What is the separate collection of waste and how to do it in my house
A Life / / December 19, 2019
What is happening today with the garbage?
Slightly more than 90% of the waste that we add in the trash disposed ofWhat to do with waste in Russia in landfills. According to the rulesOf solid waste disposal technologiesGarbage must tramp on specially equipped sites bulldozed. Each layer in a thickness of two meters need to pour the ground, and in summer it all moisten with water to avoid fires.
In fact, often everything goes differently. On most Russian landfills to dispose of all waste indiscriminately (including battery, Mercury lamps, flammable building materials and so on). Rubbish is not tamped how to pour and insulating layers. This leads to ecological disasters.
Produced toxic landfill gas, which can seriously harm the health of people living near the landfill.
Landfills arise fires, Including at depth. They can not be put out over the years. Poisonous liquid - the filtrate - seeping from the landfill into groundwater, rivers and lakes.
And what about the rest of the waste?
Approximately 2% of garbage burned in Russia, and 4% of the waste processed
What to do with waste in Russia. Recyclables reaches the sorting line, where from it is selected that can be used again. These are different types of plastic, paper, glass, metal.Organic waste, which constituteDisposal of waste in Russia. dossier today from 40 to 50% of the total waste volume is not processed in Russia: no documents regulating this process. The organics are sent to the landfill.
GreenpeaceWhat to do with waste in Russia? calculated that if the situation does not change, by 2026 the total area trash landfills in Russia will reach 8 million hectares. It's like two of the Azov Sea.
How to dispose of garbage in other countries?
Abroad make compost (fertilizer) from the organic waste is converted to biogas which can be used to produce electricity, heat, and as fuel for cars.
In some European countries, it is burned up to 50% of the waste - is carefully sorted rubbish that can not be recycled.
But in the beginning of 2017 the European Council recommendedThe European Commission recommends to refrain from the construction of incinerators countries to refrain from the construction of new incinerators and develop is the processing sector.
In the world there are examples of effective reduction of debris. For example, in the Japanese city Kamikattsu 80% recycled waste. Residents share their 34 species. Local authorities have set a goal in 2020 to reduce the amount of waste disposed to zero.
That's the way the waste is collected residents sleeping area of Tokyo.
In 76 countries, the legislation limited the use of disposable plastic packaging which is up to 70% of the total waste volume.
Why are we all different?
Abroad rely on the separate collection of waste. In Russia - the sorting of mixed waste in the workplace. Significant difference.
mixed waste sorting performance inferior to their separation prior to entering into the trash. A large number of potential recyclables simply becomes unsuitable or uneconomic for processing. This leads to the fact that the "tails", directed to incineration or landfill, are increasing. Also, industrial sorting of mixed waste excludes people involved in solving the problem. So they, in fact, do not think about how to reduce their education.
Maria Malorossiyanova coordinator ECA traffic projects
This is a global problem in Russia is not supported by the processing industry, does not create the infrastructure for separate collection. Priority is now given to the burning. So, approved in the Moscow regionThe construction of incinerators in Moscow will begin in the near future The construction of four powerful incinerators. But it is the most expensive, inefficient and environmentally unsafe method of waste management.
This is confirmed by the example of Sweden. Here are some powerful incinerators built. This hinders the development of the processing industry. The Swedes have to purchase trash in other countries, suffering environmental risks, as incinerators produce large amounts of carbon dioxide.
What to do?
Technologies that do not bury or burn and recycle glass, metal, plastic, paper, rubber, textiles, make up a large part of the waste is in Russia. Only in the Moscow region there are 432 processing plants. But their capacity underutilized by an average of 30-40%.
Processing plants have low profitability due to the quality of recycled materials. For example, coming from the landfill PET bottles are very dirty, they need expensive cleaning. Therefore, it is important to properly organize the separate collection of waste. Collected by the people clean and folded into containers for separate collection of secondary resources will be more profitable to recycle.
Why can begin separate collection of waste?
1. Get more home containers
Collect moist food waste separately. They accumulate the fastest, so they'll throw you more often. All plastic containers - bottle, A jar of yogurt and so on - rinse with water and fold in a separate package. So they will be easier to recycle.
Romuald Yanushkyavichyus, development director of "Environmental Technology Center"
Paper - newspapers, magazines, advertising messages, scribbled sheets - you can have a separate box. Once a month, you can pack it and put in the trash or donate items to reception.
Also separately collect aluminum cans and glass bottles. These simple steps will help to put on recycling more waste than if you put everything in one package.
2. Place the containers for separate waste collection in your backyard
- Call a general meeting residents at home, in which to take a decision on the introduction of a separate local area waste collection. Give arguments: the separate collection of waste is beneficial, as in a conventional container a lot of volume of waste that weigh a little (for example, paper and plastic) for mixed waste. If recyclables put into a separate tank, you can save: need far fewer containers.
- Refer to this solution in control company and ask them to install containers for separate collection.
- Have a company that transports waste from your yard, organize separate waste collection, or contract with a different kind of company.
Detailed step by step instructions on how to organize separate collection in his house, published here.
3. Independently deliver waste collected separately
The site Greenpeace has mapWhere you can find the nearest point of delivery of waste: paper, glass, plastic, batteries, Tetra Pak cartons, light bulbs, household appliances and so on. However, while such items is not available in all cities.
This will help improve the situation?
Yes. Of waste which are destroyed, it is possible to do new things. For example, 400 aluminum cans - is a new children's bicycle, 25 plastic bottles - fleece jacket, a kilogram of newspapers - 10 rolls of toilet paper.
experts estimateWhat to do with waste in RussiaThat recycling will allow by 2030 to reduce the amount of waste disposed of in the country by 75-80%. This means that reduced the number of landfills. New area will create new jobs, and incinerators, toxic atmosphere will build less.
see also
- 20 ways to make life on Earth better →
- 17 things that can be reused →
- 10 principles of zero waste lifestyle for those who want to save the Earth →