What are the three methods of waste disposal?

Living in a clean environment has positive effects, especially in our health. In keeping our environment and surroundings clean, we must be able to take care of rubbish or waste.

There are three ways we can dispose of our waste. These are recycling them, sending them over to landfills, and composting them.

The three methods of waste disposal?

First, there are landfills. This method involves burying and covering solid wastes to isolate them from the environment. Second, incineration is a process that converts organic materials into heat energy by burning them at very high temperatures- this can be done on an industrial or small scale level. Third, recycling is when people use discarded materials like glass, plastic bottles and aluminum cans to make new products for consumers.

Recycling

This is the most well-known step of waste disposal. Amongst other benefits, this method ensures that waste is put into good and useful ways. 

In recycling, waste could be converted into usable energy, fuel, or electricity. The preservation of natural resources from recycling can be used in the future. 

It can reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses and also reduce pollution in the long run. At home, recycling can be a great option to manage our trash. 

Landfills

If you ever wonder where garbage collectors take our trash after their dump trucks take them away, this is the answer. They are taken to landfills, where they end up with the loads of garbage staying in the facility.

The sequence of waste disposal including burying the waste in the land. In the process of waste disposal, various conditions have to be observed in order to ensure that the garbage is disposed properly.  Risks and dangers are also considered before everything is buried. 

In addition, the smell is eliminated through specialized processes done in the facility. Naturally, we can’t have a landfill in our backyards. All we have to do is to leave it to the garbage collectors who are assigned to do the collecting and turning over to these facilities.

Composting

Composting is the most natural method of waste disposal which includes turning organic waste into nutrient rich food. We should definitely consider composting our trash especially if we own we have available space in our backyards. 

We can use leftovers of our food or cooking, remains of plants or garden as our raw materials to provide nutrients. Composting is great for organic farming, as it helps us convert our waste into more useful things. 

If you have a garden, composting can keep it flourishing all year around. Doing so will not only give us an effective way to manage our waste at home, but also provide our plants with organic fertilizer.

A precaution on composting at home is to ensure that the pit or the container you’re using is far from the house. Because your compost will include spoiled food and fruit peels, it will create a smell. An airtight cover should also be in place at all times.

Organizing our trash can lessen landfill waste

In relation to our growing population, the amount of garbage going to landfill has increased. However, it is alarming how the level of recycling does not readily follow suit. 

Several studies show that only 58 percent of household waste is recycled, while the remaining end up sitting in landfills. That amounts to millions of tons of trash taking up to hundreds of years to decompose, if they are able to, at all.

Environmental preservation must begin with the people. Sadly, not as much homeowners today are able to divert rubbish from landfills. 

Recycling begins at home

You can start your own recycling plan at home instead of just putting all your trash in a single garbage bin. When segregated, waste can be managed more effectively. This also paves the way for more recyclable garbage to be recycled and not just thrown away.

You can start with identifying which part of your yard you could use for composting. If this is not possible due to tiny space, you may also use a deep pail as a compost pit.

To segregate your trash, separate bags or bins must be properly arranged and labelled. Make sure that other wastes such as clothing, food scraps, and specialty items like electronics and batteries are also separated.

Common questions on the three methods of waste disposal

What is the biggest waste product?

In a study done in 2017, the biggest waste product was corrugated boxes. They amounted to a total of 28.8 million tons. Other products that make up the highest percentage of accumulated wastes include yard trimmings and newspapers, which amounted to 24.4 million tons and 4.2 million tons, respectively.

What is the most common form of waste disposal?

Unsurprisingly, landfill remains to be the most common form of waste disposal. With the amount of single use plastics used all over the world, it is no wonder that most landfills are reaching their maximum capacity which yields the need for more landfills in the future.

Which country is best in waste management?

Germany has the best waste management programs. Its citizens have mastered recycling, too. Other countries praised for their waste management methods include Austria, South Korea, Wales, and Switzerland, which recycles almost half of its municipal waste. 

Waste disposal should be properly observed to ensure overall health at home and in the community. This explains the need for waste segregation, and a little effort from our part to try lessening the amount of trash that gets sent to landfills. The more trash we recycle, the more we help the earth to be greener for the next generations to come.