Browse Category: Pain

Pooler plastic recycling

Unveiling the Illusion: Debunking the Myth of Plastic Recycling in Georgia

The myth of plastic recycling in GA

The recycling rate is falling, especially in relation to its cost: it is still too expensive compared to the production of plastic. Plastic recycling rates are declining in Georgia, while production is on the rise, according to Greenpeace, which calls the existence of a circular economy touted by the industry a fiction.

A survey published by Greenpeace USA finds that American homes generated 51 million tons of plastic waste in 2021, of which only 2.4 million tons were recycled.

And the recycling rate of plastics consumed is rather declining, especially since China stopped accepting waste from the West in 2018, and at the same time recycling some of it. In addition, plastic production prices are falling due to a rapidly developing industry.

Industry groups and large corporations have been pushing to present recycling as a solution, explained Lisa Ramsden of Greenpeace USA. By doing this, they evaded responsibility, she added, citing companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever and Nestlé.

Researchers have discovered an enzyme capable of degrading polyethylene. A find that could have applications on plastic pollution, but it is still to early if this new waste management technique will be used and if dumpster rentals services will decrease.

Two recyclable plastics

According to Greenpeace USA, only two types of plastics are accepted at most of the country’s 375 material recovery centers. The first is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), commonly used for water and soda bottles, and the second is high-density polyethylene (PE-HD), used for example for shampoo bottles or household products. These two types are categorized numbers 1 and 2, according to the standards used, which include a total of seven kinds of plastic.

According to the report, PET and PE-HD had remanufacturing rates of 20.9 and 10.3 percent respectively, two numbers down from the last Greenpeace USA survey in 2020. Additionally, Type 3 plastics to 7 (which include plastic bags, children’s toys, yoghurt packaging, etc.) were reconditioned at rates below 5%.

Several associations have joined forces to document the decline of single-use plastic in Europe. This September, they published their annual report on the theme. France is fairly well rated.

Economically unsustainable

According to the report, the practice of plastic recycling is not working for five reasons.

First, because the amount of plastic waste is such that it is extremely difficult to collect all of it.

Moreover, even if they were all recovered, since this waste cannot be recycled together, it would make it practically impossible to sort trillions of products, according to the report.

Third, plastic recycling processes are themselves harmful to the environment, exposing workers to chemicals and generating micro-plastics.

The fourth reason is that these recycled plastics cannot be reused to contain food, because of the risk of toxicity.

Superfluous or even useless plastic to protect food: despite the 2020 anti-waste law, over-packaging persists, deplore consumer associations in Pooler, GA and elesewhere in the country.

Finally, recycling is too expensive, according to the NGO. New plastics are in direct competition with recycled ones, and the former are much cheaper to produce, for better quality, underlines the report.

Lisa Ramsden called for prioritizing non-plastic containers that can be reused, and for companies to support an international plastics treaty, the development of which was launched this year by the United Nations. She pointed out that the problem regarding plastic recycling was unique, and did not apply to cardboard or metals.

Dumpster rentals to the rescue

Can dumpster rental services help reduce plastic pollution?

Yes they could according to this website about waste management services in Georgia. If specific dumpsters were allocated to plastic waste collection in bulk in a given neighborhood, this could help gather a large quantity in one go, so that it could be brought all together to the nearest recycling facility.

But such services are not yet readily available and it requires new regulations by each county.

Buffalo waste management overview

Buffalo is a city in Upstate New York that pays attention to sustainability, reducing wastage and improving recycling operations with better dumpster rental and landfill facilities. Waste management companies such as Buffalo Dumpster Rental HQ are at the forefront of this local initiative.

Philip Services Waste Management

But let’s have a look at the competition when it comes to junk disposal and dumpster rental services.

In 1994, Philip Environmental (Ontario) announced a turnover of C$ 253m, up 61% thanks to several acquisitions. This company, controlled by the Fracassi brothers of Toronto, only entered the market in 1990, focusing on recycling while having some collection activities; it went public the following year.

It will continue in this direction. Acquisitions in the United States allow it to carry out 40% of its business there. The company is on an exponential curve, focusing on California waste management among other niches.

A Philip Utilities Management subsidiary has a few small issues with hazardous waste. For 1997 alone, it acquired 30 companies for $1.3bn and in March 1998 it announced a partnership with two investment companies (Apollo Advisors and Blackstone Management) to merge with Safety Kleen, the number 5, subject moreover to a offer from Laidlaw Environmental Services.

Buffalo junk disposal services

This decision seems to mark the high point in this story. The same month the company was to announce a loss of $95.8m for 1997 and recalculated its results for the previous two years after discovering a cover-up of losses in the trade in recycled metals for at least $60m.

The value of the stock drops rapidly from $13 per share to $8. The year will be catastrophic and will end with a loss of $1.6bn.

A year later, the firm is at its worst and is filing for bankruptcy protection to prepare a restructuring plan. The value of the security is now only 42 cents Canadian.

In the spring of 2000, the activities were taken over by a company under American law, Philip Services Corporation. Thanks to the sale of assets, the debt was reduced from $1bn to $235m; 10% of the new shares are acquired by a fund based in the Bahamas: Cerberus International.

The group focuses on metal recycling and business services in the United States, Canada and Europe.

What general lessons can we draw from this journey? In ten years the transformation of the offer is considerable. Two companies that did not exist in 1990 set out to conquer the markets, buy out and consolidate and end up taking over the historic numbers 1 and 2. Behind them other newcomers are trying the same route.

In the industrial waste sector, the amplitudes are just as great. Several companies also created in the 1990s rise, rise and fall. Another forks. This American waste market is anything but a peaceful universe.

These enormous fluctuations, sometimes destructive, bear the mark of financial funds and consolidators specializing in the takeover of firms in the sector for their resale.

They also testify to the power of the shareholders compared to that of the managers. The recoveries of the two historical leaders cannot be explained otherwise. The strength of the two little ones is to have first convinced the markets and pension funds of the credibility of their policy by highlighting the synergies of integration and compliance with new regulations.

Buffalo dumpster rental services

These fluctuations also lead to wondering what is the foresight of the markets by the visible hand of the leaders of Laidlaw or that of the pension funds, when we observe the decisions to enter a sector followed the next day by an exit.

In this great movement of consolidation, which most often involves mergers between firms and exchanges of shares, certain funds specializing in “green gold” play a role similar to that of investment banks in Europe; they seek to bring companies together.

But it seems that they did it more in a financial logic (raise the value of securities) than in an industrial logic aimed at better use of assets. It was only at the end of the 1990s, after the mega-mergers, that this industrial path was followed by firms with exchanges of assets monitored by public authorities.

Finally, we can wonder about the part attributable to the institutional framework. Treating this area as a commodity creates a situation in which market forces (firms and consolidators) can fully express themselves with all the spillover effects.

This is a big difference with continental Europe. The pressure of the financial markets with the sanction of quarterly reports constitutes another factor of movement. And then we can think that the introduction of federal regulations in waste management and dumpsters was a final factor of upheaval.

The US waste sector looks like a hot object in formation, full of turbulence. This experience should certainly be studied at a time when many emerging countries are looking for references to organize their environmental services.

Ankle Arthritis Explained

The medical term “arthritis” is not new to everyone’s hearing. You might have heard it several times, but not necessarily knowing what arthritis really is.

Arthritis is an inflammation of one or more of your joints that causes stiffness and pain. While arthritis is primarily an adult disease, some forms of the disease affect children as well.

There are several kinds of arthritis. These types include osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, septic arthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis.

These different types also have different causes, however, the symptoms and management are frequently the same. Swelling, stiffness associated with pain is the main symptoms of arthritis. Whatever joints in the body can possibly be affected by the illness, however, it is most common in weight-bearing joints specifically the hip, spine, ankle and the knee.

Arthritis has no specific cure at the moment, but there are several treatment options accessible to help manage pain to sustain daily living of the person affected by it.

Unrelatedly on whether the reason for arthritis is from injury, typical wear and tear, or disease, the joint becomes inflamed, causing swelling, pain, and stiffness. Inflammation is just one of the body’s normal responses once an injury or disease occurs. In arthritic joints, yet, inflammation may cause long-term or enduring disability.

Diagnosis for Arthritis

Arthritis is diagnosed by means of a wary evaluation of symptoms and a physical examination. X-rays are significant to show the range of any injury to the joint. Blood tests and added laboratory tests may aid to define the type of arthritis.

  • Atrophy – weakening of the muscles
  • Tenderness to touch
  • Inability or limited capacity to move the joint passively
  • Signs that various joints are painful or swollen this symptom signifies rheumatoid arthritis
  • A harsh feeling or sound (crepitus) with movement
  • Feeling of pain whenever putting pressure on the joint or else the joint is being moved

Possible Causes of Arthritis

Until today, the real cause of arthritis remains unknown. However, there are some factors recognized as possibly raising the chances of getting the disease.

  • Age. Joints tend to get damaged as you age.
  • Gender. Most of the paints of arthritis are women. Many of its types are common to women, but not gout.
  • Genes. Illnesses such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis are associated to certain genes.
  • Extra weight. Carrying excess pounds makes arthritis in the knee begin earlier and get worse quicker.
  • Injuries. Injuries can cause joint damage that can carry on some types of the illness.

Long-term Management

In most cases of arthritis, individuals affected by it can still continue doing their daily routine. The common management to minimize symptoms like the pain is over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs and weight reduction for overweight individuals.

In persons with major cases of arthritis, orthopedic frequently offer dramatic pain relief and reinstate lost joint function. Other types of arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis are frequently treated through a team of health care providers. These specialists may comprise rheumatologists, physical and occupational therapists, rehabilitation specialists, social workers, and orthopedic surgeons.

Living with arthritis can be dissimilar from each person, and symptoms can differ from day to day. Treatment options and medications differ with the type of arthritis, the parts of the body being affected, and its severity. Some people with arthritis in the feet use an ankle immobilizer in order to limit the risk of fracture.

Because of the fact that arthritis has no cure at present, researchers pursue their objective of getting progress in the discovery of the underlying causes of the main types of arthritis. Orthopedic surgeons, together with other practitioners and scientists, have established several operational treatments for arthritis in the meantime.

For you to get away from developing arthritis, it will be best to avoid getting injuries and maintain a healthy kind of living.

Self-Myofascial Release: Why Foam Rolling Combats Pain


Self-myofascial release, or now commonly known as foam rolling was once a recovery technique used only by professional therapists, coaches and athletes. Today, it has become a more familiar to all of us, an everyday practice for people at any level of physical fitness.

Self-myofascial release is a fancy term for self-massage. It helps release the tightness in your muscles by applying pressure to specific areas of your body. It supports the recovery of your muscles and bring back their health and elasticity.

It Is Not Enough To Stretch

Stretching can help loosen up and bring back the elasticity of your muscles, but it alone is not enough to release all the muscle tightness. This is when self-myofascial or foam rolling techniques come in the picture.

The goal of self-myofascial release or any recovery and corrective technique is to restore the point of normalcy in the muscles. Foam rolling aids blood flow and restore normal muscle functions for optimum performance.

How Foam Rolling Works

Foam rolling applies deep compressions to your muscles to help break up tight muscles and aid relaxation. On top of this, it can also address the adhesions formed between the muscles usually caused by dehydration, injury, overuse, etc.

Foam rolling your muscles can be compared to tenderizing a piece of steak. At first, there will be some slight pain and discomfort. But afterwards, your muscles will become loose and supple. If you neglect your muscle health, you will be more susceptible to pain movement, muscle adhesions and flexibility loss.

Common Pains Foam Rolling Can Fix

If you use the right technique, foam rolling can become your personal, free masseuse. It does not just prepare your body for the stresses caused by workout, it can also relieve aches and prevent them from coming back.

Here are eight common pains that foam rolling can fix for you.

1. Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is usually caused by chronic sitting down, poor posture or tight hip flexor muscles. The pain usually gets worse when you try to bend your waist. This puts a lot of pressure at your back and lead to injury over time.

2. Upper Back Pain

Just like lower back pain, pain in the upper back is also caused by poor posture. Your upper back muscles can stiffen and lead to weak shoulder muscles. Foam rolling will relieve the sharp pains and tightness between your shoulder blades.

3. Heel Pain

For people who constantly walk around or suffer from plantar fasciitis, a foam roll will help ease their discomfort. This inflammation is located at the band of fiber that runs along the bottom of your foot called plantar fascia.

4. Knee Pain

People who suffer from weak or tight hip flexors have problems with their knees. When your hip muscles fail to stabilize your stance and support your body, the iliotibial band overcompensates for your weight. This puts a lot of pressure on your knees and cause pain.

5. Shoulder Pain

Your shoulder is one of the first places in your body to get hurt. This is because it has the most complex and unstable joint in the body. On top of this, when people exercise, they tend to focus more on the deltoids and neglect the other smaller stabilizing muscles found in the back of the shoulder joint, causing stretch imbalances and pain.

6. Shin Pain

Pain in the shin is commonly known as shin splints. It is when the sheath surrounding the tibia bone is inflamed due to extensive jumping or running on hard surfaces. Foam rolling this area will help release the inflammation around the bone and alleviate pain. Athletes who run a lot will find foam rolling their shins helpful.

Many healthcare practitioners encourage their patients to utilize foam rolling especially when they experience muscle pain. However, it is still recommended that you ask your doctor or your physical therapist first before proceeding with foam rolling, especially when you just recently recovered from an injury.