Every year, an estimated 11.2 billion tonnes of solid waste is collected worldwide. This alone contributes to about 5% of global GHG emissions. In this article, you will learn about what landfills are, how they have become critical issues in the fight against climate change, and efficient ways to minimise landfill waste.

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Why Are Landfills A Problem? 

Landfills are a system of trash and garbage disposal in which the waste is buried between layers of earth. They are built in a way that makes it possible for them to hold a wide range of waste, from manufacturing and construction waste to agriculture waste. 

Waste that ends up in landfills comes from a myriad of different sources, including households,  workplaces, factories, and hospitals. The demand for the production of goods is directly linked to population growth and urbanisation, which in turn increases the need for larger landfills to hold the expanding amount of waste.

What Happens When Landfills Are Full?

Around 11.2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste are expected to be produced annually worldwide, according to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). That much waste would be enough to fill more than 800,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Countries like the United States are now forced to find alternate methods of disposing of their waste because China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia – which used to be the dumping ground for foreign nations’ trash – have all enacted bans on the import of waste from other countries. 

A sizeable fraction of that waste is currently burned. In the process, toxic gases, including nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxides, are released into the atmosphere. The amount of particulate matter in the atmosphere is also increased as a result of this practice. Besides contributing significantly to emissions and thus global warming, these compounds also have the potential to be seriously harmful to the public’s health.

How Can We Reduce Landfill Waste?

• Instead of purchasing beverages in single-use plastic bottles, choose reusable containers.
• Cut back on purchases: the fewer products you buy, the less waste you produce.
• Reusing things reduces waste and offers the chance to make financial savings by saving money on supplies and conserving natural resources which can later be used.
• Invest in products that use recycled materials to contribute to environmental improvement.
• Greener, more natural cleaning agents like vinegar and baking soda reduce waste produced by the countless cleaning product containers and are also better for the environment. 
• Recycle. By adopting recycling processes the wastes can be minimised, as recycling is connected with pre-loved items and gives them second life.
• Compost. Organic wastes, like yard and food waste, make up to 25 to 50% of overall waste. You may not be able to compost all of it but a significant amount can help you with the landfill’s waste.
• Discuss the advantages of lowering the amount of solid waste created with other residents of your neighbourhood and learn more about the garbage and recycling policies that your community has in place.
• Your behaviour ought to be an example for others. People may want to duplicate your accomplishments if they see that you are making a difference.

Conclusion

To solve the landfill’s problem, Recycle Technologies Inc. provides the best services by having a mail-in program where you can recycle your waste with complete confidentiality. Recycling is one way to lessen the quantity of waste dumped in landfills, but it is not the only approach that can be used in this regard. 

You can also reuse the product you already have like shopping bags, scrap paper, etc. Each scrap paper you produce should also be saved, so you can later compile it into a new notepad. Both printing on both sides of the page and printing on both sides of the sheet are additional options. Try to purchase things that have already been recycled, and compost any leftover food or yard waste that you may have.

Featured image: EO Photographer Rayham Ahmed.

If you want to learn more about ways to reduce your waste, check out this article next: Solution for Plastic Pollution: 6 Policies and Innovations Tackling Plastics

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E-waste recycling is the process of extracting valuable materials after shredding the e-waste into tiny pieces that could be reused in a new electronic appliance. Unfortunately, low global recycling rates and other challenges contribute to massive quantities of e-waste accumulating in landfills around the world, the environmental impact of which cannot be ignored.

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Electronic waste, or e-waste, is considered a “time bomb” in the present globalised world. The term comprises electronic devices that are unwanted, not working, or have reached the end of their “useful life”. 

The annual production rate of e-waste is increasing gradually. China is the largest e-waste producer, followed by the US which has a recycling rate of just 17.4%. 

The Rise of E-Waste

The fundamental cause of the fastest increase in e-waste output is people’s insatiable need to own technological devices. The United Nations came up with the phrase “e-waste tsunami” to describe the critical situation we find ourselves in. 

Although the proliferation of electronic devices is one component that fuels the issue, these same tools have the potential to be crucial in finding a solution. If we live in a world that is both more digital and more connected, we will be able to advance more quickly toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Additionally, it will enable developing countries to benefit from chances that have never been presented to them.

Key Facts About E-Waste

By the year 2021, the total amount of manufactured electronic waste was 57.4 million tonnes. Additionally, as the years go by, the total is increasing at a rate of roughly 2 Mt per year, on average. Experts estimate that there will be a total of 347 metric tons of non-recycled e-waste globally by the end of the current year.

Only 17.4% of the e-waste is properly collected and recycled, alarming data that clearly shows that a major portion of e-waste is thrown into dumps without considering any recycling procedure and detrimental effects on the planet’s ecology.

You might also like: What is E-Waste Recycling and How Is it Done?

The Environmental Impact of E-Waste

Soil contamination Inspection suggests that there is a possibility that the soil in the region surrounding of e-waste could get contaminated because of large levels of lead and mercury in those materials.

According to the Geneva Environment Network, which analysed the environmental impact of e-waste, elements and materials used in the manufacturing of electronic devices are incredibly harmful to our planet. As soon as they are dumped into a landfill, especially in the warmer months of the year, they are just left to soak into the ground. Years may pass throughout this process. 

One of the major negative effects on the environment is caused by heating e-waste which results in the discharge of toxic compounds such as lead, cadmium and beryllium into the air. After that, there is a chance for the poisonous substances to seep into the groundwater, where they may influence both aquatic and terrestrial species.

When the e-waste comes intact with landfills, the surrounding soil gets contaminated with hazardous substances like mercury, cadmium, and lead which leads to several diseases. According to the World Health Organization, several adverse health effects are caused by exposure to e-waste like negative birth outcomes like premature birth, changes in lung functions, and respiratory issues. And these challenges are emerging day by day. Furthermore, the proper collection and recycling of e-waste can result in protecting and maintaining the environment and human health.

Final Thoughts

The issue of e-waste is significant globally, even so, it is not as frequently mentioned. It causes the acceleration of climate change, results in the waste of significant resources, and endangers both the environment’s and humans’ health. 

Every one of us might be able to find a solution to this issue. The choices we make have a significant impact on the natural world if we choose to live in a way that is less damaging to the environment. We must make sure that every piece of used electronic equipment is recycled or otherwise disposed of properly before we can move on. In a developed country, everyone has access to facilities that will recycle their old electronic equipment. In developing nations, however, this access is restricted.

Developed countries can help other developing ones with recycling in the following different ways:

• Implementing trade policies that encourage the use of recycled materials.
• Through collaborative initiatives, developed countries can join hands with developing ones to establish approaches to address the challenges of recycling like a global recycling network.

The majority of the waste generated by the global electronic industries consists of the smallest items. Everyone can make a difference by making simple, more sustainable changes, such as opting for an eco-friendly phone cover rather than one made of plastic, or using a sustainable electric toothbrush with recyclable heads. These are just two examples that can help you lessen your environmental impact. The only issue for which we can come up with a solution without the help of either commercial businesses or governmental organisations is the removal of e-waste. So, let’s all contribute in some way. 

You might also like: What Is the Right to Repair Movement?

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