Question

New York City is spending too much $ in recycling waste and and the mayor prefers to bury it in landfills to save $ and help to balance the budget. Do you think this is right or wrong?

Answer 1

Waste management is essential activity for any city to sustain. We believe that the government should look to privatise a part of this business, while keeping it highly regulated and keeping safety standards for workers high. Some major points to be considered for the industry are:

It's Lucrative

"Waste Market Overview & Outlook 20016," a report by the "Waste Business Journal," estimated waste management industry revenues would top $120 billion by 2020. The catch is that the industry has a few titans, who command the lion's share of those revenues. However, many companies are investing more heavily into various aspects of waste management, including recycling and new disposal technology.

Recession-Resistant

People always generate trash. So there will always be a need to collect it and dispose of it. The Waste Business Journal report said that people and companies are generating less waste, generally declining in tandem with the economy. However, the profitability of waste management facilities has been somewhat resistant to the ebbs and flows of the economy. In addition to constant demand, many companies have raised prices to offset the decline in waste volume. In addition, more facilities are consolidating.

Hazardous

Dealing with waste is dangerous. It poses hazards to employees and the residents near your facilities, which in turn creates a liability risk to the company. Your employees face numerous health threats, especially from skin contact through cuts and abrasions, accidental injections from sharp objects, hand-to-mouth contact -- such as when employees eat after handling waste -- inhaling dangerous fumes, dealing with feces, handling dead animals, rodent infestations and contact with hazardous chemicals. From these risks arise the potential for skin disease, bacterial infections and viruses and tetanus. The investment in safety of your employees, therefore, would be substantial. To nearby residents and businesses, some of the major risks of landfills include groundwater contamination and reduced air quality.

Tightly Regulated

Because of the inherent dangers, waste management facilities face many regulations. Laws and rules from the federal, state, local and even tribal governments create a steep bureaucratic mountain to climb, as well as significant outlay to ensure your facility is up to code. Landfills have rules about where they can be located, how they operate, what kind of companies they can contract with, how they can be designed and what kinds of waste can be accepted. In addition, facilities must monitor groundwater and air quality and be prepared to take corrective actions. Moreover, should the facility ever close, a number of regulations exists to cover post-closure care.