Beyond Waste home > Why Beyond Waste?

Why Beyond Waste?

The Beyond Waste Plan is a strategic response to a long-term problem. Today in Washington, we are fortunate to have good waste management and an excellent disposal infrastructure, put in place largely by the waste management industry. Many businesses work hard to comply with environmental regulations. Many citizens and businesses source separate recyclables. But in the long-term, what we are doing is not nearly enough. Reputable studies increasingly point to the health impacts of industrial waste and hazardous materials on human beings. We can no longer “afford” as a society to produce toxic materials and wastes that are causing increasing environmental and health problems, including learning disabilities in our children.

The Future of Waste and Toxins in Washington

According to the state Office of Financial Management, population in Washington is projected to increase by 2.34 million people by the year 2030. Waste generation is predicted to increase at an even greater rate. Advances in science and technology will continue to provide opportunities for the creation of thousands of new chemical compounds.

Rising population, combined with a rise in disposable products and synthetic chemicals places increased demands on our communities and the environment. Washington has made tremendous progress in managing wastes during the past few decades. Our air, water, and soil are better protected through laws and regulations that govern handling and disposal of wastes and toxic substances. Yet, despite the efforts of business, government, and citizens, the total volume of toxic substances entering the environment and our bodies is increasing. Despite aggressive recycling programs, the amount of garbage continues to grow. The long term effects of these accumulations are uncertain, but there is increasing evidence that there are potential health risks to humans and ecosystems.

The duty to enhance, protect, and preserve Washington’s environment rests on the shoulders of government, businesses, and citizens alike.

It is certainly better to manage hazardous waste properly than to dump it in open pits. It is better to recycle than to throw everything in the garbage. These solutions alone, however, will not ensure a healthy environment for future generations.

We hold many misconceptions about waste, the use and disposal of toxic chemicals, and the relationship between environmental health and economic vitality. This publication highlights five such myths, and presents information that offers a more accurate picture. In some cases, the statistics are surprising, in others distressing, but there is something we can do about it.

More than half of Washington’s water bodies are considered unsafe for swimming or fish harvesting due to elevated levels of toxics.

We all want a positive future for Washington State. To get there, though, we need to take an honest look at the negative influences around us today. Today’s volume of waste and the materials that waste contains will all contribute to tomorrow’s problems. Too often, our society is unaware of or ignores the dangers posed by both products and waste materials. We cannot move to a positive future by holding a simple faith that pollution, in general, is safely under control. There are too many cases where this faith is mistaken.

The exposure of myths below reveals some of the threats at hand. The need to face these dangers was, and is, the impetus for the Beyond Waste Plan. So, let’s start by getting beyond these myths!

Myth 1: If a product is on the shelf, it is safe

Myth 2: Existing regulations provide adequate protection from toxic chemicals

Myth 3: Landfills solve the waste problem

Myth 4: Today's recycling solves the waste problem

Myth 5: Eliminating waste and toxics will be bad for the economy