Convenience frequently trumps eco-friendliness in our modern world. We inhabit a throwaway society where disposable goods are the standard, resulting in a shocking amount of rubbish being produced. Among the many types of waste, we generate, glass bottles and jars pose a significant environmental challenge that can no longer be ignored, especially in Kenya.
Despite being among the materials that can be easily recycled over and over again without loss in quality, there is an overwhelming annual quantity of waste containing glasses within the country’s borders which puts so much pressure on fragile ecosystems.
The Magnitude of Glass Waste in Kenya
It’s quite alarming the number of glass waste in Kenya. According to the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), Kenyans dispose of about 8,000 metric tonnes of glass waste annually which is taken to the garbage sites or illegal dumping areas. Nairobi City alone generates approximately 2,500 metric tonnes per year.
The Environmental Consequences of Glass Waste
When glass waste is not properly managed, it can have devastating consequences for the environment. Here are some of the major environmental impacts of glass waste:
- Long Decomposition Time
Glass is manufactured from raw materials like sand, soda ash, and limestone, all of which are widely available. Nonetheless, the natural decomposition rate of glass is incredibly slow. For example, a glass bottle can take up to one million years to disintegrate in a landfill site, thus classifying glass waste itself as a forever contaminant.
2. Landfill Overcrowding and Soil Contamination
As more glass rubbish piles into landfills, they become full, which could cause pollution such as poisoning water or making dirt poisonous. When garbage breaks down in a dump, liquids pick up chemicals and drip them all over the place through other garbage. On the contrary, a liquid squeezed from rubbish in a dump gets poison in the earth and underground water as it goes that way due to place overcrowding from waste breakdown. That said we need not forget that dumps are becoming full of more and more glass garbage
3. Marine Pollution and Ecosystem Disruption
About ninety-percent of the total amount of glass waste that is produced finds its way into the oceans and water bodies, where it poses a great danger to the sea life. Glass bottles and jars when thrown into the sea can cause harm to water animals by either being eaten or trapping them. The sharp edges from crushed glasses can cause cuts to marine creatures hence affecting their movement and causing deaths as well through infections.
4. Energy and Resource Wastage
Creating fresh glass involves a lot of energy as well as raw materials and high heat. When glass is thrown away instead of being reused, it means the resources and energy used to make it are lost. On the contrary, if glass is recycled, it can save up to 30% of the energy needed to create new glass thereby decreasing the total carbon footprint.
The Importance of Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling Glass
Addressing the issue of glass waste requires a multi-pronged approach that emphasizes reducing, reusing, and recycling. Here’s why these three principles are crucial:
- Reducing Glass Waste
To minimize the ecological effects of glass disposal, the most practical approach is to decrease the quantity of trash produced. This can be achieved by opting for reusable glass containers and being mindful of our consumption habits.
2. Reusing Glass Containers
Before throwing away glass bottles or jars, users must find ways of reusing them. Used for different needs such as storage, art and decoration. When we use glass again and again, we minimize its pollution of the environment through garbage generation.
3. Recycling Glass
When reusing is not an option, recycling glass is the next best step. Recycling glass not only prevents it from ending up in landfills or oceans but also conserves natural resources and reduces the energy required for producing new glass from raw materials. Unfortunately, Kenya’s glass recycling rate is currently low, with only an estimated 20% of glass waste being recycled.
Becoming Part of the Solution
The crisis of glass waste can be solved if everybody pulls together: individuals, businesses, and the government. The following are some tips for consumers who want to make a change:
- We can support local businesses or groups that sell eco-friendly products made from recycled or upcycled materials.
- Participating in local glass recycling programs and properly separating glass waste for recycling.
- Where possible, let us cut down on our use of disposable glass containers by embracing minimalism.
- Advocating for better recycling infrastructure and holding manufacturers accountable for their environmental impact
Together, we can create a world where glass waste is no longer a burden on our environment but a valuable resource to be repurposed and reused indefinitely.
Conclusion
The present problem of glass waste can be ignored no longer. For our country to have a sustainable future, we must first know how bad it is and what it does to the environment. One way or another, change will come if we learn to reduce, reuse, and recycle glass, as well as look into upcycling and circular economy as some of the answers to this problem. The time has come when people need to stop being so wasteful with glass, take a step back and think about what they are doing.
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