For the last couple of years I have worked in the building industry and witnessed the amount of waste that is dumped into tips and landfills, including disgusting levels of plastic, from piping to endless packaging. Although this is obviously a worldwide issue, it worries me in Australia particularly, a country with all of its major cities on the coast, creating perfect opposition for more litter to be swept into our oceans. You only have to take a boat out into Port Phillip Bay to see plastic floating around everywhere, before it makes its way out into the ocean, and into the bellies of marine life in the area.
Even some builders that claim to be environmentally conscious seem to avoid recycling simply because of cost - even though it would barely dent their profits, if it is not compulsory then it generally won't happen.
Builders are making millions of dollars in profit while the environment continues to suffer.
The building industry should be held accountable by making recycling compulsory on building sites, or face large fines.
