Pellow Recycling Center Analysis

Furthermore, Pellow reinforces the concept that governmental policies can directly damage groups of people or a certain race by pointing out the ironic conditions that take place in recycling industries. Pellow states that “solid waste is a fact of life” (1). Humans as a species tend to aggregate, making the disposal of waste a complicated issue. Disposal practices lead to divided political opinions and negative environmental impacts, such as pollution. And, although all humans contribute to producing waste, not all humans share the burden of managing this garbage. For instance, Pellow observed the social and economic conditions taking place under a recycling center located within Chicago. The foundation behind the idea of recycling is to foster the concern for environmental respect. Therefore, a recycling center should be a place where people are aware of their actions and what the resulting consequences may be. However, many environmental problems and social inequalities arose within the community of Chicago. Chicago is a large city with many social divisions. The recycling center is located within a community that has comparatively lower economic advantages. These factories employ their workers under poor conditions, treating them unfairly. Therefore, a neighborhood with initially lower opportunities becomes a dumping site for everyones waste production. Pellow states that “the city of Chicago has more landfills per square mile than any other city in the
The idea that environmental injustice is directly related to social inequality that Pellow reinforces can then further be applied to cities all over the world. Pellow hopes to bring this issue into public awareness so that any future detrimental impacts on not only the environment but also minorities no longer