Poor waste management can have detrimental effects of environmental ecosystems and human health. Additionally it negatively contributes to climate change. None of these will have a positive impact on the future of humanity.
Cleanway takes waste management company seriously. A major aim of ours is to ensure that waste is managed in a safe and secure manner. Our methods ensures that poor waste management does not occur.
This blog explores the environmental cost of poor waste management. We hope that it will highlight the importance of hiring a waste management company like Cleanway who is aware of the safe and efficient waste stream protocols.
What is Waste Management
Waste management is a streamlined process that organises various forms of garbage and trash. It does this through sorting, disposing, reducing, recycling, reusing, and preventing different forms of waste.
Waste management is important because waste exists whether a person likes it or not. Without effective systems in place to deal with it, there will be piles and piles of unaccounted-for waste and other garbage.
Not only will this be unsightly, but it will also contribute to greenhouse gases and other pollutants. For the beauty and security of planet Earth, waste management is important.
Waste Management Hierarchy
The waste management hierarchy underlines the importance of reusing and recycling waste over simple waste disposal. It is the guideline adopted by major waste management companies across the globe.
Its goal is efficiency. It seeks to find more effective ways to manage waste by re-entering the waste back into the production cycle. However, it also understands that certain wastes, such as hazardous waste, is best disposed of if it cannot be reused.
The waste management hierarchy is a six-point logistics triangle. It breaks down the best ways to deal with waste, with prevention at the top as the most ideal and disposal at the bottom as the last choice.
We explore the waste management hierarchy in greater detail in our blog Managing Waste in the Modern Age.
Impact on Ecosystems
Environmental ecosystems are a vital part of how our Earth functions. Without ecosystems, nature cannot manage itself. It is therefore important that they are not damaged by human waste.
Soil Contamination
Soil contamination occurs when waste is incorrectly or improperly disposed of in such a way that it contaminates the surrounding environment. This is something that needs to be avoided through proper waste management. Additionally, waste management companies should be contacted to safely handle and contaminations.
Water Pollution
When waste is disposed of wrongly or improperly, it contaminates the ecosystem and causes water contamination. It is necessary to prevent this by appropriate waste management. Pollution can occur through liquid waste spillage and other emergency spill situations
Human Health Risks
One primary problem with improper waste disposal is human health risks. It includes failure to manage municipal solid waste, plastic waste, hazardous waste, landfill waste, food waste, and other waste categories that are liable to carbon emissions in an environmentally friendly manner.
It is also true for waste management companies that the sustainable approach to waste management goes hand in hand with enhancing human health status. It is clear that the implementation of stringent waste disposal policies, as well as improved waste management strategies, would promote responsible waste disposal alongside human health protection.
Repercussions of Exposure to Toxins
For community members, inadequate waste management increases the chances of being exposed to toxic and other hazardous chemicals. If waste is not contained properly, potential health issues could arise from the contaminating toxins spreading in the surroundings.
There may be short-term effects, such as difficulty breathing and rashes on skin, and prolonged effects like health deterioration. Thus, waste management in the community needs to be improved in order to protect the people’s health and well-being.
Diseases Spread by Water
The persistence of illness culprits like Cholera is spurred by factors such as insufficient sewage systems. Such diseases are not solely a plague of the past but something that continues to afflict regions that lack sufficient sanitation structures. These diseases remain at risk of further taking hold in areas with feeble infrastructure.
Lacking effective waste management methodologies enables deterioration of hygiene. This hampers the general well-being of the public. Contamination of resources leads to a shocking increase in the number of diseases carried by people. Increasing awareness coupled with better management tools is needed to tackle this sustainably.
Impact on Vulnerable Communities
Societal issues combined with waste mismanagement become a recipe for chaos for already fragile communities. This haphazard drain of resources leads to abnormal waste accumulation that can incur serious health issues alongside an overall decline in quality of life.
The aftermath of such a disaster affects the underlying fragile structure, coming into contact with this blundering system of social instability, poor health conditions, and incessant poverty. Using informed methodologies for waste disposal can provide underprivileged societies with a more amicable standard of living.
Economic Costs
The economic costs of poor waste management tend to grow the more it is done. This is partly why it is so essential to curtail any poor waste management tactics before they form in greater issues. One way to do this is through regular waste audits.
Cleanup Costs
Cleaning up the effects of poor waste allocation comes at a cost, one that can be easily avoided with appropriate planning in place. The handling of waste leads to environmental issues, health-related problems, and increased costs in cleanup efforts, all of which could have been avoided with proper policies in place. These additional expenses place a strain on municipal budgets as they have to cut down on other crucial budgetary allocations.
For instance, integrating effective waste management practices tends to pay for itself over time. Improved planning will also result in better hygiene and a healthier community. Everyone benefits from proper budget allocation and the environment becomes cleaner and safer for all.
Healthcare Costs
Poor waste management leads to significant health problems, all of which have expensive economic implications. Waste that is not dealt with correctly causes the spread of harmful pathogens, hindering the productivity of the workforce due to an increased burden on healthcare systems.
Public health systems have to spend more money to treat the rising number of patients, thus straining already burdened systems. Economies that have to deal with such health issues not only face the need to cut down on expenses but will also experience lower activity as health rates drop, alongside facing minimal property value. It is crucial for regions to have a proper waste management system in place to cope with such issues and assist in fostering better and healthier communities as well as a stable economy.
Solutions and Best Practices
We have written extensively on waste management best practices. Here are some of the top blogs as well as a short summary of the main takeaways.
Organic Waste and the Waste Hierarchy
Organic waste refers to all organic materials that can be broken down into a variety of natural chemicals and compounds. Take cow manure, for instance. It is a great fertiliser for crops, but manure itself is a leading contributor to climate change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a primary goal in building a sustainable future.
Similarly, just because waste is organic does not mean that people want to, or should, come into contact with it. Again, cow manure is a good example of this. Most people don’t want to smell it in their daily life. The human aversion to waste is well documented in history. Even early scientists had the basic understanding that something that smells bad has the potential to cause negative effects on human health.
Implementing a Rubbish Waste Collection Plan
Implementing a rubbish waste collection plan, as with any other waste management system, gives businesses the benefit of having a dedicated and safe way to manage their waste and their waste systems.
Often, waste and rubbish collection systems are not a priority. Some businesses make the error of merely seeing waste as a minor logistical issue. However, implementing a management system have many benefits.
E-Waste Management in the Modern Business Place
E-waste management has become an increasingly important consideration for the modern business place. This is because more and more e-waste is being produced that needs safe handling.
Additionally, waste management systems are looking at becoming more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This carries over into e-waste management. Considering that it is an industry of technological innovation, it is natural that many manufacturers and producers are building electronic products with sustainability in mind.
25 E-Waste Disposal Best Practices
Electronic products differ from more traditional products. This is because of the materials used in their construction. Some of these materials, like the lithium found in most batteries, pose risks to human health and well-being if improperly disposed of. The large amounts of electronic waste produced annually signify our economies’ shift towards technology.
Almost all industries function because of computers and phones, and this is unlikely to change in the future. E-waste will only grow from its current tonnage. To create a more environmentally friendly future, we must engage in waste management best practices for every type of waste product.
Commercial Waste Management Techniques
There are a variety of options for any company that seeks to improve their waste management solutions. Many are as simple as understanding the wide waste system that they exist in. Additionally, certain systems are common waste management best practices found in the average household.
It is important for companies to find ways to constantly adapt and improve their waste management streams. This can lead to greater efficiency across multiple supply chains. It can also improve employee morale through allowing them to see how the company is committed to environmental best practices.