Interesting Facts About General Waste
Interesting facts about general waste can startle anyone. Did you know that plastic bottles account for over 40% of household waste? That food scraps are responsible for 12%? And did you know that dogs are also known to urinate in the garbage? These are just some interesting facts about the general waste you can learn about. Let’s explore them one by one! Hopefully, you’ll be surprised!
Waste facts that will undoubtedly startle you
People used to be more environmentally conscious, and they recycled or reused almost everything. They didn’t have industries and infrastructure to produce thousands of products a day and transport millions of goods back in the day. Today, however, people produce billions of products, which means there is an unprecedented amount of waste that humans produce. You might be surprised to learn just how much trash we generate daily.
Plastic bottles make up 40% of household waste.
The amount of plastic bottles used worldwide is staggering. They are used for soft drinks, mineral water, and household products. According to Euromonitor International, 480 billion plastic bottles were sold worldwide in 2018. That’s an increase of 50% from 2009. If the world were filled with all the plastic bottles, we would consume every year. It would tower over Manhattan Island. Then we would need to recycle nearly four trillion bottles to equal that amount.
Recyclable plastic bottles are broken down and turned into new items. These items include clothing, furniture, and even fences. You can also get new plastic bottles, containers, and bags when you recycle plastic bottles. First, however, you must sort the bottles. Sort the plastic bottles by type and remove residue. Once you have separated all of the plastic bottles from the rest of the waste, you can take them to a recycling centre.
Once you’ve identified which types of plastics you use, you can take inventory of the plastic in your home. You’ll be surprised how much of this material you’ll likely find in the kitchen and bathroom. Once you know which plastics you can recycle, you’ll be more likely to make a difference. Moreover, this will help you reduce your overall plastic waste, which is already at its highest point in history.
Food scraps make up 12% of household waste.
Did you know that food scraps make up a quarter of household waste? According to the Government of Canada, two-thirds of the food we eat is wasted. We throw it in the garbage, but we could be reducing our environmental impact by storing leftovers in larger containers with a tight lid. Cover them with wood shavings or brown leaves to keep them dry. When food waste is buried in landfills, it decomposes slowly, producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
One-third of the food we throw away is edible. By weight, the average household wastes one-third of its food. The most wasted foods are apples, potatoes, and bread slices by volume. Salads account for another quarter of this waste, with potato skins, bread crusts, and tea bags accounting for the rest. Ultimately, we can all do our part to reduce our food waste. By minimising our food waste, we are helping the environment, saving money and water, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.
The EPA estimates that thirty-four per cent of the food we consume in the United States is wasted each day. In 2017, 103 million tons of food were thrown away, amounting to 206 billion pounds of waste. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, that amount amounts to about £161 billion. The average American family of four throws out £1,500 worth of food each year.
Dogs urinate on garbage.
Why do dogs urinate on general waste? Dogs’ faeces contain bacteria and parasites that can cause various illnesses in humans. Just one gram of dog faeces contains 23 million bacteria known as faecal coliforms, which can cause diarrhoea, intestinal illness, and fever. It is even possible for dog urine to contaminate water, which can cause a host of other health problems, including contaminated water.
Hazardous waste is generated at twice the rate of the global population.
Human waste continues to be a significant health threat. While the term ‘hazardous’ is typically associated with waste that has a long history of pollution, it is now more often applied to recent wastes, which have been tied to rising industrial production. Today, hazardous waste is generated at twice the rate of the global population. Despite these concerns, countries continue to produce large quantities of waste. According to the World Bank, by 2050, the amount of waste produced by urban residents will increase by 70%.
In 2016, urban residents generated 1.2 kilograms of waste per day, compared to only 0.64 kilograms ten years ago. By 2050, this number will rise more than threefold, while waste generation will nearly double in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Since the early 1980s, the environmental justice of hazardous waste has been a growing concern. Increasing awareness of hazardous wastes and the problems caused by their generation has led to more stringent regulations.
Meanwhile, IOs became central agents in overriding international development efforts. In the 1990s, the World Bank even approved a controversial memo calling for shifting hazardous waste production to low-wage areas. The memo was later leaked to Brazil’s environment minister and subsequently became the subject of outrage from environmental activists and politicians.
85% of old devices end up in landfills.
It’s estimated that 85% of old devices end up in landfill sites, and the sad truth is that very few consumers know what to do with them. Instead, these items collect dust in drawers or sleep in landfills. The average European household contains 11 items no longer in use. Each of these items contains up to five kilograms of waste. Many devices are made of precious metals, such as gold, silver, and copper. Recycling and refurbishing electronics will ensure that these precious metals are recovered and reused in other products. While recycling is a good idea, it is also essential to consider the health risks.
Disposing of old electronics in landfills harms our health, but it also damages the environment. Toxic substances in electronic devices seep into lakes and contaminate crops and animals. In some parts of the world, locals pick through the trash and incinerate old devices, leaving toxic ash that pollutes air and water. As our tech-hungry society prepares to upgrade to 5G devices, it’s essential to consider how to recycle old electronics. And even recycling e-waste doesn’t solve the issue entirely.
Food waste contributes to climate change.
According to a recent Washington Post article, one-third of the food we produce for human consumption is wasted every year. This equates to about 1.3 billion tons of food wasted each year. As a result, food waste contributes to climate change, almost twice as much as animal agriculture. Food waste also contributes to social inequity. The problem of food waste is a global problem. Here are some of the ways that we can reduce food waste and protect our planet.
Across the world, 6.7 per cent of all food ends up as waste, according to the World Resources Institute. If all the food we waste were placed in a country, it would be the third-largest contributor to climate change. But it’s essential to understand how food waste contributes to climate change. The reasons are varied, but essentially, there’s a lack of attention paid to this issue. And the biggest culprits aren’t necessarily wealthy countries, prone to wasteful eating habits. Another important factor contributing to food waste island issues. Conversion of land to farming decreases its carbon-storing capacity.
Furthermore, overproduction of food increases the strain on the environment. Land issues like flooding and drought are just a few examples of climate change’s impact on food production. By 2030, the United States will be the third-largest contributor to climate change if food waste grows unchecked. The EPA has announced a £2 million grant to eleven organisations working to reduce food waste.
Facts About General Waste – Learn more about UK business waste statistics here
Other useful links from our Commercial Waste Centre
Why Should Your Business Go Paperless?
Choosing a Garage Waste Management Service
Developing an EMS for Hazardous Waste
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