RESIDUAL WASTE MANAGEMENT

Ways to Reduce Residual Waste on the Environment

The management of residual materials is gradually evolving as it is recognised that land-filling these materials is harmful to the environment and public health. The current transition is marked by innovations in equipment and treatment methods, as well as the involvement of citizens and industries in this stake. However, the most common practice in countries is the storage of residual materials in technical landfill sites.

Every year, 13 million tonnes of residual materials are produced. The government is implementing awareness-raising measures and tools to assist people and industries in better sorting their residual materials, but far too many consumer products are still recycled into landfills. Because of a lack of effective selective sorting, these materials are frequently contaminated by others. The potential for exploitation in the production of energy and goods associated with these materials, on the other hand, is significant.

By developing action plans and policies with specific measures, the government recognises the environmental and economic challenges of waste management and resource loss that the current situation entails. Companies, for example, must now bear costs based on the amount of recyclable materials they produce, and municipalities must develop residual materials management action plans. The Residual Materials Management Policy for Quebec has been updated for 2024. 

The goal of these policies is to move towards a greener economy by following the recommendations of the Environmental Quality Act. The objectives are, in order, to reduce the residual materials generated by citizens and industries, to promote the reuse of consumer goods, to carry out efficient recycling of materials, to advance biological treatment of materials that allow it, to improve energy recovery of resources, and, finally, to eliminate them. Policies aim to promote resource circularity and thus reduce waste. The fact remains that the best waste is non-waste, which is the ultimate goal of reducing household and industrial residual materials.

At the moment, residual materials management is based on a linearity model. We discard our goods when we are finished with them. Recycling and composting are implemented, but their effectiveness is not prioritised. It is no secret that exporting recyclables produced in Canada is more common than recycling in the country. The recycling industry's economic model encourages export, stifling the development of new processing technologies. Furthermore, contamination of recyclables, particularly broken glass, reduces the amount of potentially recyclable material. As a result, each year, a significant amount of organic and recyclable materials are shipped to technical landfill sites.

Governments should pay special attention to this transitional field. Although it is now better cared for, there is still much work to be done. Improved recycling, composting, and energy recovery sectors can divert a significant amount of waste from landfills. However, without the participation of citizens and industries in the upstream sorting of residual materials collection, government measures and efforts are completely ineffective. In fact, several municipalities are considering enforcing the "polluter pays" principle more strictly. In Gatineau, for example, the amount of material thrown in the garbage collection is limited by a bin with a predetermined capacity set by the city, and fines can be issued to individuals whose garbage exceeds this capacity.

Over packing and resource waste

Over-packaging and plastics issues are most likely at the heart of the residual materials management challenge. On a daily basis, fruits and vegetables are the most common examples of over-packaging, but if you look around you, you will notice that almost everything is packed with plastic. Despite the fact that the majority of common plastics are recyclable, only 9% of plastic is recycled. This means that 91% of this ubiquitous material will be buried, incinerated, or accumulated in the environment (water streams, coastal environments, roadsides, etc.).

The lifespans of these petroleum-derived polymers are unknown. They never completely disappear from the environment because they are photodegraded into microplastic particles. Sunlight, heat, humidity, and other environmental factors activate their extremely slow degradation process. The contact surface between the molecules of the original plastic and the surrounding environment is increased when it is fragmented into small pieces, resulting in more exchanges of toxic products and chemical additives.

Plastics, by directly supporting the fossil fuel industry through production and transportation, contribute to an increase in global GHG emissions and can endanger ecosystems and human health due to toxins released into the environment. Plastic waste amounted to 300 million tonnes in 2019. These packages are only useful for a few minutes, but they can live in our environment for more than 70 years.

Some policies aim to improve glass recycling as well. This infinitely recyclable material is underutilised, as its recycling rate is only 37%. Glass is a problem for the industry because it easily breaks and contaminates other recyclables. Furthermore, it is hazardous to those who collect it and is frequently incompatible with the machinery used to reuse it. This resource has a high potential for resource circularity, but the way it is collected needs to be improved. 

GHG emissions and public health impacts related to waste management

When waste is stored in the Earth's upper subsoil, a liquid known as leachate is produced. This residual liquid is made up of precipitation water and waste water. The mass of garbage in the soil is a permeable medium that serves as a path for the water particles that pass through it. Leachate contains organic and metal pollutants as it moves from waste to the lower soil layers. As pollutants migrate through the layers, this leaching contributes to soil degradation and groundwater contamination . As a result, landfills must have the necessary infrastructure to treat their wastewater.

The waste is then decomposed in a landfill without the use of oxygen via a biological fermentation process. It emits biogas, a gas mixture primarily composed of methane and carbon dioxide. This mixture, which contains the primary greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, must be captured before it is released into the atmosphere. When captured, it can be burned at the source to generate heat and electricity, or it can be purified to produce biomethane, which can be used as natural gas. Because the costs of biomethanization are prohibitively expensive, they are typically captured, then burned and released into the atmosphere. The combustion process converts methane to carbon dioxide, but 25% of the methane escapes into the atmosphere. Over a 100-year period, methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. This means that one methane molecule is equivalent to 25 molecules of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere every 100 years.

As a result, despite the fact that biogas has significant energy retrieval potential, it is not being fully utilised. It could offset GHG emissions from landfills if repackaged in green energy (ensuring resource circularity). The costs of these infrastructure installations, as well as the amount of organic matter required to produce energy, are substantial. This is why compost takes precedence over energy recovery.

The risks to public health posed by landfills are not insignificant. Contamination of nearby streams and groundwater, biogas contamination of the air, and potential exposure of populations to these pollutants raises the risk of cancer, chronic poisoning, and pregnancy complications.

Composting organic matter, on the other hand, has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the case of compost, organic matter decomposes in the presence of oxygen and microorganisms. The process produces only biogenic carbon dioxide and traps carbon in the soil. As a result, this natural process is carbon-neutral.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle are three excellent ways to reduce waste and protect the environment.

Waste, and how we choose to handle it, has an impact on our world's environment — our environment. Everything around you is part of the environment, including the air, water, land, plants, and man-made objects. For our own health and happiness, we all require a healthy environment.

Reducing, reusing, and recycling! Performing all three of these activities on a daily basis is not only beneficial to the environment, but it can also be enjoyable.

1. Avoid using disposable items- Disposables contribute significantly to waste in our environment. Plastic forks, knives, plates, and cups are among them. Diapers and razor blades are also among them. Instead of purchasing items that you will discard after using them, purchase items that you will be able to use again and again.
2. Recycle Grocery Bags- When shopping for groceries, use cloth bags or re-use grocery bags. We always bring our own reusable shopping bags with us. It saves money and is environmentally friendly.
3. Buy products with less packaging- When shopping for produce, avoid packing it in an extra plastic bag if it isn't necessary. Vegetables like potatoes, onions, peppers, tomatoes, beets, and beets, as well as fruits like bananas, apples, plums, and melons, should not require an extra bag. Buying in bulk also aids in waste reduction.
4. Use less water by taking showers instead of bathing, not running the tap while brushing your teeth or washing dishes, and not running the dishwasher or washing machine until it is full. This is something we try to do on a daily basis.
5. Instead of using paper and envelopes, use electronic mail- Cancel your magazine and newspaper subscriptions and read them at the library or online. Going paperless with your bank and other bills also contributes to the conservation of trees. Stop sending junk mail; it also saves a lot of paper. To reduce paper waste in our home, we pay all of our bills online.
6. Use dishcloths instead of paper towels- To reduce paper towel waste in your kitchen, use cloth napkins and hand towels. Paper towels should not be reused because they may become wet. Dishcloths, on the other hand, can be used repeatedly until they are dirty.
7. Reduce your electricity consumption by turning off or unplugging any electrical appliances that are not in use. Also, when purchasing appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers, look for ones that are Energy Star rated. It can help you save a lot of energy and lower your electric bill.
8. Donate old clothes, furniture, toys, or appliances to charity or sell them- You can easily sell furniture, toys, and appliances on local sites and through garage sales.

We must stop viewing waste as trash. They have significant energy and recycling potential. Improved recycling techniques, increased compost use, and improved biogas use are all effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ensure resource circularity, and create jobs.

Reducing waste generation is critical to improving waste management. The guidelines for a less polluted daily life are to consume less, reuse more, and throw away as little as possible.