Reduce the waste you produce by reusing items, shopping smarter, growing your food, and donating unused items. Also, drive less to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Switch to reusable shopping bags, use mason jars as planters, and switch from paper coffee cups to reusable travel mugs. These are all simple changes you can make to reduce your household waste.
Electronic Waste
Electronic waste or E-waste is waste that comes from discarded electric devices. This waste is extremely toxic to the environment and can contaminate soils and water, harming human health. It is also a major contributor to climate change. It includes hazardous substances like lead, cadmium, and mercury. They release these toxic substances when they are burned or dumped in landfills. These substances can then leach into the air, causing breathing problems and other health issues. E-waste includes any household or business electronic waste that is not recycled. It can consist of old TV appliances, computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, white goods (washing machines and dryers), kitchen and household electronics such as toasters and kettles, and toys.
This type of waste is increasing worldwide due to rapid technological advancements and consumer demand for electronic products. However, only about 17.4% of e-waste is formally managed or recycled yearly, according to the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy. Thankfully, there are some things that you can do to reduce the amount of e-waste you produce. For example, you can buy energy-efficient devices that are longer lasting. You can also repurpose your old gadgets for other uses or donate them to charity. You can also recycle e-waste by taking your electronics to a special e-cycling center. It can take a lot of effort to physically prepare rubbish for disposal or separate recycling from waste, so hiring waste management services can help you save time.
Liquid Waste
Whether it’s from a fish and chip shop or the workplace, liquid waste is an issue that must be taken care of. It is categorized as hazardous trash and might be difficult to dispose of properly. However, you can do a few things to reduce this waste. First, ensure you have the right bins for the different types of liquid waste. Clearly label them, and encourage your employees to use them appropriately. It is also important to educate them about what can and can’t be poured down the drain. It will prevent water supply contamination and help keep your workplace clean.
Paper waste is another common household waste, and it’s easy to recycle. It can include old newspapers, different packaging materials, and cardboard. You can find local recycling centers to take your paper waste to. Solid waste includes general household waste, garden waste, and rotten food. This type of waste is often broken down by microorganisms in landfills, helping to produce methane that can harm the environment. Heaps of solid waste can also create a home for rodents and insects that can spread diseases like plague, typhoid, cholera, and skin infections. In addition, they can damage the surrounding environment and impact flora and fauna.
Solid Waste
There are many types of solid waste, and some of them can be recycled or reused. They include plastic waste (bags, boxes, jars, and containers), paper materials such as newspapers, magazines, and cardboard, glass items like bottles and ceramic plates, and metals such as empty tin cans. These items can be collected and sent to nearby recycling centers for further processing.
Organic waste is another common type of household rubbish, including garden waste, food scraps, rotten meat, and manure. These are broken down by microorganisms and converted into soil fertilizer over time, but they shouldn’t be disposed of with regular rubbish. Instead, use a green skin bin or garden bag for this rubbish.
Solid rubbish makes the surroundings dirty and can affect flora and fauna in the area. It also produces noxious odors and leaches harmful substances into nearby water bodies when buried in landfill sites. It can lead to contaminating drinking water. Heaps of rubbish also serve as homes for insects and rodents that transmit diseases such as plague, typhoid, and cholera. Using cloth napkins and plates, growing plants in pots, recycling and reusing paper and cardboard, and avoiding buying packaged goods are a few ways to reduce your rubbish and help the environment.
Hazardous Waste
These types of waste are non-biodegradable and include discarded plastics, metals, paper materials like newspapers and food packaging covers, and glass items like soda cans. Non-biodegradable rubbish can be disposed of using various methods, including chemical, thermal, and physical treatments. Chemical and thermal processes change the substance’s molecular structure, while biological treatment concentrates or solidifies it. Hazardous waste is any solid, liquid, or containerized gas that can no longer be used, thrown away, recycled, or stored. It’s categorized as hazardous because it contains toxic or harmful constituents. These four characteristics can make a waste dangerous: Ignitability (EPA Waste Code D001) — Any liquid that can cause fires by friction or absorption of moisture. It can also easily combust or burn, generating heat and smoke and dispersing toxic pollutants and by-products into the air.
Corrosivity includes acidic or alkaline substances that corrode any material they come in contact with. It can also dissolve metal and destroy living tissue. Many household products can be considered hazardous waste and contain chemicals harmful to people and the environment. To reduce your hazardous waste, shop for safer cleaning products, use fewer toxic household cleaners, and switch to ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent lamps (which have less mercury than traditional bulbs). You can recycle used cell phones instead of throwing them in the trash; remove their batteries and metal components first.
