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

The natural resources endowed to any country are of great importance for economic development. However, economic activities lead to degradation of some these natural resources. The day today 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

The increase in solid waste has also been a challenge to many economies. The strategies to manage this waste have been applied in many countries but a lot need to be done. The purpose of this paper is to examine the solid waste management in both china and Canada.

Objectives of the easy will be
To find out the differences and similarities in the solid waste management in China and Canada
To suggest the policies suitable for these countries.

The solid waste management in China
Roger etal (2009 p445), postulate that the rapid growth of in China for the last two decades has caused rapid increase in environmental damage. In the major rivers, 70 of the water is rated as severely polluted. The report from China National environmental Monitoring Center postulate that no major city has a good air quality. The ecological systems near Shangai and other major cities are dangerously close to collapse.

Bemhard (1995 p86-88) postulates that, China urban industrial and rural areas have suffered severe environmental problems China has not consistently implemented environmental measures which have been proposed over the years. Shan etal (2007) postulate that, the environmental issues facing China include water, air noise and soil pollution water pollutants p88 includes organic waste oil products, nitrates, sulphates cyanides, arsenic and heavy metals, mercury and cadmium, chromium and phenolic compounds15 million tones of ash is annually emitted to Chinese rivers by coal-fired power industries.

Gorild (2004 p 135) postulate that, the enforcement of environmental laws and apparatus have not been emphasized. The environmental awareness is low. This has led to more environmental problems. Paul (2005 p92-93) postulates that, the current  municipal solid waste management in China option has been landfills, which account for more than 70 of the total. the second option has been compositing accounting for 20. Waste incineration plays a minor role. There has been increased recovery and recycling technologies as well as improved sanitary landfills. The main approaches to management of solid waste have been centralized dumping and technology waste landfills.

Waste recycling is usually done by waste collectors either at the source or at the site where this waste is disposed. Compositing is usually simple high temperature or mechanical type. The solid waste incinerators are found in less than 10 municipal in whole of 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.

Solid waste management in Canada
According to OECD (1992 p15-16), some of the contemporary environmental problems facing Canada include climate change, air and water pollution, waste water collection and disposal of waste. The environmental protection is not explicitly integrated in the country constitution. The federal and provincial authorities address specific issues. Canada government should integrate environmental concerns into its economic and sectoral decisions.

Paul (2005) postulates that, waste treatment and disposal in Canada has usually been managed through municipal and regional government. Barry (1994 p 152) postulate that Canadian government has been a bit reluctant in promoting waste reduction and recycling in her comprehensive approach. Nunno (1990 p 26) postulates that, the federal government and provinces plays a big role in solid waste management. The 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. The 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. Cheryl and Amia (2009 p1) postulate that, 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, incinerators 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.

The waste disposal industry is immune to economic conditions in many ways. l postulates that in 2006 Canadians produced a total of 40 million tons of waste.  From 2004 the 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. (P7).  Many provincial authorities have been favoring recycling and compositing initiatives as opposed to the approval of new facilities. The strategies to extend the life of existing infrastructures are being pursued by the provincial government.(P4)
Cheryl and Amia also claim that, many cities in Canada such as Vancouver and Toronto handle residential waste collection. Municipalities and private companies handle the residential waste recycling.  Regional districts are the one involved in operation of land fills and incinerators. Nevertheless, in some areas incinerators and landfills are managed by the private companies.

The summary of key applicable policies, legislation, and regulations
There is 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 as postulated by Yong and Murray(2008 p 141). The regulations such as taxations on polluters and sale of pollution permits should be used to reduce solid waste from the economic agents. Janis (1993) postulate that, the regulatory instruments may also include

Ambient environmental quality The will dictate the highest allowable pollutants in ambient water or air

Effluent standard these will regulation will entail establishment of legal ceiling of total quantity of pollution discharged from pollution source.

(3)Key similarities and differences

Similarities
There exist some similarities as far as China and Canada solid waste management. These are explained below
The three main methods are used the landfills, incinerators and composite
Landfills are the waste disposal method that carries the biggest proportion of the solid waste. As postulated by Paul (2005) in China landfills as means of waste disposal account for more than 70 of the total. The main approaches to management of solid waste have been centralized dumping and technology waste landfills.

There has also been rapid increase in solid waste which has necessitated more efforts to manage the solid waste. As postulated by Cheryl and Amia (2009), in Canada, new landfills and incinerators are being constructed due to continued demand for quality dumpers, compactors, incinerators and other related products. In China, Paul (2005) postulates that, There has been increased recovery and recycling technologies as well as improved sanitary landfills.

The private sector has also been involved in the solid waste management. Private sector has played some role in conjunction with the governmental authority as far as collection of the solid waste its transportation as well as the disposal of the same is concerned. As in the case of Canada, Cheryl and Amia (2005) postulate that, municipalities and private companies handle the residential waste recycling.  Regional districts are the one involved in operation of land fills and incinerators. Nevertheless, in some areas incinerators and landfills are managed by the private companies. As purported by the Resource Group(2009) after China turning as the world largest producer municipal solid waste with the total turn over of 190 million tones per year, the government opened doors for business entities to be involved in the solid waste disposal since this has become a big problem.

In both countries the solid waste mass has become a crisis. As postulated by Eldon and Bradley (2004 p 418), the problem posed by solid waste has become a major problem. It has reached a crisis proportion. Since in the modern society the waste has been increased by production of materials that are designed to be replaced many cities in the country faces shortage of space in old landfills.

Differences
The Canadian approach has been using the voluntary approach. As postulated by Frank and George (2002), voluntary approach towards solid waste management has been emphasized in Canada. In the China solid waste management the government and municipalities has been the key player. As Paul (2005) postulate, 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.

How effective or ineffective the management approaches in Canada and China
Doelle (2008) postulates that, the solid waste management in Canada has gradually been improving towards successfully attaining the acceptable standards where solid waste cannot be lethal to public health and environmental degradation. Cheryl and Amia (2005) also postulates that, solid waste disposal industry in Canada is stable and strong meaning the solid waste management has been effective

However, in China much effort needs to be gathered. As postulated by Resource Group (2009), China is the world largest producer of solid waste and these has become a crisis meaning the solid waste management has not been effective. Bemhard (1995 p 88) postulates that, China has not consistently implemented environmental measures which have been proposed over the years. However the private entry into solid waste management in China may soon lead to success in solid waste management.

Conclusion
The environmental issues facing China summarized as air, soil, and water pollution as well as global warming. The solid waste leads to soil and water pollution. In Canada the same environmental problems are being faced.  Solid waste management is indispensable both in Canada and China. An integrated approach towards the management of solid waste should be emphasized in both Canada and China (UNRD 1989). The practices that will encourage the reuse, recycling and compositing of solid waste should be encouraged.

In both countries there is need for explicit integration of the solid waste management in the government plans. The incentives that will encourage more participation of the 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 the public awareness should be created as far as reuse, recycling and disposal of solid waste is concerned.