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Misconceptions about our Current Waste Management System

There are many misconceptions about waste, the use and disposal of toxic chemicals, and the relationship between environmental health and economic vitality. When these are re-examined, we can see why we need to move Beyond Waste. These misconceptions, and the dangers they pose, were the impetus for the Beyond Waste Plan.

Misconception 1: If a product is on the shelf, it is safe.
Fact: The use of chemicals is proliferating and there is no systematic assessment of their impact on human health or the environment. We might assume products have been tested and declared safe for the intended purpose. What we may not know is that:

• Many chemicals in products have not been tested or approved by any regulatory authority for their impacts on human health.
• We are exposed to chemicals through product use and disposal.
• Children and infants are at greater risk of harm from exposure because of their low body weight, high metabolic rates, and the tendency to put things in their mouths.

Misconception 2: Existing laws and regulations provide adequate protection from toxic chemicals
Fact: Many toxic chemicals are released into the environment through:

• Permitted discharges
• Exclusions to regulations
• Non-point sources
• Hazardous waste management related problems

The total amount of toxins entering the environment through these channels is significant. Un-regulated, un-tracked emissions far outweigh permitted sources. Cumulative effects of these hazardous wastes contribute to an increasing toxic burden in our environment and our bodies.

Misconception 3: Landfills solve the waste problem
Fact: Waste is inefficient. Landfills ignore the true cost of waste and the missed opportunities to conserve resources and foster new business markets. As long as there is waste, landfills will continue to provide an important service. However, reliance on landfills does not provide an adequate solution to our future resource and waste management problems because:

• Permanent disposal of potentially useful materials means our economy must rely on extracting increasing amounts of diminishing natural resources.
• Hazardous substances are present in many wastes being disposed.
• Subsidies and hidden impacts distort the complete costs of landfilling, perpetuating the belief that it is more economic to dispose of, rather than reclaim, material.

Misconception 4: Recycling solves the waste problem
Fact: Recycling is a necessary component of diverting material from disposal facilities and reducing virgin material demand, but the current system is not wholly effective. Recycling does not successfully address long range problems of waste accumulation and resource depletion because:

• Most products are not designed for recycling so it can be difficult and expensive to recover and reprocess materials.
• Virgin material subsidies and the external costs not accounted for in our disposal practices place recyclable materials at an economic disadvantage compared to virgin materials.
• Some companies that call themselves recyclers are actually waste-trading - exporting the materials to other venues where they are subsequently landfilled, or recycled under hazardous environmental and working conditions.

Misconception 5: Eliminating waste and toxics will be bad for the economy
Fact: Waste is a result of poor product design, failure to efficiently use resources, and subsidized markets that encourage waste. Many leading businesses understand that waste is lost profit and eliminating waste can benefit their bottom line. Eliminating waste and toxins will benefit the Washington economy because:

• Existing businesses can save money
• There will be new job creation (reuse, remanufacturing, efficiency, and recycling industries)
• Businesses will be able to compete more effectively in the global economy.

For more information of waste misconceptions, see the background paper "The Future of Wastes and Toxics in Washington"