May
23
2009
Every year, millions of people across the country take a day during the Spring season to clean up and get rid of all of the garbage and clutter that has accumulated in their homes over the previous year. This can include old paint cans, electronics, recreational equipment, old furniture, clothing,etc. When the bags of garbage are piled by the curbside, many do not usually consider where all of the waste goes.
Before awareness about the threats to our environment became widely known, household waste used to go entirely into landfills. Fortunately, many local and regional governments have now changed how we dispose of household waste. Most regions, towns, and cities, have implemented waste processing methods that reduce the amount of garbage going into landfills.
In many places, trash will be sorted at a Materials Recovery Facility. (MRF) It can be sorted using a conveyor belt or by hand. Reusable and recyclable materials are sorted from regular garbage. If you do not live in a community that has a materials recovery centre, a compost and recycling program is very important. MRFs sort out the reusable and recyclable materials that accidentally get put into the trash. The remaining trash is transported to a landfill. The trash is poured into the landfill and covered by a layer of soil. Each days layer of trash is stacked on top of one another and the process is repeated until the landfill is full. Once full, more land has to be cleared and the whole process begins again.
When it comes to a local residential Spring cleaning day, there is so much garbage that is accumulated from all of the homes, that often many items that should be separated will accidentally get put in the landfills. It may seem if newspapers and other items that degrade, it would not matter if they went in a landfill. However, studies have found that this type of trash is slow to degrade in a landfill. Dr. William Rathje, a professor at the University of Arizona, formed a group called the Garbage Project to learn more about what is in America’s landfills. In 1989, his team dug up a newspaper from 1952 that could still be read. They also found an ear of corn with its husks intact mixed in with material dated from 1971.
When it comes to Spring cleaning, we must do our part to make sure unnecessary waste does not end up in the landfills. Remember, the threat of contaminating our water and air does not end once garbage removal is put in landfills. It takes a longtime for many items to decompose. Also, the soil has to be monitored for toxic contamination that could end up in our own water supply. The less waste that is created means the less waste that ends up in our landfills. When gathering all of the junk that you have accumulated, separate the items under the categories compost, reuse, recycle. Any household newspapers and organic waste should go in a composter. Items with toxic chemicals such as car fluids and cleaners should be separated and given to a hazardous waste disposal facility. Electronics and other items that contain toxic metals should also go to a recycle facility where they can be stripped down and disposed of properly and safely. Large items such as tires appliances, and furniture should be separated from landfill items so they can be safely disposed. You can donate items to charities such as clothing, old furniture, electronics that still work,etc. You will find that once you have separated and categorized your items, you will have very little left that will go in a landfill. If you have a great deal of waste, there are special waste hauling companies that will come to your home and remove all of your garbage. They are trained and certified to dispose of waste, hazardous materials, compost, and recyclable goods.
Because of the depletion of our natural resources and hazards to our environment, it is important that individuals and governments dispose of waste that is eco-friendly. Green Spring Cleaning is a great way to conserve and protect the environment.
