Solid Waste Management

When it comes to solid waste management, you'll need to consider each type of 'trash' that is thrown away. about 90 percent of the things that we throw out can be recycled. Items like glass scraps from bottles or broken windows can be used again; oil and grease from cooking or cleaning items can be recycled to make earth-friendly cleaning agents; and rubber items can be recycled to make 'green' tires or factory tubes. This is why solid waste management is so important, and the process has to begin in the homes and businesses around your city.

Sanitation workers have to pick up hundreds, if not thousands of trash bins per day, so making sure that your trash is already separated will be a big help. You can request a recycle bin to be sent to your home, or you can ask for a few so that you can sort your glass, plastic, metal, and rubber items. These items are then taken to factories where they can be recreated into something new. This process cuts down on the waste that has to be burned; the fumes damage the ozone layer and give humans more exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays. Solid waste management also cuts down on the amount of work and energy factories will have to exert when it comes to making all-new products; if recycled items are used, less energy is used.

Composting is another way that you and members of your community can participate in solid waste management. You'll have to get the information about the technology used for this process from your local health department or EPA representative, but it has been proven that composting can be done organically in most communities. You can also participate in this process on a small scale by using scraps and vegetable leftovers as soil for your plants, especially if you are planting a garden. This way, you won't have to purchase fertilizer as often, and you'll be caring for your plants using recycled materials.

For more information on solid waste management and how you can help your community, visit www.who.int.