Waste is a growing global problem that worsens with population growth. According to WEF, each person releases an average of 0.74 kilograms of waste a day. In high-income countries, this could be up to 5.54 kilograms a day.
Wealthy countries also produce over a third of the 2.01 billion tons of global waste generated annually.
No wonder the planet has a waste disposal problem, which, if not managed well, can impact the environment and human health.
Waste emits methane, which is more potent than carbon dioxide in warming the planet. The waste sector accounts for 20% of global methane emissions. Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that methane is also responsible for 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution.
Some of the waste is also exported to poor and developing countries, mainly in Africa and Asia, for sorting and dismantling, especially old decommissioned ships. Ironically, the wealthy who export them supposedly have the technology and resources to safely sort, manage, and dispose of them.
Instead, these wastes that contain highly toxic parts and chemicals are exported to countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. People, including children, often sort and dismantle waste without proper protection. Exposure to these toxins can cause serious health problems affecting the central nervous, reproductive, endocrine, and immune systems.
There are two main ways to dispose of non-recyclable waste: in landfills or by burning it in incinerators.
Landfills are under scrutiny because of their contribution to climate change and environmental degradation. They release methane, a potent planet-warming GHG. A lot of waste thrown into landfill sites takes years to break down and decompose; while it does, it leaches toxins into the ground, polluting land and water.
Waste that doesn’t end up in landfills is burned in incinerators. Some think this is a better way to dispose of garbage because it just seems to vanish, leaving a small heap of ashes. For instance, a hundred tons of trash burned leaves around 30 tons of toxic ash.
It may seem that the 70 tons just disappeared, but this solid waste has just transformed into an air-polluting gas. Incinerators release toxic emissions such as nitrogen oxides, smog, acid gases, and particulate matter.
The 2017 data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) presented below compares air pollution levels generated by incinerators and landfills. It clearly illustrates the significantly higher emissions from incinerators compared to landfills. This data encompasses six waste incinerators and 17 landfills across the state.
According to the data above, burning waste in incinerators is 80% worse for the climate than landfills and 60% worse for human health. For instance, the emissions of nitrogen oxides released in incinerators trigger asthma attacks much worse than those from landfills.
Environmentally friendly waste disposal
An article in the Guardian discusses how excessive consumerism generates endless waste, but practicing mindful and responsible buying can help reduce it.
Today’s consumer-driven society provides easy access to a wide range of products, from food and clothing to electronics and household items, both in physical stores and online. However, a prevalent “disposable mentality” has emerged, leading to a culture where items are quickly discarded, and durability is often overlooked.
This is particularly evident in the technology sector, where annual upgrades of devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and laptops encourage consumers to replace their electronics frequently.
The practice of planned obsolescence within the tech industry results in products designed for a limited lifespan, contributing to significant waste and environmental concerns.
The environmentally friendly way to dispose of waste
Is it possible to reduce waste without negatively impacting the environment or contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Unfortunately, MIT research indicates that all waste disposal methods, including recycling, release greenhouse gases. While recycling may produce fewer emissions than disposal or manufacturing new products, it is not entirely without impact.
For instance, when you toss an empty can into a recycling bin, the garbage truck takes the bin to a recycling facility, which emits CO2. The recyclables then get sorted, cleaned, and used to make a new product—all the processes require energy, meaning every step emits carbon dioxide.
According to the Climate Portal article, a better solution would be to reduce waste in the first place. Government policies can also influence the waste system by banning single-use plastics and helping consumers buy fewer disposable goods through awareness campaigns, taxes, or regulations.
“To best reduce emissions from trash disposal, laws and regulations around waste need to be laws and regulations around production and consumption,” says Jonathan Krones, Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Boston College.
“If we want to continue living fairly normal, decent lives as we perceive them today, we need to develop a framework for balancing the environmental bills”, he adds (Mobius, 2020).
It is important to remember and practise the three R’s – reduce, reuse, and recycle before we throw our waste away.
Source:
Lama, N. (2024, April 26). The World has a Waste Problem. Here’s How to Fix It. IFC. Retrieved from https://www.ifc.org/en/blogs/2024/the-world-has-a-waste-problem
This is how cities can reduce emissions with waste-reduction solutions. (2022, November 7). World Economic Forum. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/11/waste-emissions-methane-cities/
Why is Landfill Bad? (n.d.). Business Waste. Retrieved from https://www.businesswaste.co.uk/help/why-is-landfill-bad/
Landfills are bad, but incinerators (with ash landfilling) are worse. (n.d.) Energy Justice Network. Retrieved from https://www.energyjustice.net/files/incineration/incineration_vs_landfills.pdf
Global Methane Tracker 2024. (2024 March). IEA. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2024
Too much stuff: can we solve our addiction to consumerism? (2023, November 28). The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/28/too-much-stuff-can-we-solve-our-addiction-to-consumerism
Mobius, A. (2020, December 21). What method of waste disposal is best for the climate? Climate Portal. Retrieved from https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/what-method-waste-disposal-best-climate
How to Dispose of Waste Materials without Damaging the Environment. (2024). The Manufacturer. Retrieved from https://www.themanufacturer.com/press-releases/how-to-dispose-of-waste-materials-without-damaging-the-environment/
Consumerism and Planned Obsolescence: A Toxic Duo. (2024, June 27). Faster Capital. Retrieved from https://fastercapital.com/content/Consumerism-and-Planned-Obsolescence–A-Toxic-Duo.html
A world of waste. (2024). The World Counts. Retrieved from https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/state-of-the-planet/world-waste-facts
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