On a daily basis, heaps of waste are, unavoidably, produced by people and businesses through agricultural, industrial, commercial, construction and domestic activities. Because how these wastes are managed has implications on the environment and our health, effective waste disposal and management should be everybody's business.
The use of waste containers for the disposal and evacuation of waste is a common global practice. This article discusses the effectiveness of waste containerisation and its militating factors. It is argued that, although waste containerisation tremendously contributes to effective waste management, optimum impacts cannot be achieved without other factors like mechanisation (technology), regular sensitisation, adequate funding, collaboration between state governments, local councils and private organisations as well as a positive attitude from residents.
Waste Management and Containerisation
There are ongoing campaigns against the indiscriminate dumping of waste on the streets, major roads, gutters, canals and drainage systems, an act that frequently results in flooding during the rainy season. As part of efforts aimed at ensuring effective waste management, trucks and the use of waste containers were introduced.
The introduction of waste containers can help to improve the effectiveness of waste management in many ways. For instance, it helps to reduce the incidence of waste burning and air pollution which contribute to the challenge of global warming. Residents do not have to create heaps of waste and set them on fire, causing smoke to pervade the environment. Therefore, it helps to ensure a commodious and healthy environment for all.
The use of waste containers can equally help to reduce floods. When the streets, neighborhoods and roads are littered with waste, this waste finds its way into canals, gutters or drainage systems when it rains or there is a stormy wind. When these channels are blocked, flooding becomes inevitable.
According to the United Nations, 80% of wastewater returns to the ecosystem. Fortunately, the presence of waste containers induces a change of attitude in people to a large extent and helps in the pursuit of the sixth sustainable development goal – clean water and sanitation. Having waste containers on major roads, junctions and other public places will gradually make people abstain from littering the environment. This ultimately helps to check floods.
Furthermore, the use of waste containers is instrumental in attaining the third sustainable development goal of the United Nations – good health and well-being. Covered, wheeled and locked containers prevent the surroundings from being infested by rodents and other organisms capable of spreading diseases like Lassa fever, Ebola and cholera. In addition, it helps to protect the environment from the offensive odour emanating from decaying wastes.
Additionally, the use of waste containers makes it easier to evacuate waste. Unlike scattered solid waste, it requires a little manual labour and time to evacuate waste in containers. In some countries, waste trucks come with cranes that are used to lift and empty waste containers, helping to save labour costs and time. This makes the job less stressful and saves time.
Another benefit of waste containerisation is that it makes sorting and recycling easier. When containers are labeled or coloured differently to distinguish them for different types of waste, it lessens the efforts required to sort recyclable waste from those that are not. It also helps to sort various kinds of recyclable waste such as plastics, bottles or glasses. Through sorting, the safety of evacuation personnel is enhanced as risk is reduced. For instance, they will be aware and more cautious if they are dealing with broken glass bottles.
Since waste containers are limited in size, they also help to reduce waste production. Reducing waste is one of the best ways of managing waste. Residents can minimise the production of waste by purchasing reusable items rather than buying disposable ones. For example, by buying soft drinks packaged with glass bottles the waste bin will contain fewer disposable plastics.
Although waste containerisation has enhanced the effectiveness of waste management across countries, its impacts would be less significant without a number of other factors, which include recycling. Recycling helps to better manage the resources of the planet by ensuring that less exploitation of the earth’s resources is needed for the production of new items and at a cheaper financial cost. At the same time, it limits the amount of waste that gets to the dumpsites. Recycling not only helps to reduce waste at dumpsites but also encourages the reusing of materials and items.
Quick evacuation is also a major factor that impacts the effectiveness of waste containerisation. Once containers are filled to the brim but are not emptied promptly the waste spills. The spilled waste ends up littering the roads and the environment. When it rains and gets flooded, most of the waste is carried into nearby gutters, drainage systems and canals by erosion. Quick evacuation will also help to avert the use of dangerous items like broken bottles as weapons. The frequency of waste evacuation should be determined by population size and daily waste generation rate.
Money plays a crucial role in waste management. Because the government cannot possibly provide adequate waste containers for all homes, individuals are expected to buy waste containers. However, this works best among the middle-class members of society who can easily afford personal waste containers. Although the richer one gets, the more waste one tends to churn out, the masses produce a lot more because of their large number. Therefore, it is important that regular sensitisation programmes on sanitation and waste management are organised in schools, markets, communities and at religious gatherings. In addition, non-governmental organisations should partner with state governments in providing more waste containers for residents.
Finally, government policies should encourage manufacturers to use recyclable, reusable and sustainable materials for production. For example, manufacturers of beverages are increasingly using plastics for packaging instead of glass bottles. Packaging soft drinks in bottles will encourage recycling and reduce waste.
Final thoughts
In a nutshell, waste containerisation can remarkably enhance the process of waste management. Nevertheless, the use of waste containers without putting other factors into consideration will not yield maximum benefits. Technology, sensitisation programmes, adequate funding, collaboration between governments, local authorities and private organisations as well as a positive attitude from residents are crucial for attaining a sustainable environment.
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