Waste management is very critical for protection of the environment. While in Britain I have seen the way waste is disposed, which is mostly in landfills. But it is not productive , proactive and potentially dangerous with methane gas build up. Sweden does it differently and the world can learn from Sweden, how to recycle waste and produce energy. Sweden does it so effectively that it has to import waste from other countries for its specialised Power plants.The most common types of waste as per the source are industrial waste, medical waste and household waste. Among the three household waste is very diverse. It contain plastics, food, garden waste, household dust and hair. Considerable care has to be taken to separate household waste and manage it.
Kinds of household waste
Household waste can be categorised into food and garden waste (Green code) which decomposes easily, mixed dry waste consisting of newspaper, food tin, aerosol canisters and aluminium foil (Blue code) and non-recyclable waste like porcelain, nappies, sanitary pads and ply packaging (Black code). Some of Green code waste can be put into compost pit and can be used as manure. Rest can be recycled after drying and can be used by power generation company after they have been compressed into blocks that can be burned. Blue code can be recycled as energy blocks for power generation and the metal based waste has to be separated and recycled. Black coded waste is the one which requires the most careful recycling. Buildor a Swedish company that deals in household equipments has taken the social responsibility of household waste management very seriously. They have a window of consultation on how to dispose of their product when they have reached their usage age.
Ways to manage different kind of waste
Food and garden waste decomposes naturally. Out of these food waste can be minimized by proper food management. The reductioncampaign for minimization of food waste is an endeavor for this purpose. Garden waste can be easily become manure for the plants in the compost pits. Mixed dry recycling is the way to manage blue coded waste. It contains plastic bottles which are separated and recycled and the metal based waste which has to be treated similarly. The paper waste here can also be minimised by minimizing the use of paper. The way to go is to try and print on both sides of the paper and only use paper when absolutely necessary. Trying to minimize use of paper napkins is another way to go green. Now what about the Black coded waste? It contains hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Waste like batteries and computer items have to be disposed with care. They contain metals and chemicals which are harmful for nature and require much effort and money in recycling. Specialised treatment plants have to take care of hazardous waste and dumping in open should not be done. Awareness programs about waste management can be a great help. Sweden is doing such a great job and the world should follow their lead.