Every year, millions of tons of industrial waste,

household garbage, fertilizer, and pesticides are dumped

into nature. Many of these substances are not
biodegradable, which means that microorganisms in the
ground cannot break them down. Things like metal cans,
glass, and most plastics accumulate in the environment.
That is why it is important to recycle and to reuse things
instead of throwing them out. Most nonbiodegradable
pollutants in the ground come from industries, which
emit thousands of different substances. Some of these are
highly toxic chemicals that seep into the ground and
contaminate watercourses. In spite of efforts to regulate
garbage disposal and farming practices, countries around
the world are continuing to contaminate more and more
of their soil.

In industrialized countries, the average family produces

almost two tons of garbage a year. More than half of that
garbage comes from paper packaging, metal, glass, and
plastic that can be recycled or reused. Almost a quarter of
household garbage is kitchen waste like vegetable peels.
This kind of garbage can be turned into compost, a
natural fertilizer that can be used to enrich the soil of
gardens or cultivated fields.