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Chapter 3
drums to landfills. These are called
toxic
wastes
. This can create another problem.
After so many years, the materials in the
metal drums may leak into our freshwater
supply. A third problem is that we are
slowly running out of land to take care of
our solid wastes. Then, where do we ship
our solidwastes?
One answer to the solid waste problem is
to
recycle
many of the materials we use.
Recycling is the gathering and reuse of
materials such as paper, glass, cardboard,
plastic, and aluminum. By doing this, we
lessen the amount of land that is needed to
get ridof solidwastes. In1989, Pennsylvania
passed a recycling law. The law says that
every community with 10,000 or more
people must have a recycling program.
There are many smaller communities that
are also recyclingmaterials.
Recycling saves energy and natural
resources. Let’s look at the importance of
recycling. For example, it takes less energy to
melt down aluminum cans than it does to
make aluminum from its mined metal ore.
One recycled aluminum can save enough
electricity to run a computer for threehours.
Ifwehavenomore rawmaterial fromwhich
to make aluminum, it is gone forever. It
becomes like an extinct animal! Recycling
also removes bottles and cans from our
roads. Recyclingmeans that less garbagewill
be taken to landfills. And, recycling means
that less litter will be on the ground.
Recycling these materials means that
some of our natural resources can be used
over and over. Recycling materials is one
very important solution in cleaning and
protecting our environment.
Wise Use of Our
Land,Water, and Air
O
ur state is a large coal-producing
state.Oneway tomine coal is called
strip mining
. Getting coal this
After wastewater is treated at a treatment plant,
it can be returned to our rivers and streams.
