Do you agree with this statement? Chapter 6 discusses one issue that has seen significant increases in the past few years due to increases in population and consumerism, non-hazardous solid waste (NHSW). Urban areas and more affluent countries produce far more waste than rural and lower income countries, meaning developed countries need to become more innovative with strategies to reduce waste production. Prior to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in 1974 most of the NHSW was openly burned or dumped, (causing issues for both air and water quality) but is now either dumped in landfills, composted, recycled, or incinerated. The NHSW landfills are regulated by the states that they are in, but the EPA sets the minimum standards that must be met or exceeded, such as location restrictions, liners for landfills, and groundwater testing. Composting and recycling are two important diversion strategies, with many municipalities implementing recyclable collection as part of their waste management strategies after the RCRA passed