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erwironmenf

by Maria Dasiewicz

Did you know that a vast area of plastic debris and other flotsam larger than the area of the United States is floating in the northern Pacific Ocean? It’s been recognized as the largest rubbish dump in the world, the so-called ‘Pacific plastic soup’, and has given scientists quite a turn. Discovered in 1997, it has grown considerably sińce, and caused a lot of worry over its possible effects on human health and the generał well-being of the planet. Howeyer, the case of the Pacific , garbaąe. patch is just one of many instances of the kind>takjng place, all around the world. Enviro^Hii^al pollutiorj seems to be an ever-present anći unresoIved issue of global importance. It is a very jomplex and multi-lavered problem for modern man, because pollution comes in manyforms, and may occur from both natural andail§TTmade sourceS"-

One of the most erwironmentally destructive forms of pollution is waste. Waste is anything wędą, not anymore and would^adĆKflśpos^of'. It can occur in yarious forms, shapes and sizes: packaging (plastic bags, cans. bottles, cardboard). paper, food leftoyers. broken or unwanted toys, electrical eąuipment, old clothes, textiles, garden waste, clinical waste (from hospitals), soii and rubble. and so on.

According to the information supplied by Greenpeace Polska, in 2006, only 1% of waste was recycled in Poland. Currently^eyery Mr Ayerage in Poland produces morę than 350 kg of waste each year. It means that we are morę or less the same as our neighbours from other European countries.

How to get rid of waste?

There are a number of ways in which you can rid yourself of unwanted stuff

Atypical household bin contains the following:

•    Paper and cardboard -18%

•    Dense plastic - 4%

© Plastic film -3%

•    Textiles-3%

•    Glass - 7%

•    Wood - 5%

•    Nappies-2%

•    Miscellaneous non-combustibles - 5%

•    Metal packaging - 3%

® Scrap metal - 5%

® Garden waste- 21%

© Other combustibles -1%

® Kitchen waste - 2Q%

® Soil and other organics - 3%

to head for a sticky end - zmierzać ku marnemu końcowi vast - rozległy debris - szczątki

flotsam - szczątki rozbitego statku, pływające śmieci to float-dryfować to recognize - uznać rubbish dump - wysypisko śmieci to give sb a turn - szokować kogoś considerably - znacznie well-being - dobro, pomyślność patch - tu: plama instance - przykład to take place - mieć miejsce ever-present - wszechobecny unresolved - nierozwiązany issue - kwestia

multi-layered - wielowarstwowy to occur - pojawić się, wystąpić manmade - wytworzony przez człowieka waste - odpady

to dispose of sth - pozbyć się czegoś packaging - opakowanie can - puszka

cardboard - karton, tektura leftovers - resztki soil - gleba

rubble - gruz to supply - dostarczyć ilr Ayerage - szary obywatel to gfełjid of sth - pozbyć się czegoś stuff - rzet

household bin - dołrrewykosz na śmieci to contain - zawierać dense - gęsty plastic film - folia z tworzywa sztucznego nappy-pielucha . miscellaneous - różny non-combustible - niepalny scrap metal - złom organics - odpady organiczne

10 english matters I 15/2009