Literature Review by lizlukken

The Diaper Conundrum: Destruction in Landfills

Liz Lukken

Fundamentals of Graduate Research Professor Johnson August 29,2013

Lukken 2 The Diaper Conundrum: Destruction in Landfills

For over 60 years, disposable diapers have solved a sanitary health issue by providing convenience and hygiene to parents across the world.1 However, this multi-billion dollar industry is the third largest product in landfills.2 In an effort to sustain the environment the â&#x20AC;&#x153;diaper dilemmaâ&#x20AC;? has been corroborated by many researchers who argue that the egregious amount of waste being produced has created multiple plights for the environment. Research findings discern the following issues caused by disposable diapers in landfills: 1.Fecal bacteria contamination to ground water 2.Lack of decomposition 3.Carcinogenic chemicals The three issues caused by disposable diapers will be examined to bring awareness as well as possible solutions to improve the problem. As the environment faces such a grievous problem, a few companies and individuals have sought to ameliorate the issue with several efficacious methods and products. However, most cooperations have denied the effects disposable diapers have in 1

Horowitz, Brian T. . "How Green are Disposable Diapers? ." Foxnews. www.foxnews.com/ story/2009/02/06/how-green-are-disposable-diapers (accessed August 11, 2013). 2

Lukken 3 landfills, making it more difficult for the consumer to choose a more sustainable option to the diaper dilemma. The unsustainable behavior exhibited by corporations is the starting ground for such ecological destruction. In order for the problem to decreases in severity, corporations will need to rethink the way products are being made.

Fecal Bacteria Contamination to Ground Water

In the insightful article, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Many Dangers of Disposable Diapers,â&#x20AC;? the author discusses the importance of properly disposing human fecal waste. Landfills currently posses five million tons of untreated human waste3 and the potential blights caused by such bacteria continues to leak from landfills into public ground reservoirs. The author states the importance of properly disposing waste, as nearly 84 million pounds currently inhabit landfills.4 The author also mentions the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as the American Public Health Association, who

both suggest that parents dispose of waste differently from

Ibid.

Lukken 4 that of regular trash, as it contaminates public ground water.5 The author offers many solutions to the issue of fecal bacteria contamination in landfills including: elimination communication, disposal of infant waste in toilets, and cloth diapers. While elimination communication forestalls the use of diapers many parents do not have the forbearance nor the time to continuously monitor a babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bathroom needs. Disposal of waste in toilets is another solution,as it solves the problem of human fecal waste contaminating landfills that can leak into ground water. However, this option may become arduous for parents, as the positioning of toilets and changing tables generally differ in locality. Cloth diapers are another solution to the contamination plight in landfills, as the need for disposable diapers would be eliminated, however, the carbon footprint cloth diapers have on the environment is frowned upon.6 Donella Meadows, a professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College, also discusses the issue in an article titled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Great Disposable Diaper Debate.â&#x20AC;?7 Meadows concours with the

Ibid.

Meadows, Donella. "The Great Disposable Diaper Debate." www.sustainer.org. www.sustainer.org/dhm_archive/index.php?display_article=vn321diapersed (accessed August 18, 2013).

Lukken 5 article “The Many Dangers of Disposable Diapers,” as both authors consider bacterial contamination in landfills to be hazardous to human health. Meadows concludes that viruses attributed to human fecal waste include polio, hepatitis, and dysentery.8 It is illegal in a majority of states to dispose of human waste in landfills, however, it continues to happen due to the lack of enforcement from state and local governments.9 Both articles allude to the importance of being informed on such issues, though Meadows does not offer a solution to the plight, but merely brings awareness to the reader regarding contamination in landfills. While the article “The Many Dangers of Disposable Diapers,” discusses several solutions to the problem, some may not be feasible for certain individuals or families.

Decomposition of Disposable Diapers

The article, “The Many Dangers of Disposable Diapers,” also discusses the lifecycle of a diaper in landfills and how the flagrant problem has caused outrage among the environmental community towards corporations.

Ibid.

Lukken 6 The author states that on average, an infant will go through 6,500-10,000 disposable diapers before he/she is self sufficient to use the toilet.10 As mentioned in the article, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states “a significant portion of the disposable diaper waste dumped in American’s landfills every year is actually biodegradable human waste preserved forever.”11 The author’s analogy of the famous explorer, Christopher Columbus states that if Columbus had worn disposable diapers, his waste would still be in a landfill.12 This is due to the fact that disposable diapers take over 500 years to biodegrade.13 However, the Environmental Agency in Great Britain, released an annual report in 2008 titled, “An Updated Lifecycle Assessment for Disposable and Reusable Nappies.” While it was assumed the study would find cloth diapers to abate the environmental impact, research proved otherwise. Evidence concluded cloth diapers are not much better than disposable diapers when it comes to the carbon footprint.14 Farooq Mulla, a spokeswoman for the Environmental Agency, states, ”it all depends

Ibid.

Aumônier, Simon, and M. Collins. An updated lifecycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies. Bristol: Environment Agency, 2008.

Lukken 7 on how you wash and dry the reusable diapers.”15, It is standard to sanitize cloth diapers by washing the diaper at 194 degrees fahrenheit; however, the carbon footprint of washing the material can be more damaging than the use of disposable diapers.16 The three solutions provided by the author are not permeant solutions, but may alleviate the problem temporarily. The report “An Updated Lifecycle Assessment for Disposable and Reusable Nappies” dissents with the article “The Many Dangers of Disposable Diapers,”as research has proven that cloth diapers are nearly as bad as disposable diapers.17 Disposable diapers are much more harmful to landfills as disease and contamination spread. While one might argue cloth over disposable, both are harmful to the environment in variant ways. Both authors failed to follow the process in changing a diaper, with the hopeful intent of finding a conspicuous solution to ameliorate the problem. A possible, but perhaps aberrant solution, is using waste for fertilizer. Although the human digestive system differs from that of a herbivore animal, the solution would potentially efface the problem of preserving waste in landfills. Extensive research would need to be conducted, as

Ibid.

Aumônier, Simon, and M. Collins. An updated lifecycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies. Bristol: Environment Agency, 2008.

Lukken 8 fertilizer contains nitrogen rich waste, something humans have difficulty producing due to the large amount of acidic chemicals caused by diet.

Carcinogenic chemicals found in diapers

Michelle Allsopp, author of “Achieving Zero Dioxin: An Emergency Strategy for Dioxin Elimination,” discusses the alarming statistics of disposable diapers and the carcinogenic chemicals used in manufacturing the product.18 Dioxin, recorded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the most virulent carcinogenic material, is a chemical found in disposable diapers.19 As diaper manufactures address the concerning issue of harmful chemicals in disposable diapers, biodegradable and sustainable diapers are being manufactured to satisfy the needs of concerned parents.20 However, fallacious manufacturing activity from diaper companies is present as explained in “The

Allsopp , Michelle. "ACHIEVING ZERO DIOXIN." Greenpeace. http://www.greenpeace.org/ india/Global/india/report/1994/8/achieving-zero-dioxin.html (accessed August 18, 2013). 19 20

Ibid.

Spurrier, Juliet, MD, and Natalie Kellum. "Disposable Diaper Reviews - BabyGearLab." BabyGearLab | Reviews. http://www.babygearlab.com/Disposable-Diaper-Reviews (accessed August 17, 2013).

Lukken 9 Many Dangers of Disposable Diapers.” The diapers labeled biodegradable take hundreds of years to disintegrate and are just as harmful as regular disposable diapers.21 The erroneous behavior of many diaper manufacturing companies is a result of the lack of accountability to divulge what chemicals are found in diapers. For concerned parents, the plight of carcinogenic materials found in diapers results in the alternative solution to transitioning to cloth diapers. Although such a changeover may be taxing fiscally and physically, it will ensure the safety of the infant. While reusable diapers solve the plights of fecal contamination in landfills as well as carcinogenic chemicals found in diapers, the lack of decomposition of disposable diapers is still a concerning issue, but is hopeful to be a mutable one. The report “An Updated Lifecycle Assessment for Disposable and Reusable Nappies” as well as the many other articles discussing the diaper dilemma, fail to address the underlying issues presented by diaper manufacturing companies. As the diaper manufacturing companies continue to produce unsustainable diapers, consumers are left with few options. Until diaper companies put an end to the “blame game”, the diaper conundrum will remain unsolved.

Lukken 10 Annotated Bibliographies

Allsopp , Michelle. "ACHIEVING ZERO DIOXIN." Greenpeace. http://www.greenpeace.org/india/Global/india/report/1994/8/ achieving-zero-dioxin.html (accessed August 18,2013) This article focuses on the harmful effects dioxin can have on the human body as well as the environment. Classified as the most harmful carcinogenic chemical, dioxin is found in diapers and has led to the death of many infants who ingest the harmful chemical that is produced in the diaper. While the article discusses other products that have dioxin traces, the disheartening amount of traces found in baby disposable diapers is alarming. Key Words: Dioxin, World Heath Organization, carcinogenic chemicals, toxicity, effects, environment, human health

Aum么nier, Simon, and M. Collins. An Updated Lifecycle Assessment Study for Disposable and Reusable Nappies. Bristol: Environment Agency, 2008. The report released in 2008 compares the environmental impact of disposable and reusable cloth diapers. The study concludes that cloth diapers are better for the environment but not much better than the disposable competitor. Due to the constant washing at a high temperature of cloth diapers, the carbon emissions exerted in the cycle has a tremendous effect on the environment. While the cloth diaper does not cause as many plights than that of the disposable diaper, it is still an environmental concern. Key Words: nappies, carbon emission, disposable nappies, environmental impact

Lukken 11 Assadourian E. 2010. Cultural change for a bearable climate. Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy 6(2):1-5. Published online Nov 09, 2010. http:// sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol6iss2/editorial.assadourian.html Erik Assadourian discusses how consumerism is causing global warming. It is a difficult problem to solve as economic growth depends on consumerism, and the current way that individuals are consuming is deemed as unsustainable. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) released a study in 2005 stating that many services to prevent the destruction of ecosystems and climate change were actually contributing to unsustainable way of living.--Something that is seen throughout society. Due to the billions of people on the planet, the amount of consumption is so substantial, that it is greatly contributing to climate change. In addition, Assadourian discusses how corporations seek to make the lifespan of a product much shorter in order for consumers to buy more. Assadourian expresses how less is more and living should be “simply” and “justly” to help with our ecosystems. Erik Assadourian is a senior fellow at Worldwatch Institute, an organization that helps transform the world through sustainable practices. Eric has researched sustainable communities for nearly 11 years. Key Words: consumerism, consumption patterns, cultural transformation, carbon war room

Lukken 12 Berker T. 2013. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the morning I just need a long, hot shower:â&#x20AC;? a sociological exploration of energy sensibilities in Norwegian bathrooms . Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy 9(1):57-63.Published online Jan 11, 2013. http:// sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol9iss1/1105-016.berker.htm

Berker tries to understand the use of energy in Norwegian bathrooms in terms of everyday living. Berker is centered on a new study of research that focuses on "energy sensibilities," one's awareness of energy consumption. Berker explains that most individuals do not fully understand their energy consumption or have "wrong ideas" about how to solve energy efficiency. Berker analyzes one of the largest Norwegian interior magazines as well hundreds of real estate advertisements in a quest to understand if "energy sensibility" is being discussed. Berker concludes that the interior lifestyle magazine hardly mentions energy consumption and when it does, it is strongly correlated to economics rather than an understanding what high energy consumption really means. creating a lack of connections individuals. Thomas Berker is a professor at Norwegian University of Science and Technology and specializes in socio-technological innovation. Berker is very involved in sustainability and is the leader of social scientific activities with the Norwegian Research Center on Zero emission buildings. Key Words: energy sensibilities, energy consumption, attitude measures, social organization, resource utilization

Lukken 13

Christianson L. & Tyndall J. 2011. Seeking a dialogue: a targeted technology for sustainable agricultural systems in the American Corn Belt . Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy 7(2):70-77. Published online Sep 02, 2011. http:// sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol7iss2/ communityessay.christianson.html This article focuses on the American Corn Belt and the environmental effects agriculture has on the surrounding areas. With destructive amounts of nitrate polluting the ecosystem due to new agriculture technologies, dentrification bioreactors are closely examined as a solution to the many plights of nitrate. Local costly water treatments and hypoxia in the gulf of Mexico, are just a few agro-environmental consequences the agriculture community has faced. The success of denitrification bioreactors has reduced nitrate by over half or even up to 99%, contingent on the environmental components of the landscape. However, the majority of the denitrification bioreactors have only been installed through private funding. As a result, many skeptics claim that the denitrification bioreactors are simply a â&#x20AC;&#x153;band-aid approachâ&#x20AC;? and not the solution. The authors openly address the struggle for concluding research on this topic, as ample metaphysical analysis is needed for further investigation upon the bioreactors effect on the environment. f connections individuals Laura Christianson and John Tyndall are professors at Iowa State University where Christianson focuses on biosystems engineering and Tyndall focuses on ecology and management.

Key Words: Multi functional landscapes, sustainable agriculture, bioreactor, chemostat, water treatment, denitrification, agroenvironmental issues

Lukken 14

Cohen, Maurie , Ian Gough, Kyla Tienhaara, and John D. Peine. "The End of Modernity: What the Financial and Environmental Crisis is Really Telling Us."Sustainability: Science, Practice & Policy 7, no. 2 (2011): 78-86. In this article, the authors compare the similar underlying issues regarding the recent financial collapse of 2008 and the drastic climate change. The factors contributing to such plights, are centered around the idea that the greed of American corporations as well as the unwillingness of the public to be conscious of the environment, have resulted in such issues. The authors discuss the attempted growth in the economy, as new ideas are centered on “green growth.” However, policy makers attempt to avoid the environmental issues and instead chose solutions that are unrealistic. Modernity is introduced in the article as the root cause of climate change and the 2008 financial collapse. The authors then go on to discuss postmodernity as the new way of development as it portrayed as “an economics of enough.” This means that while it is appealing to have the next best material item, it is not needed. Ian Gough is a professor at the London school of Economics and is currently researching the current financial collapse in comparison to climate change. Kyla Tienharra focuses on the comparisons between economic law and environmental laws. Tienhaara is currently the Codirector of the Climate and Fellow in the Regulatory Institutions Network at the Australian National University. John Peine has worked for the U.S. Department of Interior for almost 30 years and is now a professor at the University of Tennessee. Stuart Sim is a visiting professor in Critical Theory at Northumbria University where he focuses on postmodern research.

Lukken 15 Key Words: modernity, postmodernity, financial collapse, climate change, green growth

DuPuis, E , and T Ball . "How not what: teaching sustainability as process."Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy 9, no. 1 (2013): 64-75. http://sspp.proquest.com/archives vol9iss1/1108-025.dupuis.html

Melanie DuPuis and Tamara Ball, professors of sociology at The University of California, Santa Cruz, discuss the pedagogy of sustainability in higher education. Sustainability is being taught in the tacit sense thus creating confusion in the classroom as sustainability is seen more about “nothing” and “everything” simultaneously. DuPuis and Ball execute a different method of teaching that is less tacit and more “dialogic,” eliminating the confusion posed to “What is the What?” of sustainability. (Dave Eggers, 2006) DuPuis and Ball explain the pedagogy of sustainability should be less about the “whats” and more about the “hows.” In order to teach the “how” of sustainability, multidisciplinary learning is implemented, creating an understanding that sustainability is a dynamic concept that doesn't necessarily need to be “solved,” but rather seen as a new way of thinking about the issues at hand. Dupuis and Ball

refer to the “modes of knowing” as a method for

students to better understand concepts and implement them when solving real world issues. As seen with Dupuis and Ball’s students, the “dialogic” way of learning accomplished what it intended to do, by providing a clearer understanding of the concepts.

Lukken 16

Horowitz, Brian T. . "How Green are Disposable Diapers? ." Foxnews. www.foxnews.com/story/2009/02/06/how-green-aredisposable-diapers (accessed August 11, 2013). This article discusses the effects disposable diapers have on the environment while comparing disposable diapers to cloth diapers. The article sheds light on other alternatives to disposable diapers such as cloth diapers with disposable padding. The article does not offer permanent solutions to the problem but rather discusses the impact cloth and disposable diapers are having on the environment. Key Words: green living, public wastewater, Environmental Protection Agency, carbon footprint

Meadows, Donella. "The Great Disposable Diaper Debate." www.sustainer.org. www.sustainer.org/dhm_archive/index.php? display_article=vn321diapersed (accessed August 18, 2013). The author discusses the diaper conundrum by examining the excessive amount of disposable diapers being used in the United States. The author discusses the harmful bacteria that is present with disposable diapers in landfills, as it causes many diseases and can sometimes leak into water reservoirs. The authors findings conclude that disposable diapers are much more harmful to the environment than that of cloth diapers. Key Words: Natural Resource Defense Council, disposable diapers, polypropylene, cloth diapers

Lukken 17

McDonough, William, and Michael Braungart. Cradle to cradle: remaking the way we make things. New York: North Point Press, 2002. In this thought proving book, McDonough and Braungart evaluate the way society produces and manufactures items. Corporations are creating products harmful to humans, the environment, as well ecosystems. The unthinkable damage humans have caused to the environment is due to a number of factors, starting with the industrial revolution. The book further discusses the “4 R’s”; reduce, reuse, recycle, regulate in an effort to bring awareness to the reader’s wasteful habits. The two readers discuss that in order to feel successful, an individual needs to buy the “newest” and “latest” gadget,having no concern for the disposal of the product and how it relates to the environment. This book was eye opening, as it wrestles with numerous environmental issues that are unknown to so many individuals. This book brings awareness to the severity of the plights being faced with the environment and discuses possible solutions.

Poggenpohl, Sharon. “Practicing Collaboration In Design.” Visible Language 38, no. 2(2004): 138-157. In this article, Sharon Poggenpohl discusses the importance of collaboration in the design field. Poggenpohl discusses the boundaries that are faced when collaboration is not an active tool in research and clearly defines ways in which collaboration can be properly facilitated. Poggenpohl explains the difference between collaboration and contribution in which a contributor brings a specialization to the project but not creating work that is directly related to the project. Poggenpohl further discusses how individuals involved in collaboration shares ideas,

Lukken 18 thoughts, criticism and bring different perspectives to the project. Poggenpohl then concludes that collaboration can take various forms including the project, the research team, as well as the discipline. Sharon Poggenpohl is a professor of design at Hong Kong Polytechnic Univeristy. Poggenpohl is an author as well as publisher of Visible Language, a design journal.

Poggenpohl, Sharon Helmer . "Design Literacy, Discourse and Communities of Practice." Visible Language 42, no. 3 (2008): 213-236. Sharon Poggenpohl, a Professor of Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University discusses the education of graduate research and the development of learning based on the tacit and explicit methods of academia. Poggenpohl breaks down the tacit learning by illustrating the master-apprentice model. Defined as a skill taught through repetition by mimicking, this model practiced within the undergraduate course studies inadequately formulates a generation of design practitioners. With a global generation tackling problems by utilizing interdisciplinary teams, critical thinking is pertinent for the future of design practitioners. Poggenpohl states in order to accomplish this,explicit learning must be implemented in graduate studies. While tacit learning is more constrained, explicit learning is analytical, allowing less-restriction and more creativity.In doing this, academic research would ameliorate the discourse and literary, and thus bridging the gap between communities of practice generating opportunity for growth.

Lukken 19 Rittel, Horst W. J., and Melvin M. Webber. "Dilemmas In A General Theory Of Planning." Policy Sciences 4, no. 2 (1973): 155-169. Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber challenge the plights of social policy and examine the nature of the issues at hand. Policy problems, also illustrated as “wicked” problems, are illdefined and offer no solution causing them to be inherently fragmented. “Tame” problems however, have been developed to define the problems of science. While “tame” problems have a solution, “wicked” problems are never solved and can be seen as having no stopping rule. Solutions to “wicked” problems cannot be independently perused as those of “tame” problems. Furthermore “wicked” problems have no true or false solutions, thus leaving no room for failure. In an American society where goal finding is a function of politics, wicked problems have caused immense uncertainty in respect to the concerns of equity.

Selman P. 2008. What do we mean by sustainable landscape?. Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy 4(2):23-28. Published online Dec 04, 2008. http://sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol4iss2/ communityessay.selman.html This article focuses on the many discourses of sustainable landscape and how it is related to the development of agriculture. As stated in the article, the definition of sustainable landscape is not clearly defined, leaving a sense of confusion amongst many professions. There are many definitions of sustainable landscape throughout architecture and the agricultural profession, however, the assumption that there is a common definition is misinterpreted. The author further defines several definitions including political and social sustainability and its development towards sustainable landscapes. The author encourages the reader to address the concept in further detail through concepts and procedures within research.

Lukken 20 Dr. Paul Selman, is a professor at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom who has a postgraduate degree in Environmental Impact Assessment and Town Planning. Dr. Selman is currently researching rural cultural landscapes between the relationship of land and people.

Key Words: sustainable development, environmental policy, social sustainability, political sustainability, landscapes

Small Footprint Family . "The Many Dangers of Disposable Diapers | Small Footprint Family." Small Footprint Family | sustainability starts at home. http:// www.smallfootprintfamily.com/dangers-of-disposable-diapers (accessed August 16, 2013). The author in this article alludes to the fact that America is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;disposable nation.â&#x20AC;? The author brings awareness to the reader in detailing the diaper process in which diapers are tossed into landfills causing deadly bacteria to spread contaminating ground water. While the author offers the solution of cloth diapers, the author fails to mention the environmental effects washing cloth diapers can have on carbon emissions. Key Words: Disposable diapers, cloth diapers, corporations, diaper dilemma, bacteria

Spurrier, Juliet, MD, and Natalie Kellum. "Disposable Diaper Reviews - BabyGearLab." BabyGearLab | Reviews. http://

Lukken 21

www.babygearlab.com/Disposable-Diaper-Reviews (accessed August 17, 2013). This article assess and reviews the disposable diapers currently on the market. The authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team conducts research to analyze and assess the chemicals found in diapers to understand the harmful effects that can be attributed to environmental issues. The article also compares the prices of the twenty disposable diapers being compared and the environmental effects each diaper has on the ecosystem. Key Words: green diapers, environmental impacts, best diaper, price, diaper dilemma

"The Use and Abuse of Vegetational Concepts." All watched over by machines of loving grace. Film. Directed by Adam Curtis . Great Britain: BBC, 2011. In this 2011 documentary presented by BBC, the notion that hierarchical powers are destroying the natural and human ecosystems is closely examined, as authoritarian power is seen as a catalyst for such destruction. The documentary examines the complexity of the natural world through the vision of cybernetics. Viewed as a tool in which all ecosystems can be regulated through feedback, cybernetics attempts to control and preserve the order of electrical, biological, social and natural ecosystems. The documentary closely examines feedback through machines, in which the consequences of human activity directly relate to the ecosystem. The technological machines, such as the internet, are studied to understand and maintain the order of the human and natural world. As stated in the film, individuals should view one another as equal members that make up a larger system. However, the egalitarian society that aims to create a natural balance within the ecosystem causes

Lukken 22 a downfall in which dominance and hierarchal structures are organically formed. The film discusses the hierarchical structure that is ever present in a political society and also presents itself within the nature of ecosystems. Adam Curtis is a British film maker and journalist whose work has been recognized throughout the film making industry. Curtis has produced many BBC documentaries, including The Century of the Self, in which his view of neo-conservative political beliefs are seen throughout the documentary. Key Words: ecosystem, egalitarian society, holism, cybernetics, eco-technics, hierarchy, feedback, self-organizing networks

Veleva V. 2009. Product stewardship in the United States: the changing policy landscape and the role of business. Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy4(2):29-35. Published online Feb 05, 2009. http://sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol4iss2/ communityessay.veleva.html This article discusses product stewardship in the United States and how the policy can shapes businesses. The author describes product stewardship as a principle that has been implemented in the European society, however, is not as prevalent in the United States. Product stewardship is defined as an idea that holds accountability to all individuals involved in the life cycle of a productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effect on the environment as well as the heath it has on individuals. The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) was formed in 2001 to relieve some of the problems local and federal governments face in regards to waste and the environment. The author details the effects companies can have on the advancements of product stewardship policy. However, the author points out the certain difficulties American companies encounter with the many regulations and standards set into place.

Lukken 23 The author discuss several companies that are enforcing PSI, as well as the companies who claim to be, but are not. The article then discusses ways companies can educate one another on the product stewardship initiative that is starting to emerge throughout the United States.

Key Words: product stewardship, manufacturing industry wastes, waste management, companies, incentives, international policy, environmental regulations, standards