One of the most important activities in any community is garbage collection. Garbage is all the solid material that no longer has any purpose in our lives and so requires removal and disposal. It may not always smell, but whether or not it releases bad odour depends on where it came from.
This waste usually arises as by-products from our day to day activities and requires regular disposal to control accumulation. As a means of disposal, there is also the option of recycling, where people with a little imagination can use that garbage and come up with quite wonderful and equally useful products.
Waste can be classified into organic, inorganic and hazardous materials. Organic may be leaves, rinds or residues from the manufacture of food while inorganic can be plastics, fabrics, paper, glass etc. Hazardous materials can be dangerous surgical medical equipment, batteries, acids, etc.
The collection of such waste is extremely important yet difficult and complex since its production is dispersed. It can occur in homes, offices, commercial establishments, parks, streets and everywhere else where rubbish is disposed of.
This collection process includes:
1. Solid waste collection in different places
2. The vehicle collection
If the collection service is residential, the person living in the residence is responsible for placing the waste in their collection container and taking it to the curb on collection day. If the collection service is based on the streets, it is common practice to use storage containers placed on the streets.
Skip Bins
Skip bins are usually large metal or plastic containers designed to store large amounts of garbage for a longer time. They are usually sold by garbage collection companies as an alternative to house bins and can be found anywhere in cities, homes, offices, shops etc.
Advantages of Skip Bins
The main advantage of skip bins is that they store large amounts of garbage for a longer time as compared to house bins. As for what makes them popular, the factors are many and varied. Their maintenance is very simple; they just need to be regularly cleaned and oiled if they have a mechanical/metallic system. For safety purposes, many of them are fitted with automated systems that can only be handled by neighbours and garbage collectors, making their usage safer and more reliable.
They also play a role in waste recycling. Underground waste containers are designed to facilitate selective collection of the waste into paper, plastic, glass and organic matter before recycling. In Europe, the selection of waste for recycling is essential, but this legislation has not yet been implemented in some areas of Latin America.
Domestic Skip Bins
In addition to the bins used to store garbage in the street for later collection, individual households also maintain bins inside the house, commonly referred to as trash cans and placed in kitchen corners. The other types of domestic bins are not intended for storing organic matter and are therefore less resistant. Those ones are commonly used in the other rooms of the house or placed besides office desks to store waste paper, plastic and other non-organic materials.
Bins for special garbage are made of aluminium or stainless steel and are designed to withstand all kinds of chemicals for a long time. In the event that a family has a carpenter or plumber who regularly uses abrasive products, it is advisable for them to deposit the remains of containers in those special bins too, not the house bin. Some bins are also fitted with lids, making them much more hygienic as they prevent odour from spreading into other house rooms. The lids can be automatic or manual, both of which are safe methods.
Types of Bins
It is extremely essential to select and divide waste for easier recycling. As such, there are different types of bins designed to handle only particular classes of waste. They include;
1. Plastic Bins
2. Glass Bins
3. Organic Bins
Most cities and towns have used specific colours for each bin type ie grey or green for organic waste; yellow for cans and plastic; blue for paper and cardboard, and green for glass. Some cities, in a bid for more hygiene, environmental impact and space, have underground containers, allowing for more comfortable driving and elimination of unpleasant odours.
Below is a summary of the waste composition of each bin type.
Yellow Bins
- Plastic products of hygiene and cleanliness, trays, wrappers and bags.
- Metal: cans, aluminium trays, aerosol deodorant cans, caps and metal caps.
Blue Bins
- Paper and cardboard boxes: food packaging, footwear, frozen products, wrapping paper, paper for daily use, etc.
Green Bins
- Glass bottles of wine, champagne or spirits.
- Glass jars: perfume, cologne or the like.
- Food jars: marmalade, preserves, vegetables, etc.
Gray Bins
- Only for organic matter, plants or food and biodegradable compounds.
Separation and selective collection
- From this process, the volume of waste generated in the container from the everyday collection is reduced.
- An image of order and general control is given off.
- Only through separation and selective collection can responsible management of hazardous waste be carried out.
- Remember that if a hazardous waste pollutes is exposed, the whole waste must be managed as hazardous.
Why garbage collection is important
The benefits of this process are many, even more so to the environment, individuals and the businesses that carry it out.
For individuals whose goal is to achieve a healthy space that is clean and free of debris, bacteria or germs, depositing garbage in plastic containers is one simple way of achieving this.
Likewise, the community and businesses within it must ensure the proper collection of waste if they are to live in a cleaner environment and establish a recycling culture. For the latter to happen, communities must be educated about the importance of the colour specification when throwing rubbish into containers.
The business sector is obliged to endorse an integrated collection system for garbage with bin companies that include collection from different offices, transportation to the unloading areas and deposition at the site of final disposal of the waste.
In this way, all the major factors are favourably considered. The environment is preserved while individuals’ standards of living are improved as a result of a cleaner environment. Companies also benefit by saving money through implementing sustainable development.
Equipment and Manpower
These are the tools required for a complete process of garbage collection.
- Bins of different sizes and different shapes for waste collection
- Crane vehicle
- Carry System
- Platform dump
- Equipment with own compaction mechanism
- Truck tractor
- Trailers with compaction mechanism equipped with closed containers.
- Mechanically loaded Compactor
Recycling
Recycling is basically the use of waste materials to create new products without making significant use of new raw materials. Waste recycling must be encouraged at all times. The reuse of waste materials is very important because it not only reduces waste and but also encourages intensive creativity. It is very important to separate waste through specialised techniques solely for the purpose of recycling.
Recommendations for a better garbage collection system
- It is good to know the garbage collection schedule in your home or community.
- It is always recommended to place rubbish in sealed bags to avoid the proliferation of insects, dogs or rodents.
- Recycle your waste whenever possible. There are several companies that buy glass, paper, cardboard and other specific types of wastes from homes.
- Always consult a call-in a Skip Bin company when you know controlling waste has become out of control or when you yourself don’t have time for it.
Finally, towns and cities with developed garbage collection systems are well on their way to more aesthetically pleasing environments that are free of disease and waste. Recycling is also growing more popular as more and more individuals realise its importance in conserving nature and promoting cleanliness. The onus is now on town and city councils everywhere to facilitate better garbage collection systems in their areas of responsibility for a much more effective process.
