Innovative and Sustainable Ways to Manage Waste While Minimizing the Environmental Impact
The world’s waste problem just got more alarming, and developing countries refused to import trash. Without urgent action, global waste will reach 70% by 2050, according to research.
Here’s how the world is trying to deal with waste.
Recycling is an eco-friendly waste management system that helps protect the environment and ensures people’s wellbeing. Solid waste management spreads benefits all over the world. It’s time to use the following techniques to protect our precious environment.
Global Waste Expected to Grow by 70% by 2050, Reports Say
Global annual waste production is expected to reach 3.4 billion in the next 30 years, up from 2.01 billion tonnes in 2016, reports say. Plastic is especially a problem because it’s not collected correctly, contaminating and affecting ecosystems and waterways for thousands of years. Solid waste management is critical for sustainable and healthy living in cities and communities. However, it is often overlooked, especially in some developing countries. More than 1/3 of waste in rich countries is improved through proper recycling and composting, and only 4% of waste in needy countries is collected.
Based on the volume of waste generated and how it’s been managed, it is estimated that 1.6 billion tonnes of CO2 were generated from waste in 2016, representing around 5% of global discharges. Mismanagement of garbage damages people’s health and local environments while drastically changing the climate. Regrettably, it’s often the humblest in society who are harmfully impacted by improper waste management. It shouldn’t be that way – the resources we use need to be reused and then continuously reused so that they don’t end up in landfills.
According to report notes, good waste management systems are essential to building a circular economy, where products are optimized for reuse. As mentioned, poorly disposed waste is likely to impact human health and the environment. The cost of addressing these issues is much higher than how it costs to develop and operate proper waste management systems. There are many solutions; all we have to do is get there.
Some critical solutions to make waste management a priority:
- Provide financing to low-income countries to create waste management systems.
- Support countries to reduce the consumption of plastic through complete waste management programs.
- Reducing food waste through synchronized food waste management programs.
Eco-Friendly Methods of Solid Waste Management
Voice your opinion on waste; it’s the only solution for countries to start taking it more seriously. The message for the nation is clear: until more drastic measures are taken towards a solid waste management program, deal with your trash.
But how to do it?
The solution could lie in using new technologies to eliminate the need for landfills. But a change in social behavior is actually what we need right now. Here are some thoughtful ways to tackle the problem.
Waste Reduction & Reuse
Lessening the amount you buy is the most important of all options to reduce waste intelligently. Waste reduction and reusing a material again is eco-friendly solid waste management. An example would be household items, like clothing, books, kitchen wares, etc. Looking at the things thrown away, it’s clear that we can do more to reuse those materials and solve worldwide waste management.
Composting
It’s an old and efficient eco-friendly waste management technique that reduces the harmful impacts of waste processes on the environment. It’s an easy-to-implement process in households, community groups, or a commercial scale. The overall waste volume reduction could be successfully done by ordering waste balers and compactors. Miltek recycling solutions are designed to reduce waste efficiently, whether in households or companies of all sizes and shapes.
The type of waste is essential to consider during the composting process. Risky and inorganic waste aren’t fit for composting, and just a tiny amount of unsuitable products might damage the whole compost.
Garbage Disposals
Using waste disposal units properly is vital for eco-friendly waste management. Trash disposals are suitable for kitchen waste, capable of disposing large amounts of waste into smaller containers that can decompose at a faster rate. Waste disposal units ease the reduction of waste – food leftovers represent a total of 20% of waste in the environment. So, it’s a critical step to dispose of them properly, in a disposer container, instead of garbage so that it can be reused, instead of ending up in the landfills.
As probably known, plastic bags are used to dispose of food waste. Still, the use of disposal units lowers the number of used plastic bags, and thus, fewer plastic bags go into landfills.
Incineration
It is a method that involves combusting waste, as removing their base components through extreme heat. Although it may seem dangerous, it’s still an effective way to destroy debris while still being environmentally accountable. However, cities have strict rules when it comes to waste incineration. So, you should check them before choking an entire neighborhood with noxious smoke if the incineration is done unproperly.
Replace it
Last, but not least, this is an exceptional way to reduce waste. Companies and startups worldwide look at many alternatives to plastic. Paper straws, for example, are ubiquitous on social media campaigns. Disposable cutlery and food boxes are made from organic waste, so more countries ban plastic bags and look for other alternatives to wrapping groceries. Some foods are even enfolded in banana leaves.
Plastic takes seconds to be produced but dozens of years to decompose. You may now understand the importance of single-use products. Ultimately, the best solution is not to make any item that can’t be recycled.
We all produce waste every day, but do we ever think about what happens to the debris after the trash is being picked up? For sure, landfills come to our minds, but they’re areas used for waste disposal to prevent environmental pollution and other health risks. It goes without saying that the answer is in our hands: if recycling is not managed well, the global waste problem can surpass even more.
“Pop culture advocate. Troublemaker. Friendly student. Proud problem solver.”
