Green Waste Collection Mandurah composts waste, including food scraps, garden waste, and hay. Composting is a natural process that recycles valuable nutrients into the soil.
This is an important part of reducing methane emissions, which have a more potent climate impact than carbon dioxide. It also reduces waste in landfills.
Rather than throwing out leaves, grass clippings, and food scraps in the trash or taking them to a landfill or incinerator, green waste can be recycled through composting. This is a natural process during which microorganisms decompose organic material to produce a nutrient-rich soil amendment called compost. When incorporated into the garden, it helps to aerate the soil, prevents plant disease, and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. It also helps to reduce harmful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Composting is a great way to recycle kitchen and yard waste and reduce the amount of trash generated at home or in business. Aside from the environmental benefits, it’s also a cost-effective and convenient alternative to bagging and hauling away these materials. The best thing is anyone can do it. You only need a backyard or large outdoor space and a pile of “greens” and “browns.”
A successful compost pile requires a mix of wet (green) and dry (brown) materials to provide the necessary nutrients for microbial growth and decomposition. Green materials are usually food scraps, coffee grounds, and if you have a yard, grass clippings. They add nitrogen, which is critical for microbial growth. Browns are dry materials such as twigs, wood chips, paper products, shredded branches, hay, and straw. It’s best to shred these materials before adding them to the compost.
The materials are then layered in a pile at least 3 feet deep, with the wet greens on top and the browns underneath. The layers are then alternated until the bin is full. Regular turning of the pile distributes air and ensures that all the materials decompose equally. A thick layer of coarse browns at the bottom of the pile provides aeration and allows moisture to reach the greens quickly. The process takes months, but it is a great way to reduce the volume of materials that go into landfills or incinerators while providing a valuable resource for the garden and yard.
When making your compost, it’s important to note that certain items should never be added to the pile, such as cigarette butts, pet waste, utensils, and bags made from plastic or nylon, even if they claim to be “compostable.” These materials take too long to break down, which can interfere with the composting process and result in an unpleasant, unusable end product.
Green waste can be recycled by placing it in a separate bin or composting it. This is a more sustainable practice, as the waste breaks down into organic matter that provides nutrients for plants and soil. This disposal method is also better for the environment, as it avoids landfills that can produce toxic gases such as methane and VOCs or can be washed into oceans where they can contribute to plastic pollution. Homeowners and business owners can also compost their waste by placing it in a garden or allotment or working with local neighbors to share a community composter.
Aside from its potential environmental benefits, recycling is a good way to save valuable resources that would otherwise be lost. It can also create jobs by transforming the waste into new products and helping businesses save money on raw materials.
Many communities are promoting recycling as a part of their environmental sustainability initiatives. To maximize the effectiveness of these programs, people need to know what can and cannot go into their recycling bins. They also need to be aware of the guidelines and common myths related to recycling.
For example, it is important not to place food scraps in the recycling bin because they can contaminate other items and make them unusable. It is also important not to place any plastic bags in the recycling bin, as they can clog up the machines used for sorting recyclables. Lastly, it is not wise to put any hard items in the recycling bin, such as lawn chairs or plastic coolers.
Rigid plastics are a good option for recycling because they can be made into new containers. These include soda and water bottles, k-cups, plastic cups and bowls, jars, and caps. Plastic toys and furniture can also be recycled, but they should be free of any batteries, cords, or wires (place these in the trash). It is best to contact your waste district, town, or hauler for more information on what can and cannot go into the recycling bins.
Even though recycling is a good way to protect our environment, more than the current global recycling rate of 16% is needed. This is mainly due to the difficulty of recycling certain items such as styrofoam, plastic straws and bags, and yogurt and takeout containers.
Landfills release greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and non-methane organic compounds, contributing to climate change. Moreover, landfills destroy natural habitats for wildlife. They also leach chemicals into groundwater, polluting nearby bodies of water. Landfills are typically lined with plastic or clay, but these liners often leak and break down over time. Those leaks create toxic leachate that can seep into the surrounding soil and damage ecosystems.
Rather than sending green waste to a landfill, composting is the better choice. Besides avoiding methane emissions, this process provides several other environmental benefits. Green waste contains a high concentration of nitrogen and is thus ideal for increasing the efficiency of many composting processes. It can also be used to make mulch or feed animals.
The city has several green waste collection programs in place. Residents in pilot areas have brown 13-gallon bins to set out their organic waste for pickup. The bins have latching lids and wheels. Apartment buildings with three to nine units are given 21-gallon bins to share. The collection rate for residential green waste is currently around 33 percent, though contamination is a concern, especially from plastic bags.
Residents can also drop off their organic waste at city-sponsored compost sites. The sites accept fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and tea bags, eggshells, paper products, and nut shells. Meat, bones, and dairy are not taken because they can attract vermin.
In addition, the city encourages people to use the organic waste from their kitchens as garden fertilizer. This helps the environment by reducing the amount of synthetic fertilizers needed to maintain healthy lawns and gardens. It also reduces the need to purchase bagged fertilizer, which is a major source of waste in landfills.
To further minimize waste, try to avoid buying food that has been wrapped in paper or plastic. This can be difficult when shopping, but by planning meals carefully and using reusable grocery bags, you can reduce your waste significantly. It is also helpful to track your energy, water, and waste consumption in a dashboard tool such as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. This can help you identify cost savings and measure your sustainability efforts over time.
Many municipalities now offer curbside collection of recycled goods. Residents can place recyclable waste items in bins collected weekly by trucks operated by the local garbage collection company. These bins typically have different colored lids to differentiate between general trash, paper, and plastic or organic waste.
The waste is taken to a local Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), separated, and sent to various recycling plants. The process of sorting and refining these waste items helps to make them suitable for reuse as new products. This is an important step in avoiding the creation of new landfills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
To achieve the highest recycling and composting rates, residents must follow best practices. This can include using a kitchen pail to collect food scraps, which should be washed regularly and sprayed with baking soda to help reduce odors. Also, placing yard waste in a separate bin for pick up is helpful as it will avoid contaminating the recyclables.
Aside from this, the best way to go green is to limit waste production in the first place. A zero-waste business model can be implemented by businesses to decrease the amount of waste they create significantly. This will not only help the environment, but it can also lead to cost savings in operational costs.
In addition to recycling and composting, businesses can practice green waste management by utilizing recycled materials in building materials or products. These materials can be found in various building materials and products, including carpeting, flooring, ceiling tiles, and more. Using these materials will not only improve the eco-friendliness of a building, but it can also reduce the energy costs associated with heating and cooling the space.