The term waste management refers to the processes related to waste disposal. It includes a wide range of categories because there are many types of waste and different methods for disposal.
The importance of waste management systems is critical. If there is too much rubbish, it does not simply disappear; instead, it accumulates and decomposes in areas that are harmful to human beings as well as to nature. This is when things start getting sticky.
I would like to address the questions: How do these systems differ and improve? What can I do as a businessman, or as a regular homeowner, to properly mitigate my waste?
This blog gives them a better understanding og waste management systems and presents it in a manner that an average user would be able to understand. While the blog primarily targets an Australian audience, many of the points made can be useful for any nation.
Waste Management Defined
Waste management is loosely defined as any type of organised system for managing various wastes. It achieves this through a variety of methods like sorting, disposing, reducing, recycling, reusing, and waste prevention.
Commonly, preventing undesirable materials from harming both human beings and the environment is accomplished through five methods: sorting, disposing, reducing, recycling, and reusing.
Sorting Waste
Instead of mixing all waste together, waste sorting makes it easy to break down and manage. This includes allowing recyclable materials to be separated from valuable metals alongside ensuring hazardous waste is properly separated from non-hazardous waste.
Effective waste sorting encourages recycling, reduces negative environmental impacts, and improves overall waste management efficacy.
Disposing of Waste
Although this may seem like the simplest type of waste management, it is arguably the most complicated one.
Disposal of waste material through recycling, composting, incineration, etc., are all systems that require expertise, each with its own set of complexities. All methods utilised aim at effective management, resource utilisation, sustainability, and aiding the environment.
Reducing Waste
Waste management in Australia reflects the country’s commitment to sustainable practices and environmental protection. Various systems and regulations have been established to manage waste effectively, encouraging recycling, composting, and the responsible disposal of materials.
These efforts aim to reduce landfill usage and lower greenhouse gas emissions, promoting a cleaner, healthier environment for all citizens.
Recycling Waste
Sustainable practices and the management of waste are Australia’s greatest strengths. Australia has made significant strides in waste management by developing appropriate systems and regulations that seek to promote recycling, composting, and the disposal of various materials in a responsible manner.
The primary objectives of these efforts are to minimise the size of landfills and greenhouse gas emissions while working towards a healthier and cleaner environment for citizens.
Reusing waste
This approach focuses on transforming industrial or domestic waste into new products without changing the original form, hence differing from recycling. The creativity required for this process is often why the assistance of waste management companies is sought.
There are waste management systems ready and in place, but ordinary individuals and businesspeople are often unaware of their existence. A business, like any other logistical operation, needs effective waste management for its proper and proficient operation.
Waste audits are a great place to begin. Interested in having your waste management systems understood?
Why is Waste Management Important?
Waste management is important because waste exists whether a person likes it or not. Without effective systems in place to deal with it, there will be piles and piles of unaccounted-for waste and other garbage. Common examples include recycling facilities, municipal waste collection services, medical waste services, and local businesses that specialise in circular economy waste collection and management.
Not only will this be unsightly, but it will also contribute to greenhouse gases and other pollutants. For the beauty and security of planet Earth, waste management is important.
Different Types of Waste
Waste management deals with a large pool of waste. It’s worth naming and defining some of the major types.
- Organic Waste. This refers to naturally forming waste without human-made chemicals and other hazardous materials. That being said, organic waste can be hazardous waste.
- Food Waste. This is all of the food scraps produced by households, restaurants, and other waste generation hotspots.
- Medical Waste. This refers to the waste produced in hospitals, laboratories, clinics, pharmacies, and other facilities that deal with medical or biological equipment.
- Household Waste. This includes everything produced in a household. It includes both liquid and solid waste. Single-use plastics are a major contributor.
The Waste Management Hierarchy
Various initiatives or steps are taken by waste management companies on how to tackle the issue of waste disposal, and the waste management hierarchy is one of the guiding factors of this decision-making.
This concept acts as a framework for an individual or group’s work in the organisation by ensuring eco-friendly, sustainable, and waste-minimising intentions are put into place.
Importance of the Waste Management Hierarchy
Essentially, this framework provides eco-friendly waste disposal steps, which determines the order of priority in which waste should be continued to be generated, and how it should be recovered to ensure proper disposition. Of utmost priority comes waste prevention which is aimed at minimising the production of waste as much as possible.
This anticipatory approach puts stress on the changes in the production processes, as well as in the patterns of consumption, in order to effectively reduce the amount of waste produced.
By changing the behaviour of manufacturers towards the use of lesser raw materials and more efficient methods of production, as well as changing the attitudes of consumers towards more efficient disposal of waste, waste management companies will greatly reduce the amount of waste in landfills.
Elimination of Waste and Recovery of Resources
After waste prevention, the next steps of the hierarchy are resource recovery, which is obtained through recycling and composting. As a rule of thumb, it is always better to recover materials.
Recycling is one way of conserving natural resources and reducing the need for landfills. Overall, less waste is created. Organic waste can be transformed into compost, which closes the loop in the ecosystem through nutrient-rich soil.
When waste cannot be prevented or recovered, the hierarchy recommends proper incineration and landfilling. It is agreed upon that proper disposal is a last resort.
However, proper waste management hierarchy enables a more comprehensive and sustainable waste management system whereby a company’s impact on the environment is significantly reduced.
Key Challenges for Waste Management in Australia
There are a number of challenges that waste management companies face in Australia. In many ways, the industry’s ability to overcome these challenges highlights its commitment to safe and effective waste management.
- Community Trust. Waste management companies across Australia need the trust and support of local communities.
- Recycling. Without recycling being common and practised, efforts to reduce total waste will be in vain.
- Education. Australian schools have a duty to educate young learners about safe and effective waste management solutions. This will help to develop a citizen pool of people who care about waste.
- Regulatory Compliance. Effective waste management can sometimes get bogged down by bureaucratic regulatory compliance, slowing down innovation.
- Local Markets. Without local markets doing their bit to engage waste management companies, the industry will not develop or grow into an effective business model.
CSIRO has a blog that unpacks many of these challenges.
Waste Management Initiatives
In order to provide sufficient and efficient trash management, waste management businesses throughout Australia are constantly improving their waste management systems.
Improved attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from inadequate waste systems and climate change have been a major aspect of this.
When selecting a trash management business, consider their dedication to ethical and ecologically responsible procedures, as well as how effectively they comply with national and international waste management rules and regulations.
