|
Texas has not adopted any mandatory waste reduction programs, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
relies on public education programs to change attitudes about source reduction and recycling. The Commission states that "voluntary waste reduction (source reduction plus recycling) programs
have helped to limit the growth in the generation and disposal of solid waste." * However, the per capita landfill disposal rate increased in both 1999 and 2000, as did the amount of total tons disposed in landfills. In 1998, the per capita landfill disposal rate was 6.5 pounds, in 1999 and 2000, the per capita rate jumped to 7.5 pounds.
In some parts of the country, laws have been passed to promote green design and source reduction (less
waste generated) through various restrictions on product packaging. For example, the State of Maine bans the sale of single-serving juice boxes.* In Europe, Germany requires manufacturers and retailers to recover and recycle their own packaging waste.
Paper or Plastic: A Contemporary Question?
Many grocery stores today offer the consumer a choice between having their items bagged in plastic or paper.
According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, neither plastic nor paper "has been proven to be significantly tougher on the environment."* During the manufacturing of both paper and plastic there are environmental impacts, including air and water pollution. Energy and natural resources are consumed during the manufacturing of both paper and plastic, and, when disposed of, both take up landfill space. It has not been shown, however, that one has more harmful effects on the environment than the other. According to the Texas Commission on Envirionmental Quality, "the paper or plastic dilemma can be avoided altogether by bringing along a tote bag for a few groceries or by reusing paper or plastic bags that you may have received on your last trip to the store."*
|
