Green Waste Collection Armadale is organic garbage that includes grass, shrub and tree clippings, leaves, twigs and branches. It also includes food scraps and other organic rubbish.
The composted material helps to store carbon, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. DSNY’s collection program sends the material to local processors for composting and anaerobic digestion.
Biodegradable Waste is made up of organic materials that can decompose naturally and return nutrients to the soil. These materials include food scraps, yard waste, and paper. They are typically separated from other types of garbage during green waste collection, and they may be collected separately or as part of a separate curbside recycling program. This type of Waste offers many environmental benefits, but it can also pose a risk to the environment if not handled properly.
Biodegradability is a key consideration when purchasing eco-friendly products. The term “biodegradable” means that a product can be broken down into smaller particles by bacteria or other living organisms, including fungi, with or without oxygen. It can also be broken down through natural processes like composting or anaerobic digestion. Biodegradable products should not contain any plastic or other non-biodegradable materials. These items should be kept away from biodegradable Waste in landfills and recycling facilities.
One of the easiest ways to dispose of biodegradable Waste is to put it in a home compost pile. This process will break down the Waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving resources. It can also be a fun activity to do with the family.
A large percentage of the Waste that ends up in landfills is composed of biodegradable materials. However, if these materials are not exposed to sufficient bacteria, heat, oxygen, and moisture, they will not decompose. These materials also create a health hazard by creating methane, which is a dangerous greenhouse gas.
The best way to reduce the amount of Waste that is created is by using reusable products and making sure that recyclable materials are separated from each other. If a product is labeled as biodegradable, it should not be mixed with any other types of trash, including glass, metal, and paper. This will prevent the product from being sent to landfills, where it cannot break down.
Some people may choose to burn their biodegradable Waste, which can help to conserve energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is important to make sure that the Waste is burned under regulated conditions. In addition, the resulting ash should be disposed of in a safe and responsible manner.
Another option for disposing of biodegradable Waste is to use biofuels, which can be used to generate electricity and heat. This process is known as bioenergy recovery, and it can be used to replace fossil fuels in energy production. It can also be used to power vehicles, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of transportation. However, biofuels must be produced in a sustainable manner, or they will not be able to provide a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
Hazardous wastes are materials that can be toxic, ignitable, reactive, or radioactive. They can be solids, liquids, or sludges and are generated by chemical production, manufacturing, and other industrial activities. Generally, they are discarded by businesses or individuals. In the home, hazardous Waste can include cleaning solvents, metal polishing wastes, paint sludges, contaminated soil and water from air pollution control units and other similar substances. Hazardous waste collection is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA identifies four sub-types of hazardous wastes: F-list, K-list, P-list and U-list. Each type is identified by its characteristics, which include ignitability, corrosivity, toxicity, and reactiveness.
Hazardous Waste is disposed in special landfills, which are designed to prevent leakage of hazardous constituents into groundwater and drinking water supplies. The landfills are separated into sections to minimize the risk of contaminating different types of Waste. Typically, these landfills are lined with impervious clay soils and flexible membrane liners to protect the surrounding environment. Leachate collection systems and groundwater monitoring wells are also required.
Some hazardous waste can be recycled, but the EPA regulates this practice to ensure that recycling is done properly and safely. If hazardous Waste is not disposed of properly, it can damage the environment and create a variety of risks including fires, explosions and spills. Hazardous Waste can also pollute waterways and harm wildlife. In addition, illegal disposal or dumping of hazardous Waste can lead to severe fines and criminal charges.
Residents are encouraged to recycle and reuse as much material as possible, which can reduce the amount of hazardous Waste created. They can use brown 13-gallon bins with a latching lid and wheels to set out organic Waste for collection. They can also use a kitchen container to collect food scraps for composting. However, it is not a good idea to mix household hazardous waste with green Waste because incompatible products might react, ignite or explode, and contaminated HHW could pose health risks and other hazards.
Hazardous Waste is transported from sites to TSDFs in trucks that are specially designed for this purpose. The trucks are equipped with GPS to keep track of the Waste as it is transferred from truck to truck. The truck drivers must have proper training and documentation to operate these vehicles. They also must wear personal protective equipment to avoid exposure to hazardous materials.
Once at a TSDF, the hazardous Waste is stored in a temporary storage impoundment, called a lagoon. New lagoons are lined with a combination of impervious clay soils and flexible membrane liner. The lining system is designed to prevent the movement of toxic chemicals into groundwater. Lagoons are also equipped with aeration systems and leachate collection systems to prevent contamination of surrounding groundwater.
TSDFs are required to provide financial assurance mechanisms to cover closure, post-closure and corrective action activities. They must also carry liability insurance covering bodily injury and property damage to third parties caused by accidents at their facilities.
Organic waste collection methods involve the process of diverting food and other plant material from landfills and incinerators to be used in compost or converted into clean renewable energy. These materials include garden and landscape waste such as grass clippings, leaves, weeds and hedge clippings; coffee grounds; egg shells; dairy products; meat scraps; and food-soiled paper, including napkins, fast-food wrappers and boxes, and wax-coated cardboard. They also include wood waste, such as stumps and branches and nonhazardous lumber. In addition to providing a valuable resource, organic Waste can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support local economies.
The city’s curbside organics program was recently halted as part of budget cuts, but it is expected to be restored in the fall of 2021. In the meantime, IBO’s analysis looks at how much tonnage of organics the city would need in order to bring its cost on par with refuse and recycling, taking into account sanitation department truck collection efficiencies and economies of scale in organics processing costs.
Currently, the only option for the city to offset the higher cost of collecting and processing organic Waste is to increase the city’s diversion rate, which currently stands at just 1.4 percent. However, achieving this goal would be difficult and expensive, as it requires universal participation in the organics program and almost perfect sorting by the public. IBO’s analysis shows that under current DSNY costs structures, a 30 percent diversion rate for both organics and recycling would require an investment of $26 million per year.
A much more reasonable target for the city is to reach 15 percent diversion. Combined with a drop in processing costs to $80 per ton, this level of diversion could make the organics collection program less expensive than recycling or refuse, and even cost-neutral in some cases.
However, this approach will require a substantial change in the way that residents dispose of their Waste, from using separate bins for recycling and organics to opting into a curbside pickup service. Although the latter may be more efficient than sending trucks out along set routes, it may also exacerbate already overburdened sanitation infrastructure, as well as negatively impact local air quality by generating more pollution from excessive truck traffic. Furthermore, it would also require DSNY to switch its fleet to clean-fuel or zero-emission trucks. Despite these challenges, the city should consider these options as it works to improve its organics program. The benefits of such a transition are numerous and widespread, from healthier soils in peri-urban areas to lower organics disposal costs for municipalities and households. A better-managed organic waste stream will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve urban environment health and create a robust bioeconomy for the region. This is why the city should invest in new organics processing capacity and in programs that encourage more residential participation.