Residential and commercial waste generation is at its all-time high due to the rapidly growing global population and increasing raw material consumption. Thankfully, sustainable waste disposal and management methods are available to tackle this situation. Without these waste management solutions, it will be very challenging for everyone to negotiate with this problem, and the consequences will be very hazardous. Regarding waste management, we have several solutions available to handle the garbage generated from different channels. They all are versatile enough to meet and exceed our sustainability goals. We have covered the top ones in this article, beginning with ‘reducing and reusing’.
REDUCE AND REUSE
According to experts in waste disposal in Adelaide, upstream waste management has emerged as a high-impact way to approach sustainability. We can use this approach by using less materials and less resources as this will translate into less waste generated. Reducing and reusing items is essential to trim down the rubbish we generate that is picked up by rubbish removal staff. Reducing the dependence on items upstream will decrease the waste we generate. Similarly, reusing the items rather than considering them a waste disposal can extend their ‘useful’ life. This ‘reusing’ will also decrease your dependence on new resources that are fetched by draining out our environment.
OPTIONS FOR WASTE DISPOSAL
However, it has been noticed that reusing and reducing waste are not always practical, and in this situation, it becomes essential to find a useful waste disposal approach and a strategy that enables sustainability. In this regard, companies offering services related to waste disposal in Adelaide have come up with several waste management options. Some of them are discussed, beginning with incineration or burning.
WHAT IS INCINERATION?
Burning of the rubbish removal is given the name of incineration and a fact about this solution is that it is not a sustainable waste management option at all. It generates significant amounts of greenhouse gases, toxins and pollutants. All of them are emitted into the air to cause air pollution that affects humans, animals, flora, fauna, and everything in between.
WASTE-TO-ENERGY CONVERSION
Incineration can be considered sustainable if, apart from generating a lot of air pollution, it produces some energy as well. To some extent, this is possible as incineration creates energy in the form of heat, electricity and fuel. This way insulation can be considered a more environmentally-friendly method of rubbish removal. You have to review the incineration process and ensure that it generates more energy than the air pollution it generates.
FUEL BLENDING
Fuel blending is an ideal method to dispose of waste fuels without letting them impact the environment negatively. This process involves taking solvent waste and blending it into the fuel source. This is, again, a handsome method that contributes to the circular economy. It is also a sustainable waste disposal option that produces energy. It reduces the demand for additional fossil fuels, a significant benefit associated with fuel blending.
LANDFILLING
This is undoubtedly the most cost-effective method, but unfortunately, it is not as sustainable as it should be. Landfill sites are the third largest source of methane emission and 15% of the total methane generated across the globe is from landfill sites. Methane is a dangerous gas contributing to global warming and ozone depletion. In addition to this, landfill sites also let the waste escape into the environment, and this contributes towards elevated pollution. It has also been detected that landfilling reduces ROI, and hence, it can be assumed to be the least sustainable method of waste disposal.
Lastly, there is the option of recycling that is assumed as the life saviour as far as waste management is considered. This process involves converting waste materials into new products and it is an effective disposal strategy that contributes towards sustainable waste management. Till now, it has been a highly effective and proven method to conserve natural resources, reduce waste disposal, and minimise pollution. The biggest feature of recycling is that it eliminates the use of virgin material for new manufacturing and it also minimises our dependency upon natural resources that are limited in amount.