Evaluating Environmental Regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluating Environmental Regulation - Essay Example Research reports that, the vast percentage of ecological damage is done before a product reaches the consumer, not afterwards: For every ton of post-consumer waste there are 20 tons of hidden pre-consumer waste, as the manufacturing process makes its way from forest, field and mine to supermarket shelf. An estimated 94% of the materials extracted for use in manufacturing durable products become waste before the product is even manufactured. Only 6 per cent of minerals and renewable materials extracted each year are embodied in durable goods. Humans have always created waste. In medieval Europe, for example garbage was damped on the streets where the crows and dogs took advantage of it. When the streets got too smelly, they were collected in carts and dumped it outside the city walls. Consequently, there is certainly a lot to dispose of waste. Americans produce 800kg of post-consumer waste per person per year. Europeans produce 400 kg. Between 1980 and 1985 every OECD country (except Germany and Japan) increased its flow of municipal solid waste - Ireland by as much as 72%. Between 1940 and 1976, the USA consumed more minerals than the whole of humanity did prior to 1940.