The dump can be defined as a place where garbage is deposited without any kind of care. This means that these places become large open-air deposits with the most varied products, from residential waste, such as food scraps, to hospital waste, with syringes and other contaminating products. It is worth noting that medical waste must not be disposed of in landfills. However, in many places, this is not the reality, and these products are released indiscriminately into the environment.
→ Does the dump cause damage to the environment?
As mentioned, there are different types of materials in the dump, which are placed in an open area without any prior analysis of their risks. With this, it is clear that this discarded material may contain substances that are harmful to the environment and even to human beings.
Among the main damages to the environment, we can mention:
Ground contamination: Decomposing organic matter (such as food waste), products with toxic substances and disease-causing organisms can make the soil contaminated. Imagine, for example, that the feces of a person infected with a verminosis were thrown directly onto the ground without any kind of care. The worms contained in the stool can then stay there, contaminating it.
Contamination of the water table: Garbage, when it decomposes, forms a dark, unpleasant-smelling substance called slurry. In dumps, this liquid is produced naturally and can contaminate groundwater, making it unsuitable for our use.
Production of toxic and smelly gases: The decomposition of waste produces gases that can also be harmful to health. These gases can cause fires that release toxic fumes.
Attraction of animals that transmit diseases: Trash is an ideal place for the survival of animals such as cockroaches and rats. In addition, the material discarded in landfills can accumulate water and, consequently, become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, such as the Aedes aegypti,responsible for the transmission of diseases such as dengue and Zika.
→ Is the landfill problem just an environmental one?
Landfills are much more than an environmental problem. These garbage dumps also constitute a social issue, since many people live in these areas and use garbage as a way to earn money for their survival and that of their families. As we have seen, unfortunately, garbage threatens these people's lives, as they are exposed to agents disease-causers, toxic gases and materials that can cause accidents, such as wood and glass chips broken.
Read too “Garbage collection” and learn how this attitude can reduce the problem of garbage on the planet.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
