Waste Disposal – An Integral Environmental Issue

Executive Summary

Waste disposal is an integral environmental issue that has arisen due to increasing urbanization and industrialization. A substantial portion of this waste is generated by the industries and hence, they this calls for the organizations to engage in effective waste management practices. Organizations can adhere to waste management by engaging in sustainable production practices, developing sewerage treatment plants and reusing and recycling products. 

The government plays an integral role in managing the overall waste that is generated. The government should develop an integrated sustainable waste management framework that would integrate the governmental authorities, effectively characterize and quantify the waste, recycle and valorize the waste and stabilize the sewerage sludge. The organization should engage in waste disposal practices that creates a value chain impact and enables it satisfy it’s stakeholders. On the other hand, the government should engage in all generic waste disposal since they have a responsibility to protect the environment and the citizens.

Introduction 

With globalization and changing corporate dynamics, many organizations have started working towards leveraging their corporate social responsibility (CSR). This ethical practice enables companies to integrate social and environmental issues in their operational practices. By adapting to this phenomenon, the company is able to embrace responsibility for it’s own actions and create a positive impact on it’s consumers, employees, suppliers, environment and other principal shareholders (Newman, Rand, Tarp and Trifkovic, 2020). Furthermore, CSR also enables an organization to increase it’s profitability and the overall performance. Research from an Ebiquity Global CSR study shows that around 91% of consumers globally expect organizations to solve environmental and social issues while undergoing production (Collier, 2018). Hence, there is increasing pressure on corporations to adhere to the social responsibility.

However, it is integral for government to take care of certain social and environmental issues. This is because the citizens hold the government responsible for the socio-economic growth of the nation. Many conservative critics like Friedman argue that Corporations should not take responsibility of the society, which places the burden on the shoulders of the government (Kulin and Johansson Sevä, 2019). Hence, it is integral for both the government and corporations to effectively distribute the responsibility for social and environmental issues. 

This essay primarily highlights the role of the government and businesses in mitigating the environmental issue of waste disposal. The text also discusses the waste disposal tasks that should be handled by the government and businesses and highlights how superimposing non-economical tasks on businesses is unjustified. 

Waste Disposal 

Rapid industrialization and urbanization have dramatically risen the volume of waste disposed off by modern communities and businesses. This waste poses various threats to the public health and to the environment. This is because, the waste on the roads and on dump sites release toxic chemicals into the atmosphere which is harmful for the environment and the humans. Hence, effective solid waste management is integral in order to mitigate it’s detrimental effects on the humans and the environment (Muhammad, Shamsuddin, Yahaya and Nuhu, 2019).  Organizations play an integral role in contributing to this environmental issue since many firms manufacture and release waste. This kind of industrial waste includes scrap metal, dirt, oil, solvents, plastics and toxic chemicals that are released into the environment and cause harm to the environment. This waste is an externality for the business whose costs would have to be borne by local communities. Hence, corporations have a responsibility to help the government in effectively executing the process of waste management (Crane, Matten and Spence, 2008).  

Role of Business 

Organizations have a significant role to play in regulating the industrial waste disposal. Most of the waste generated from the factories include solid waste and chemical waste which can be treated by using sewerage treatment plants. Furthermore, various technologies such as the GPS, radio frequency identification and integrated software packages can be used by the organizations to effectively manage waste. It is the responsibility of organizations to install specialized treatment systems and technologies that can treat the toxic pollutants present in the industrial waste. 

The organizations should work with consumers to manage and reduce the waste disposed. This can be done by creating a shared culture of responsibility, reuse and repair with the customers and reiterating the brand awareness through this norm of sustainability. Lastly, firms should endeavor to reduce the amount of waste generated. For instance, companies could repair broken tools rather than purchasing new ones, develop reusable products, reuse second-hand materials and develop environmentally friendly products. This will enable organizations to mitigate a lot of industrial waste and would enable them to engage in sustainable production (Awuchi, Awuchi and Ikechukwu, 2020).

By engaging into sustainable behavior, the organizations are able to adhere to the triple-bottom pyramid of economic, social and environmental performance. By effectively utilizing the natural resources and disposing waste wisely, an organization is able to operate efficiently. This environmentally-friendly corporate behavior leads to the creation of a health society which houses a number of successful corporations operating sustainably. These socially beneficial environmental practices enable organizations to work towards securing their long-term economic performance (Kramer and Porter, 2006). 

Role of government 

The government should also play an essential role in mitigating the waste disposal. Most problems related to waste disposal arise due to constitutional violations in governmental agencies and economic disparities between rural and urban settings. The governments are capable of resolving their operational, financial and technical deficiencies that can regulate the waste disposal system. It is the responsibility of the government to coordinate with various municipalities and install centralized waste disposal facilities which would restrict the number of landfills and contract the territory occupies (Massoud, Mokbel, Alawieh and Yassin, 2019). 

The government should also devise a framework for the effective management of waste that can be implemented country-wide. This process would involve the characterization and quantification of waste in a technically-feasible, financially sustainable, socially acceptable and environmental-friendly manner. The government should also encourage waste valorization which enables the authorities to sort out the waste and combine it with recycling material to generate renewable energy. The recycled waste can also be used for agricultural activities which would thereby leverage the country’s production capacity (Abdel-Shafy and Mansour, 2018). 

The government should also endeavor stabilize the sewage sludge which is generated due to ineffective waste disposal practices. This would prevent the country was experienced drainage blockages, thereby enhancing the living standards of people. The government should also work towards establishing training and awareness sessions that can inform the municipal workers about the need for an efficient waste management system. Furthermore, in order to regulate the waste disposal, the government should hold the lower-level authorities accountable for any waste disposal mismanagements. By developing a sustainable waste management framework, the governmental authorities will be able reduce the environmental damage and will create a safe space for humans to live and grow (Massoud, Mokbel, Alawieh and Yassin, 2019). 

Effective Waste Management – Distribution of tasks 

Waste disposal is an extensive process which should be handled carefully in order to mitigate the negative environmental impact. Both governments and organizations are responsible to effectively manage waste, however, both these sectors should distribute their tasks according to the social priorities and operational agendas (Abdel-Shafy and Mansour, 2018). 

Tasks handled by the Business

It is integral for organizations to handle societal tasks that fall in sync with it’s particular business. The ultimate guide for the company’s corporate social responsibility should be to take environmental initiatives that would enable a company to create shared value that bears benefits for both the society and the business. Other societal and environmental issues are resolved by the NGOs and the governmental institutions (Kramer and Porter, 2006)

Organizations should effectively manage the waste that is generated on their properties. This waste may also be classified under the value chain social impact since it is generated as a result of an organization’s operational procedures. It is responsibility of the company to effectively dispose off this industrial waste by installing toxic chemical treatment plants that curb the release of toxins into the environment and can prevent environmental and social harm(Awuchi, Awuchi and Ikechukwu, 2020). 

Sustainable production is another integral waste management practice that organizations should adapt to. Companies should develop a manufacturing strategy that involves reuse, reduction, remanufacturing and recycling. This kind of production encourages efficient utilization of energy and resources, prevents pollution, mitigates the waste went to incinerators and land-fills and helps sustain the environment for future generations. It also enables the company to achieve business excellence, leverage financial performance and build strong relationship with stakeholders. For instance, Australian-Based Plantic Technologies introduced a sustainable bio-plastic material for packaging and also increased the shelf-life of it’s packaged meats. The other Australian organizations that support sustainable development practices include PwC, Telstra and Sydney Water (Jassim, 2017). By adapting to the sustainable production patterns, a firm is also able to sustain it’s competitive advantage in the industry. 

Hence, it can be asserted that by developing a corporate strategy that adheres to the social agenda, an organization is able to mitigate harm and achieve it’s desirable goals and objectives via a social progress (Kramer and Porter, 2006). 

Task handled by the government 

The government of a country plays an essential role in managing, developing and planning the day-to-day activities of waste disposal. The government is therefore responsible for development of a collaborative sustainable framework that can mitigate waste disposal, effectively recycle waste and generate renewable energy (Yukalang, Clarke and Ross, 2018).  

The government should create a sustainable waste management framework which would involve the development of a local waste management policy and a strict implementation plan. For instance, the Australian government announced a Waste Reduction Bill in 2020 which aims to reduce unprocessed paper, glass and plastic wastes by 645000 tonnes a year. Secondly, the government should also endeavor to reduce the waste going to the landfill by taking the initiative of developing a waste separation system. The government can also start waste separation at source which would involve the creation of separate compartments within the dump-collection trucks. Furthermore, this landfill dumping can also be eliminated if the government authorities engage into waste separation, waste valorization and diversion of recyclable and organic waste (Yukalang, Clarke and Ross, 2018). Through these endeavors, the company will also be able to stabilize the sewerage sludges, thereby preventing water drainage problems within the country (Loizidou and Moustakas, 2019). 

It is also integral for the government to educate the waste producers who are the organizations and the businesses. Engaging the country’s key stakeholders in the formulation of waste policies may stimulate actions. The creation of $190 million Recycling Fund by the Australian government also indicates the authorities’ efforts in reiterating the sustainability goals and creating awareness about the environmental safety. The government should also train their lower-level authorities to effectively monitor the waste disposal (Yukalang, Clarke and Ross, 2018)

Hence, it is the responsibility of the government to deal with all generic waste disposal issues in the country. By effectively executing the waste management practices, the government will able to foster a sustainable economy.

Imposition of non-economic goals on Businesses – Justified or not 

Governments often tend to impose non-economic goals such as the cost of generic waste disposal on the organizations due to high disposal costs and inactive participation of the community stakeholders. They may consider it as an additional burden on their national budget and hence, may cut the execution of plans for sustainable waste disposal. However, this is an unjustified practice since the governments have the responsibility to protect the environment via the implementation of frameworks and policies that prevent environmental damage (Massoud, Mokbel, Alawieh and Yassin, 2019). 

On the other hand, corporations operate with a philosophy of aligning their objectives with the interests of the shareholders in order to gain mutual benefit. While this philosophy assists the organization in taking decisions related to the social responsibilities, it also acts as a barrier in pursuing the profitability goals as asserted by Friedman. Friedman criticized the CSR and claimed that the organization’s first responsibility is foster it’s profitability. Hence, when governments fail to engage in pro-environmental behaviors and dump the burden on organizations, their behavior is pronounced as unjustified (Kulin and Johansson Sevä, 2019). 

When organizations adhere to the responsive CSR, they provide the governments with an opportunity to openly exploit them. The businesses do not have an obligation to work towards all social harm i.e generic waste disposed off in the environment. In fact, companies should work towards creating a culture of strategic corporate social responsibility which would enable the organization to create sustainable solutions to a few social issues that would make a real difference to the society and sustain their competitive advantage (Kramer and Porter, 2006).  

Hence, it can be established that super imposing economic goals on businesses is not justified. It is the responsibility of the government to effectively execute waste disposal practices and the organizations have to play the role of engaging in sustainable production using recycling and reuse. 

Conclusion 

With increasing urbanization and disposal of solid waste, it has become integral for governments to effectively engage in waste management practices. The disposal of waste has enabled the release of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, which poses a considerable threat towards the humans and the environment. Organizations also engage in industrial waste disposal which is equally hazardous to the environment. Hence, both the government and the organizations in a country have a responsibility to engage in sustainable waste management practices. Corporations see this goal as a corporate social responsibility which enables them to fulfill social desires, satisfy stakeholder interests and establish a long-term competitive advantage. Through this behavior, the organizations are able to manage the social, economic and environmental performance. 

On the other hand, the governments have a pivotal role to play towards regulating the waste management practices since they have a core responsibility towards the environment and the citizens. Many governments may often slack in this role due to the changing stakeholder interests and budgetary pressures and thereby transfer the burden towards the organizations. This is an unjustified practice since the organizations have a core responsibility of managing waste generated by their corporation, however, the government has the responsibility of managing the generic waste disposed off in the environment 

Hence, it is integral for governments to play an active role in regulating waste management. When governments are able to create a sustainable living environment, they are able to eradicate the environmental hazards and can create a safe living place for all humans, plants and animals. This eco-friendly environment will give birth to more successful corporations who can efficiently manage resources, generate renewable energy and attain a competitive advantage in the long term.