By MADDIE KIRKMAN
Staff Writer
The throwaway culture of a throwaway society is a social concept centralized around mass consumption and consumerism. The term refers to societies that tend to just throw away items after little periods of use. Roughly 300 million tons of plastic waste are generated. Nearly half of all plastic production is designed for single-use purposes. As companies increasingly prioritize mass production and fast production turnover, the waste problem is expected to continue growing. The amount of global waste produced is estimated to increase to 3.4 billion metric tonnes by 2050. The number one way to combat throwaway culture is to hold manufacturers accountable. Requiring manufacturers to take responsibility and pay for product waste is a great way to combat throwaway culture. Maine and Oregon, along with other similar states, have already begun to place extended producer responsibility laws that require companies to take financial responsibility for the recycling and proper disposal of the products they create. These laws are set to go into motion during 2024-2025. The Break Free from Pollution Act of 2021 is a bill currently proposed at the Senate level that calls for manufacturers to reduce the production of single-use plastics and holds companies accountable for collecting, managing, and recycling the products they create.