is concerned. Industry for solid disposal in Canada is gradually becoming stable and strong. New landfills and incinerators are being constructed due to continued demand for quality dumpers, compactors, and other related products. Canada has the knowledge that significant gaps and inefficiencies exist in Canadian recycling, including some plastics and e-waste disposal is concerned.

Waste Disposal Industry and Economical Condition of a Country
Waste disposal industry is immune to economic conditions in many ways. In 2006, Canadians produced a total of 40 million tons of waste. Since 2004, waste has been increasing at a rate of 8. The construction of new land fills recycling and installation of incinerators have become more popular in waste disposal. Many provincial authorities have been favoring recycling and compositing initiatives as opposed to the approval of new facilities. Strategies to extend the life of existing infrastructures are being pursued by the provincial government.

Many cities in Canada as Vancouver and Toronto handle residential waste collection. Municipalities and private companies handle the residential waste recycling.  Regional districts are the ones involved in operation of land fills and incinerators. Nevertheless, in some areas incinerators and landfills are managed by the private companies.

Summary of Key Applicable Policies, Legislation, and Regulations
There is a need for an integrated solid waste management approach that will seek reduction of waste, recycling and reuse opportunities at different tenant companies and individual companies. Regulations such as taxations on pollutants and sale of pollutants permits should be used to reduce solid waste from the economic agents.

Regulatory Instruments
Ambient Environmental Quality
This will dictate analysis of highest allowable pollutants in ambient water or air.

Effluent standards
These regulations will entail establishment of legal ceiling of total quantity of pollution discharged from pollution source.

Similarities in Chinese and Canadian Waste Management Policies
There exist some similarities in case of Chinese and Canadian solid waste management.
Three main methods that are used in China and Canada for solid waste
management include landfills, incinerators and composites.

Landfills are waste disposal methods that carries biggest proportion of solid
waste. In China, landfills are means of waste disposal and these account for more than
70 of the total. Main approaches to management of solid waste have been centralized
on dumping and technology waste landfills.

There has been a rapid increase in solid waste which has necessitated
more efforts to manage solid waste. In Canada, new landfills and incinerators are being
constructed due to continued demand for quality dumpers, compactors, incinerators and
other related products (Cheryl and Amia, 2009). In China, there has been an increased
recovery and recycling technologies as well as improved sanitary landfills.

Private sector has also been involved in solid waste management. Private sector
has played some roles in conjunction with governmental authority as far as collection of solid waste, its transportation as well as disposal is concerned. In case of Canada, municipalities and private companies handle the residential waste recycling. Regional districts are involved in operation of land fills and incinerators. Nevertheless, in some areas the private companies manage incinerators and landfills (Cheryl and Amia, 2005). It has been realized that after China has turned into the worlds largest producer is municipal solid waste with a total turnover of 190 million tones of solid waste per year,

Chinese government has opened doors for business entities to be involved in solid waste
disposal since this has become a big problem.

In both countries, solid waste mass has become a crisis. Problem posed by solid
waste has become a major problem. It has reached crisis proportions. Since in modern society, waste has been increased by production of materials that are designed to be replaced thereby many cities in the country faces shortage of space in old landfills.

Differences in Chinese and Canadian Waste Management Policies
Canadian approach has been using voluntary approach. Voluntary approach towards solid waste management has been emphasized in Canada. In China, in case of solid waste management, government and municipalities have been key players. In China, it is the ministry of construction that organizes the management of solid waste in the national levels. The Environmental Sanitary Departments organizes the management, transportation, and disposal of waste. On the other hand, Environmental Protection Departments are involved in management of environmental pollution.

Effectiveness of Solid Waste Management Approaches in Canada And China
Solid waste management in Canada has gradually been improving towards successfully attaining acceptable standards where solid waste cannot be lethal to public health and environmental degradation. Solid waste disposal industry in Canada is stable and strong thereby solid waste management has been effective.

However, in China more efforts are needed. China is the world largest producer of solid waste and this has become a crisis thereby solid waste management has not been effective. China has not consistently implemented environmental measures that have been proposed over the years. However, intervention of private companies in solid waste management in China may soon lead to success in solid waste management.

Conclusion
Environmental issues being faced in China are often summarized as air, soil, and water pollution summing up to global warming. Solid waste leads to soil and water pollution. In Canada, the same environmental problems are being faced.  Solid waste management is indispensable in both Canada and China. An integrated approach towards management of solid waste should be emphasized in both Canada and China. Practices that will encourage reuse, recycling and compositing of solid waste should be encouraged.

In both countries, there is need for explicit integration of solid waste management in the government plans. incentives that will encourage more participation of private sector such as good payments and low corporate and income taxes to solid waste management business should be an option for these economies. On the other hand public awareness should be created as far as reuse, recycling and disposal of solid waste is concerned.