Waste diversion strategies are the processes of finding new methods of managing waste. The goal is to minimise the amount that end up in landfills or dumpsites. They form part of larger goals of creating a more environmentally friendly future.
Most modern waste initiatives within waste management no longer see disposal as the only way to handle waste. Nowadays there is a push towards greater sustainability through reuse, recycling, and waste diversion tactics.
This blog explores what waste diversion is and why it is so effective. It also shows why such tactics stand as a representation of where the waste management industry seeks to go in the future.
Understanding Waste Diversion
Waste diversion is the process of not sending waste to traditional disposal sites like landfills and dumpsites, but rather finding new ways to deal with them. Common ways to do this is often through recycling and composting.
The major benefit of this is that is lessent the burden placed on these existing waste infrastructures. It also works to make people more mindful about their existing waste management systems.
Effective waste diversion strategies are essential to achieving these goals and are becoming an integral part of modern waste management practices across Australia. It can be as small as creating better management strategies for problematic and unnecessary plastics.
Modern Waste Diversion Strategies
Modern waste diversion strategies seek to manage waste in a more environmentally friendly and effective manner. They involve addressing waste generation and the subsequent carbon emissions attached to them.
A common measure of a waste streams success is the waste diversion rate. This refers to how much of waste you divert from your facility without incineration or landfill use. More information on modern waste management systems can be found here.
Recycling
Recycling is one of the most well known waste management techniques in part due to both its popularity and effectiveness.. The process of recycling generally involves taking discarded materials and giving them a new purpose.
The many benefits of recycling are well known, but there is an important one which waste companies often focus on. Recycling forces people to be mindful about how they use their waste. This goes a long way in improving general waste management.
Additionally, more and more companies are being set up that focus on recycling old products and turning them into something new and potentially valuable. Not only it is economically viable to recycle, but some say that it is even trendy.
Organic Waste Collection
A large portion of household waste produced in Australia is organic waste, most commonly in the form of food waste. Like most waste types, traditional disposal methods focused on getting it away from people. However, this is such a waste.
Organic waste is one of the oldest waste types. It also has such an innate value due to the many rich minerals found in it. It can also serve many purposes like composting or soil regeneration.
Additionally, organic waste is something that everyone comes into contact with, be it through food waste or garden waste. Throwing it away is such a waste, and people should consider reusing it more effectively.
Circular Economy Management
The idea behind a circular economy is that one a material enters a market and is given a use, then it should continue to be of use. Simply put, it looks at the inherent inefficiency of a production process that creates goods merely for them to be thrown away.
Many of the products that we use in our daily lives contains valuable materials that we thrown away without much second thought. This is a waste not just for ourselves but also for the environment.
Circular economies have become popular in waste management sectors because our goals tend to align. Like them, we are working towards making the world more efficient and sustainable by using effective technologies and techniques.
Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste
As with any major economy, Australia’s construction industry produces large quantities of what is known as construction and demolition waste (C&D). Given the nature of building, these waste quantities are often large.
A large portion of C&D waste ends up in landfills, and this should be addressed. Waste diversion initiatives work with these industries to find ways to convert this waste so that it can be reused in construction projects.
This industry also gives people an opportunity to partake in waste diversion strategies. By buying homes or buildings constructed with these materials, they are able to play their part in building a better future for our planet.
Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Recycling
Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling is one of the most important services that Cleanway offers. Technological products are not going to go away anytime soon, and we need better ways to dispose of them.
E-waste recycling comes in various forms. Sometimes it merely involves the extraction of precious metals from mobile phones, while at other times it looks at setting up more efficient ways to convert these electronic products.
Some electronics companies have begun to see the role that they play here. They often offer product drop off services where customers can safely discard their devices with the knowledge that they will be repurposed or recycled.
Waste-to-Energy (WTE)
Waste-to-energy (WTE) often involves large-scale projects that convert waste items into electrical energy or other power sources. Countries like Singapore have even found out how to power their economy through it.
Despite the costs of setting up these infrastructures, they are known to pay off in the long run due to their constant fuel source being waste. This is a fuel that comes with little to no cost to produce.
While many people cannot set these types of machinery up at home, it does highlight how technological plays a vital role in modern waste diversion tactics. It also shows the innovations that the industry puts forward.
Community Projects
Good waste management begins at the home. Communities who are interested in engaging with waste diversion should consider what small things they can do to help build a more sustainable future.
These initiatives do not have to be big. They can start with a small neighbourhood compost heap where everyone’s garden waste is stored. It can also merely involve running workshops to make people more aware of waste diversion.
The point is that anyone can and should play a part in waste reduction. If we are to continue building towards a more sustainable and greener future, then we need as many people as possible to participate.
Why Choose Cleanway?
As a waste management company, Cleanway has amassed a vast skill set for dealing with various types of waste. We also work alongside people to find more sustainable ways for managing waste.
Waste diversion strategies are one such method that people are using to better manage their waste systems. It stands a great example of the kind of work that we do.