Recycling and waste management are two of the most common words for a company like Cleanway. It is important to understand their relationship if someone wants to develop a clear understanding of optimal waste streams.
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new products and materials. It is an environmentally friendly way to reduce waste. A primary goal is to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and other disposal sites.
Waste management is the general process of dealing with waste. Waste is defined as anything that is in excess, is unwanted, is hazardous, or is no longer wanted or needed. Managing waste involves finding safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly ways to dispose of it while also seeking to reduce the total waste generated.
This blog explores general trends that have dictated both waste management and recycling over the last couple of years. Its goal is to highlight concepts like the waste management hierarchy and to illustrate the various benefits of sustainable and environmentally friendly waste disposal systems.
Recycling and Waste Management
Recycling, as discussed above, forms part of general waste management. However, its ideals of sustainability and innovation have bled into how waste management commonly functions. Recycling best practices have allowed businesses and individuals to think about waste in a more eco-friendly manner.
A main goal of recycling is to reduce the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions across the world. This helps to lessen the effect of climate change on our planet. Recycled waste often consists of materials that can be reused during the production process. More waste turns into less materials needed at the initial projection stage.
Recycling facilities are capable of managing various waste types. This means that it can handle organic waste, garden waste, and other wastes commonly handled in solid waste management solutions. Additionally, many recycling waste services begin with a recycling bin and end up at recycling facilities.
Waste management foregrounds much on its green initiatives on practices like recycling. This is because recycling forces manufacturers and waste collectors to be more mindful about what they produce and what they throw away. Such mindfulness helps to promote sustainability across all waste streams.
Emerging Trends in Recycling
Trends in recycling combine a continued effort to find more sustainable ways to manage waste with the latest technological innovations. They represent the best of the waste management industry and the world’s continuous move to find more efficient ways to complete tasks.
The Development of Waste Disposal Services shed light on both global waste trends and feelings about waste within Australia. This is no different when it comes to recycling. The average consumer should partner waste companies like Cleanway who hold accreditations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Australia.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence and machine learning software have revolutionised the way that many logistics operations have been done. This is a trend that is likely to continue into the future as the tools continue to develop. Many waste management companies have noted these possibilities.
Using AI when it comes to better recycling management systems revolves around the software’s ability to understand trends that humans cannot. Additionally, it can predict and suggest new ways of using waste that humans might not have thought of.
Smart Bins
Smart bins are a relatively new technology that allows people to track the type and the quantity of waste that they dispose of. The technologies vary, but they all revolve around providing businesses and individuals with more information on the waste that they go through. Such information is vital when it comes to managing waste effectively.
Tracking how your company or household recycles its waste helps when it comes to waste auditing. Implementing the necessary recycling best practices often begins with knowing how you manage waste, and a waste audit is the ideal way to begin.
Waste Sorting Technologies
Waste sorting technologies help with a variety of waste management practices. Some separate waste into hazardous and non hazardous waste types. Others can even begin the breakdown processes.
The technological advantage of waste sorting technologies extend beyond businesses wanting to better manage their waste. Municipal recycling centres and landfills can include these systems. Removing people from the equation helps to promote human health alongside environmental considerations.
The Circular Waste Economy
The circular waste economy looks at taking recyclable materials and returning them to the manufacturing process. This helps to reduce the amount of new materials introduced during industrial processes. Raw materials and precious metals like gold, copper, lithium, and zinc are commonly recycled during the e-waste recycling process.
Cyclical economic practices start with smart waste management systems right at the production stage. It is based on the fact that less total waste is desired. Instead of creating waste, companies should find ways to reuse what others would throw away. They should also ensure that the total materials that need disposal are minimal, thereby lessening total waste generation and reducing landfill waste.
Waste Management Trends
Waste management trends over the past few years have sought to lessen the burden placed on municipal landfills and other large scale waste treatment centres. While these waste facilities still play an important role, it is important for both businesses and consumers to be mindful of alternative waste systems.
There are various waste management solutions available to the modern consumer. We’ve compiled a list of 50 Modern Waste Management Solutions to outline the different options that consumers can rely on.
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.
Waste to Energy
Waste-to-energy techniques seek to convert waste materials into different forms of energy. Singapore’s “Incineration Plants” are one of the most popular examples of this.
Small scale waste-to-energy tools can help industrial businesses use their own waste to produce power. This can help to lower overall production costs and will highlight a commitment to effective waste management.
Waste Logistics Improvements
Waste logistics systems are constantly at the forefront of innovations. These improvements seek to find more efficient, effective, and eco-friendly ways to manage and dispose of different waste types.
Waste Audits
Waste audits remain the most effective way for a company or business to assess and understand their waste systems. This understanding allows for companies to optimise how their logistics functions.
Waste Management Best Practices
These 9 waste management best practices can help both businesses and individuals better understand how they should dispose of their waste. Additionally, these tactics are built alongside the waste hierarchy mentioned above.
Again, the key takeaway should be mindfulness. Simply throwing something into the trash does not lead to efficient waste management systems. In order to build a greener future, both companies and the people who make them up must think about their systems.
1. Waste Prevention
Waste prevention remains the most effective technique. Quite simply, if something is not waste, then it does not need to be disposed of. There are a variety of prevention techniques, many of which can be implemented in the production stage.
2. Waste Reduction
Waste reduction refers to the minimisation of waste that needs to be disposed of in a municipal landfill or dumpsite. Reducing techniques involve finding innovative ways of lessening this burden.
3. Waste Reuse
Waste reuse, similar to recycling, involves finding ways to reuse various waste materials in either new products or in the old products. Reuse is a great way to save the cost of creating new products as well as any other materials that might be needed.
4. Recycling Waste
Recycling, as this blog has centred around, is a catch-all term for repurposing and reusing old materials so that they can be given a new lease on life. When it comes to waste, recycling not only lessens the landfill footprint but also allows for cost saving across the supply chain networks.
5. Waste Recovery
Waste recovery refers to the practice of taking waste and converting it into alternative and useful forms. This might involve waste-to-energy programs, but it can be as simple as composting food waste.
6. Safe Disposal of Hazardous Waste
The managing and handling of hazardous waste, whether it be chemical waste, liquid waste, or any other harmful material, must be done by a professional waste management team. Safe disposal lessens the risk of soil contamination and other harmful events.
7. Education and Awareness
Keeping up-to-date with the latest waste management trends and technologies helps people to be more mindful about their disposal practices. Additionally, companies who organise waste education seminars can see a marked increase in their waste systems efficiencies.
8. Minimise Food Waste
Food waste is a major contributor to global waste statistics. This occurs in a world where many do not have access to food. Like with other waste systems, the key to minimisation begins at the production stage. Quite simply: do not create food if it is going to end up rotting in the trash.