The Benefits of Recycling for the Environment – Pollution, Air, and Water
Background of the Study
Environmental pollution is a major issue across the world. Theodore & Theodore (2021) define environmental pollution as the unfavorable change in a surrounding due to human actions through indirect or direct impacts of the changes in radiation levels, energy patterns, living things, and physical and chemical constitutions. The main types of pollution are man-made and natural pollution. On the one hand, natural pollution is any pollution arising from a natural occurrence. The main sources of natural pollution are volcanic eruptions, defecation, acid rain, and Biological decay. On the other hand, man-made pollution arises from human activities. Pollutants from man-made activities threaten the health of living things, especially human beings, and compromise the environment and natural ecosystem. Generally, the main human activities associated with man-made pollution are waste disposal, consumption, energy generation, and transportation. The pollutants from these activities can enter the environment in different ways, such as water systems, the atmosphere, and soil. Need help with your assignment ? Reach out to us. We offer excellent services.
Waste is among the main pollutants contributing to environmental pollution. The waste includes household waste, industrial waste, and any waste disposed of in public places such as public parks. Various waste management strategies have been proposed to reduce the waste released to the environment. According to Al Arni & Elwaheidi (2020), waste management includes a waste hierarchy that includes reusing, reducing, and recycling. The hierarchy focuses on extracting the most practical benefits from products and producing less waste. Waste management strategies may vary based on the type of waste. For instance, hazardous waste materials require special waste management presses to prevent toxic substances from being exposed to those in contact with the waste.
More emphasis is being placed on reducing waste through reusing and recycling. According to Milios et al. (2018), recycling is regulated by legal requirements put in place due to pressure from the public to conserve the environment and reduce waste. The main benefits of recycling for the environment are preventing air, water, and general environmental pollution. Over the years, there has been a prevalence of plastics being used in repackaging, and most of these plastics end up in landfills. According to Madaleno (2018), landfill space reduces as communities continue developing and setting up structures on idle land. There has also been a history of poor management of landfills, resulting in the diversion of waste from the landfills to the environment to create more space for waste. Research conducted by Radhakrishnan (2015) indicated that the most effective way to reduce pollution from plastics is through recycling.
The main recycling levels include tertiary, secondary, quaternary, and primary recycling. Secondary recycling includes mechanically converting waste into a product with other environmentally-friendly properties, and primary recycling includes mechanically converting waste into products with similar properties. Tertiary recycling includes recovering chemical waste, and quaternary recycling includes recovering energy from waste or producing energy from waste decomposition to create something useful, such as biogas. Besides minimizing waste, recycling also protects the environment by eliminating the need to manufacture other products, hence preventing air pollution from harmful gases emitted during the manufacturing process. The gases have also been attributed to global warming, which is among the most adverse threats to the environment. Existing research has focused on the benefits of recycling based on reducing waste in the environment. Therefore, there is a research gap on the role of recycling in reducing air and water pollution. The current research will fill this gap by reviewing the benefits of recycling in reducing and preventing air and water pollution.
Problem Statement
Fresh water and fresh air are the most important things supporting the survival of living things. They also define the quality of life. For instance, people who do not have access to clean water and clean air have a poor quality of life because they are predisposed to diseases. The main adverse effects of air pollution are depletion of the ozone layer, respiratory diseases, and acid rain. According to Müller (2012), the ozone layer protecting living things on Earth from harmful sun rays is depleted by harmful gases emitted in chemical production. The gases reduce the thickness of the ozone layer, resulting in the penetration of ultraviolet sun rays that cause cataracts, skin cancer, and poor immune system. The rays also harm sensitive crops and stunt the growth of crops that human beings and herbivores rely on for survival. Acid rain contains high levels of sulfuric and nitric acid. The acids arise from sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides released from the combustion of fossil fuels. The acids are then poured into the earth as dry or wet precipitation. The acids may also be dispersed in the wind, exposing human beings to respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis and asthma.
Acid rain also damages plants and makes water unsafe for consumption and aquatic animals. Air pollution also plays a major role in global climate change due to the imbalance in the gases in the atmosphere, increased methane and carbon dioxide, and increasing temperature levels. Water pollution is among the main types of pollution affecting human life. A study conducted by Owa (2014) indicated that water pollution contributes to approximately 14,000 deaths daily, particularly in poor neighborhoods and areas near manufacturing plants. Water pollution also causes various diseases by harboring viruses and bacteria. For instance, water contamination is the leading cause of cholera, resulting in a high mortality rate among people in poor neighborhoods (Srivastava, 2013). Water pollution also affects plant nutrition, thus affecting human health. Human beings rely on nutrients from plants to live a healthy life and increase their lifespan; hence, there is a need to grow plants with clean water. Water pollution is also a leading cause of the depletion of aquatic life. Some communities, particularly those living near water bodies, rely on fish for food and a source of income; thus, preventing water pollution is critical.
Based on the important role that water and air play in human lives and the adverse effects of water and air pollution, it is important to create awareness of proper waste management practices. Recycling is among the most effective waste management practices that can reduce the amount of waste produced per household. Therefore, this research will hypothesize that recycling can effectively prevent water and air pollution. The main research questions that will be answered to test this hypothesis are;
- What is the role of recycling in preventing air pollution?
- What is the role of recycling in preventing water pollution?
- What waste can be recycled to prevent water, air, and general environmental pollution?
Scope of the Study
The scope of the study will be the impact of recycling on protecting the environment. The main research areas that will be reviewed are the role of recycling in preventing water and air pollution and the types of waste that can be recycled to prevent water, air, and general environmental pollution. In reviewing the role of recycling in preventing water and air pollution, the researcher will consider the role of waste in water and air pollution and the most appropriate recycling methods to prevent these types of pollution. The review of the waste that can be recycled to prevent water, air, and general environmental pollution will be considered the most common waste generated in most households.
Significance of the Study
Environmental pollution continues to affect most societies. Currently, people recognize the need to conserve the environment due to the realization of the negative impacts of environmental pollution. Organizations and brands, particularly globally recognized brands, are creating awareness of the need for environmental conservation and are making an initiative to conserve the environment. Governments are also setting policies to encourage environmental conservation and reduce the waste generated per household. The most effective way that waste can be reduced is through recycling. Although the concept of recycling has been in public discussions for a long time, people are still reluctant to recycle due to ignorance or lack of awareness of the extent to which their recycling practices can save the environment. The research intends to create awareness of the role of recycling in conserving the environment by preventing environmental, water, and air pollution. The study’s findings will be significant to manufacturers because they can understand the value of manufacturing products that yield recyclable waste. The research findings will also enhance awareness among the public about the importance of recycling to prevent water, air, and environmental pollution. The research will also contribute to the large body of related research by adding information on the important role of recycling in preventing environmental, air, and water pollution.
References
Al Arni, S. S., & Elwaheidi, M. M. (2020). Waste Management Hierarchy. Concise Handbook of Waste Treatment Technologies, 23-28. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003112266-5
Madaleno, M. (2018). Environmental pollution, waste generation, and human health. Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.26717/bjstr.2018.08.001671
Milios, L., Esmailzadeh Davani, A., & Yu, Y. (2018). Sustainability impact assessment of increased plastic recycling and future pathways of plastic waste management in Sweden. Recycling, 3(3), 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling3030033
Müller, R. (2012). Stratospheric ozone depletion and climate change. Royal Society of Chemistry.
Owa, F. (2014). Water pollution: Sources, effects, control and management. International Letters of Natural Sciences, 8, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/ilns.8.1
Radhakrishnan, S. (2015). Environmental implications of reuse and recycling of packaging. Environmental Footprints of Packaging, 165-192. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-913-4_7
Srivastava, B. S. (2013). Cholera and drinking water. Water and Health, 75-92. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-1029-0_5
Theodore, M. K., & Theodore, L. (2021). The pollution prevention concept. Introduction to Environmental Management, 267-275. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003171126-35
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Question 
Your final assignment will require the development of a business research proposal that includes the core elements of research. The assignment will be completed in two parts: Part 1, due at the end of Week Four, and Part 2, due at the end of Week Eight. As presented in the textbook, “the key purpose of any [full] research report is to offer a clear description of what has been done in the various stages of the research process” (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016, p. 353).
The Benefits of Recycling for the Environment
The research proposal represents the initial stage of the research process where both the study and researcher are properly authorized, and the methodology, cost, and duration of the study are determined to ensure the research process is carried out as smoothly as possible. The research proposal also provides the purpose of the study and the research design details of the investigation to be carried out by the researcher. Upon completion, the research proposal will be approved by the sponsor, who will issue a letter of authorization to proceed with the study. The research proposal will typically contain the elements below (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016, p. 45):
1. A working title – anchors the focus of the study in a similar way as the research problem and keeps the researcher oriented to the main purpose of the study; a final title may be selected later in the study to more accurately reflect the subject and scope of the study (Sacred Heart University Library, 2019).
2. Background of the study/Literature Review – identifies and describes the history and nature of the research problem with reference to existing literature and shows that the researcher has a basic understanding of the research problem (Sacred Heart University Library, 2019).
3. The problem statement – a statement about an area of concern, a condition to be improved, a difficulty to be eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or in practice that points to the need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation (Sacred Heart University Library, 2019).
The purpose of the study is to introduce readers to the importance of the topic being studied.
Research questions – The research problem is posed in the form of questions.
4. The scope of the study – the extent to which the topic will be covered in the study.
5. The relevance of the study – shows how meaningful the topic studied is in the context of a larger body of research.
6. The research design – a blueprint or plan for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data created to answer research questions (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016, p. 108). The research design should address these areas:
6.1 Type of study – exploratory and descriptive;
6.2 Data collection methods – the established manner in which data or information will be collected to answer the research question or test a hypothesis;
6.3 The sampling design – the method that supports the process of selecting the right individuals, objects, or events as representatives or a subset of the population to be studied and
6.4 Data analysis – using statistical methods to organize, represent, describe, evaluate, and interpret data.
7. Time frame of the study – includes information on when the written report will be handed over to the sponsors.
8. The budget – details the costs, with reference to specific items of expenditure.
9. Selected bibliography/Reference List – A listing of all sources used in the research process that acknowledges and gives credit to the contributions of the authors whose sources were used in the study.
For the Business Research Proposal- Part 1 assignment, you will be required to identify a business problem to research, identify a working title, describe the background of the study, develop a problem statement, describe the scope and relevance of the study, and compile a bibliography or list of references. The remaining elements of the research proposal will be developed in the final assignment, Business Research Proposal – Part 2. Using the information covered in the textbook and course through Week Four, complete the following requirements for the Business Research Proposal – Part 1 assignment:
1. Identify a business problem to use as an area of focus for the business research proposal and solicit topic approval from the instructor by the end of Week 2.
2 Select a working title that anchors the focus of the business research proposal.
3. Provide the background of the study that includes a brief review of literature related to the business research problem. This information should reveal any gaps in existing literature.
4. Develop a problem statement that describes why it is important to research the selected problem and the specific research question(s) to be answered.
5. Describe the scope of the study, showing the extent to which the selected topic will be covered in the study.
6. Describe the relevance or significance of the study to show how it contributes to the larger body of related research.
7. Include a “Reference List” of all sources used that is formatted in APA writing style.