Reduce Waste & Plastic Pollution
Worldwide, up to 70 % of waste ends up in landfills.
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2.01 billion tons of municipal waste is produced worldwide.
Waste is defined a little differently in every corner of our planet. Even though it is basically the same type of waste, the legislation always approaches it in a different way. Generally, however, it is something that no longer serves its purpose, something that we no longer want or something that we simply have to get rid of. Anyway, waste is always just a point of view – because what is waste for one person can be raw material for another.
From a historical point of view, waste did not play a major role. On the one hand, it was due to the small population and mainly the use of natural resources. The most common waste from pre-modern times was thus ash and biological waste, which itself degraded safely in the ground. If man was already making something artificially (for example, from iron or ceramics), then these things were reused and passed down from generation to generation.
In any case, waste today plagues the entire planet, even in its farthest corners. There is not a single place where no form of waste is found. Our waste is found even in sites outside planet Earth.
»La vita e Bella« (Life is Beautiful). Garbage on a street corner in Sicily. Source: Unsplash.
Waste classification A remarkable variety of definitions and classification approaches are used worldwide to categorize or name waste. And just as there is a diverse approach to the classification of waste, there are equally diverse approaches to how each country treats waste – but more on that below.
We can divide waste according to the origin of the source or how the waste must be handled. But in general, we can talk about safe waste, such as food scraps, paper, bottles, etc., which can be recycled or composted – or about hazardous waste such as batteries, household cleaners, drug residues and garden pesticides.
Bins on the beach of San Lorenzo, in the city of Gijon, in the north of Spain. Source: Unsplash.
Safe waste The most common type of safe waste is municipal waste. Globally, 2.01 billion metric tons of it are produced, and by 2050 the total volume is expected to increase by about 70 percent to 3.4 billion metric tons. It is created in homes, stores, small businesses and office buildings. It includes, for example, biowaste, paper, plastics, glass, textiles, metal waste also in the form of beverage cans, and wood from gardens or households. It is waste that is not harmful to the environment or to human health. However, safe waste does not always mean that it cannot become dangerous, for example, due to improper storage or omission of, for example, the recycling process.
As we have already mentioned the diversity of definitions and waste management around the world, for example in the USA, municipal waste is divided into:
- compostable waste (bio-waste, such as food scraps, grass, leaves and branches).
- waste suitable for recycling (paper, plastics, glass, metals and batteries).
- waste unsuitable for recycling (textiles, footwear, electronics and hazardous waste).
- landfill waste (all other waste that cannot be recycled or composted).
Did you know... the US represents only about 4 % of the world's population, yet is responsible for almost 12 % of the world's municipal solid waste production?
What is to be found in the imaginary global trash can? Let’s look at the most common types of waste:
Food It may come as a surprise, but food is one of the most common types of waste. Even at a time when more than 780 million people in the world do not know if they will have anything to eat. Despite the fact that enough food is produced in the world to feed 1.5 times the world's population, 40 % of the food produced worldwide ends up in waste. Most of it is composed of fruit and vegetables.
Paper Paper is one of the most common types of waste in households and enterprises. It is the raw material that is also the easiest to recycle and to be used again. Over 400 million metric tons of paper are produced each year. Paper is most often used as:
- packaging material (about 55 %),
- printed matter (26 %),
- hygiene aids (8 %),
- newspapers (7 %),
- others (4 %).
Worldwide, paper accounts for about 17 % of the total amount of waste.
Plastic The history of plastic production goes back only a little more than 100 years. The first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite, produced in 1907 by the Belgian chemist, Leo Hendrik Baekeland. Since the middle of the 20th century, plastic waste has gradually become a problem, and today plastic waste is catching up with paper waste. Over 400 million metric tons of plastic are produced each year (in 2021) and some reports state that up to 50 % of this is for single use. While the lifespan of plastic products is around 10 years on average, plastics can take up to 500 years to decompose, depending on their composition and disposal. Globally, plastic accounts for more than 12 % of the total amount of waste.
Glass Glass is a material that has been known for more than 6 000 years and has actually always been found in Nature in some form. More than 20 million tons of glass are produced annually, which is most often used as packaging glass (45 %). Globally, glass accounts for almost 5 % of the total amount of waste.
Metals To give you an idea, 2.8 billion tons of metals were mined worldwide in 2021:
- 93 % is iron ore.
- 6.5 % is other industrial metals (aluminum, chrome, copper and others).
- 0.05 % is metals for technology and precious metals (tin, molybdenum and others).
Global production of both iron ore and aluminum has more than tripled since the mid-1990s. Other metals (including copper and steel) also have seen a significant growth in consumption. Regarding waste, metal takes up about 4 % of the total amount of waste.
A radioactive sign at Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine. Source: Unsplash.
Hazardous waste If any type of waste has a negative effect on the environment and the health of people or animals, or there is some other danger when handling it, we refer to it as hazardous waste.
Hazardous waste has or may have hazardous properties such as:
- explosiveness.
- combustibility.
- toxicity.
- carcinogenicity.
- infectivity, and more.
Hazardous waste is usually divided into several categories, according to its origin and properties. Of course, these categories may vary by country or region. They can be:
- Waste containing heavy metals - e.g. mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium.
- Waste containing organic compounds - e.g. solvents, paints, varnishes, pesticides.
- Waste containing dangerous substances - e.g. acids, bases, oxidants.
- Waste containing infectious substances - e.g. biological material from hospitals and laboratories.
- Radioactive waste - e.g. used fuel from nuclear power plants.
We can also divide it, according to where hazardous waste comes from, as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA):
- Production waste - e.g. waste from industrial processes.
- Waste from consumption - e.g. used batteries and electronics.
- Construction waste - e.g. building materials and demolitions.
- Waste from special categories - e.g. radioactive waste and infectious material.
However, there are international agreements and guidelines that set minimum standards for hazardous waste management. For example:
- The Basel Convention of 1989, which restricts the movement of hazardous waste across borders and its disposal. This applies to toxic, poisonous, explosive, corrosive, flammable, ecotoxic and infectious waste.
- The Rotterdam Convention, which promotes shared responsibility in relation to the importation of hazardous chemicals and pesticides.
- The Stockholm Convention, which is a legally binding international agreement aimed at eliminating selected persistent organic substances.
Landfill in West Java, Indonesia. Source: Pexels.
How is waste handled and where does it end up? Just as the distribution and specification of individual types of waste are not the same for all countries, so is its management. But if we look at the global values, it can give us an idea of how well we can (or rather can not) handle waste, and where there is room for improvement.
Landfilling Landfilling is the most common and also the oldest way of managing waste. Historically (since about 3000 BC), waste was only piled up or thrown into pits. These sites have become an interesting source of information for archaeologists. In modern history, landfilling became massively widespread, even before the middle of the 20th century. Worldwide, up to 70 % of waste ends up in landfills:
- approx. 33 % open dump.
- approx. 25.2 % landfill (unspecified).
- approx. 7.7 % sanitary landfill (with landfill gas collection).
- approx. 3.7 % controlled landfill.
Landfilling percentages vary, of course. In the US about 50 % of all waste goes into landfills, in the EU, this is approx. 32.2 %.
Recycling Recycling is an ideal and increasingly popular way of dealing with waste. It is environmentally friendly, as it helps to conserve natural resources and reduces the amount of waste that is otherwise landfilled or incinerated. Unfortunately, the global recycling level is about 9-13 %. Compared to the amount of recycled material, developed countries are leading. In the US, 32 % of waste is recycled, while in the EU the recycling rate is over 50 %. In developing countries, recycling rates are often less than 5 %. Recycling is also not omnipotent and has its limits. In addition to the fact that not all materials can be recycled, the number of recycling cycles is also limited in some cases:
- Glass can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality.
- Paper can be recycled about 5 to 7 times.
- Only some plastics can be recycled, approx. 2 to 3 times.
- Metals can be recycled indefinitely.
- Bio-waste, by nature of the product, 1 time.
Incineration Incineration is almost exclusively the domain of high- and upper-middle-income countries. Worldwide, about 11 % of waste ends up in incinerators. Lower income countries rely more on landfilling. Incineration can reduce the volume of disposed waste by up to 95 %. This means less waste ends up in landfills, reducing the need for additional landfills. Combustion can be a sustainable way of producing energy and reduces dependence on fossil fuels. It can be used for the generation of electricity and for supplying households with heat and hot water.
Composting The ideal way of disposing of biodegradable waste (such as kitchen or garden waste) is composting. It is environmentally friendly and, in addition to helping to conserve natural resources, it also improves soil quality. Globally, however, only about 5.5 % of waste is disposed of in this way.
A smoke-filled city. Source: Unsplash.
Other types of waste As waste we understand things that are unnecessarily lying about and no longer serve any purpose. But if we perceive waste as something that can be harmful or dangerous, we should expand the list a little more.
Wastewater Wastewater is water that has been used for some purpose and its quality has been changed by this use, usually for the worse. Wastewater can be divided into:
- Sewage wastewater: This is water that contains fecal matter, i.e. water from toilets, sinks and showers.
- Industrial wastewater: This is water that contains waste substances from industrial production. It may contain harmful substances such as heavy metals, solvents or acids.
- Stormwater: This is water that runs off the ground after rain or snowmelt. It may contain dust, smog and other substances that can pollute the environment.
- Agricultural wastewater: This is water that contains waste substances from agricultural activities. It may contain fertilizers, pesticides and other substances that can pollute the environment.
Air pollution Air pollution is the presence of harmful substances in the air. These substances can be in the form of gasses, particles or aerosols. Air pollution can cause a number of health problems, such as respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Air pollution can (and in most cases does) have negative effects on the environment. It can cause damage to plants and animals, degradation of the landscape and climate change. The main sources of air pollution are:
- Transport: Cars, trucks and other means of transport emit nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and other harmful substances into the air.
- Industry: Industrial enterprises release heavy metals, solvents and other harmful substances into the air.
- Agriculture: Agriculture emits nitrogen oxide, ammonia and other harmful substances into the air.
- Households: Households emit smoke from chimneys, exhaust gasses from grills and other harmful substances into the air.
Space junk Space junk is the general name for thousands of pieces of debris of various sizes that orbit our planet. It is estimated that there are about 200 000 pieces of 1 to 10 cm (0.4 to 4 in) in diameter, and that there could be millions of pieces smaller than 1 cm. Much of the debris is in low Earth orbit within 2 000 km (1 200 miles) of the Earth's surface, although some debris can be found in geostationary orbit 35 786 km (22 236 miles) above the equator.
From 2000 to 2019, plastic waste more than doubled, to 353 million tons.
Whether we are aware of it or not, most of our daily activities involve the creation of waste. If we behaved responsibly as a society, waste would be minimized and we would be able to reuse most materials. But that is not happening.
- Waste burdens the environment, ending up in landfills where it produces greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change. Waste can also contaminate soil and water, and can be a source of disease for animals and humans.
- Waste is harmful to health, and may contain dangerous chemicals that can contaminate food and water. It can also be a source of noise and odors that impair people's quality of life.
- Waste is economically costly – landfills and waste treatment facilities are expensive to operate. The costs of waste disposal must then be covered by taxpayers.
Plastic pollution and juvenile fish. Source: Unsplash.
Plastic waste Plastic waste has become one of the most fundamental problems for the environment. Because it is resistant to decomposition, it can last in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years. During this time, it can break down into microplastics and chemicals that can enter the food chain. Microplastics have been detected throughout the human body, including in the blood, saliva, liver, kidney and placenta.
Global production of plastic waste more than doubled from 2000 to 2019 to 353 million tonnes. Almost two-thirds of plastic waste comes from plastics with a lifespan of less than 5 years, of which:
- 40 % comes from packaging.
- 12 % from consumer goods.
- 11 % from clothing and textiles.
Of the seven billion tons of plastic waste the world has produced so far, less than 10 percent has been recycled. So when it comes to dealing with plastic waste, humanity (according to the OECD) is not doing very well:
- approx. 9 % of plastic waste gets recycled (although 15 % is collected for recycling, 40 % of this is disposed of as waste).
- approx. 19 % is burned.
- approx. 50 % ends up in landfills.
- approx. 22 % avoids waste management systems and goes into uncontrolled landfills, is burned in open pits or ends up in terrestrial or aquatic environments, especially in poorer countries.
Therefore we can encounter plastic waste practically anywhere on our planet. It manifests itself in the form of:
- Ocean pollution – plastic waste is one of the main causes of ocean pollution. Rivers and lakes carry plastic waste from deep inland to the sea, making them major contributors to ocean pollution. According to estimates, there are up to 1.5 trillion pieces of plastic waste in the oceans. The largest concentration of waste is in the "garbage patch", which is formed by oceanic gyre systems. The largest of these is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is twice the size of Texas (3 times the size of France). Oceanographers and environmentalists have found that about 70 percent of marine debris sinks to the ocean floor. This waste irreversibly damages and degrades ecosystems across the planet, causing the death of marine animals.
- Soil pollution – plastics deposited in the ground can release toxic substances when they break down, which can contaminate the soil and, with it, groundwater sources. Of course, this can cause health problems.
- Air pollution – burning plastic waste can release harmful substances into the air, such as heavy metals and dioxins. These substances can cause respiratory problems and other health problems.
Did you know... it is estimated that approx. 1 000 of the world's rivers are responsible for nearly 80 % of the global annual riverine emissions of plastic into the oceans? These range between 0.8 and 2.7 million tonnes per year, with small urban rivers being among the most polluting.
Soil pollution More than 75 % of our planet's land is degraded by waste. If this trend continues, it could be 95 % by 2050. About 3.2 billion people worldwide are negatively affected by contaminated soil.
Consequences of soil pollution: Soil pollution has a number of negative effects on the environment and human health. These impacts include:
- Environmental degradation can cause damage to plants and animals and can also degrade the natural landscape.
- Health problems such as cancer, organ damage and more.
- Degradation of drinking water sources.
Bangkok, smog city, Thailand. Source: Unsplash.**
Air pollution Air pollution is characterized by the presence of harmful substances in the air, which can have a negative impact on the health of people, animals and plants and, of course, on the climate. This is due to:
- The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas – these are the main sources of air pollution.
- Industrial activity, such as manufacture and construction.
- Transport.
- Households contribute to air pollution by burning wood, using cleaning products and other products with Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).
- Agriculture, where the use of fertilizers and pesticides releases harmful substances into the air, such as ammonia, nitrates and others.
- Natural sources, such as forest fires and volcanic eruptions can also cause significant air pollution.
Air pollutants include:
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are produced by burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas. They can cause respiratory problems, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Sulfur dioxides (SOx), which are also produced by burning fossil fuels, and which contain sulfur. They can cause respiratory problems, such as asthma and COPD, and can also damage plants and walls of buildings.
- Dust that consists of solid particles and gasses. It can be produced by combustion, industrial activity and natural sources (e.g. desert or forest fires). It can cause respiratory problems and can also reduce visibility.
- Ozone, which is produced by burning fossil fuels and other sources of pollution. It can cause respiratory problems and can also damage plants and buildings.
- Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury and cadmium can be released into the air through industrial activity and combustion. They can cause neurological problems, damage to the kidneys and other organs.
Tree stump in Mount Rainier, USA. Source: Unsplash.**
Increasing paper consumption Global paper consumption has increased by 400 % over the past 40 years, with the average American using over 700 pounds of paper per year, the most per capita in the world. Increased paper production will also put further pressure on the world's forests, which are already in a critical condition and steadily deteriorating.
40 % of the world's commercially harvested wood is used to make paper, and this is expected to be 50 % by 2050. From 2001 to 2019, a total of 386 million hectares of forest were lost globally (in all forest types combined). This loss represents a nearly 10 % decline in forest cover since 2000.
Wood pulp and paper is the third largest air, water and land polluter of all industries in Canada and the sixth largest in the US. The pulp and paper industry releases more than 100 million kilograms of toxic pollution annually.
Did you know... the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world? According to estimates, more than 100 billion clothing items are produced worldwide each year, with 65 % of them ending up in landfills within 12 months. According to the UN, the fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 8-10 % of global carbon emissions.
To combat waste successfully, it is sufficient to follow the 3R principle.
It looks like we will soon be showered with waste from all sides, but fighting it doesn't have to be difficult. It is enough to follow the basic "3R" principle – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Reduce This is the most important step in the battle against waste. If you reduce the amount of waste you produce, less will be recycled and less landfilled. There are many ways to reduce the amount of waste you produce, including:
- Shop less and shop smarter. Before you buy something, think about whether you really need it. If not, don't buy it!
- Choose products with less packaging. Many products have unnecessary packaging that ends up being thrown away. If possible, choose products with less packaging.
- Use reusable packaging and containers. By doing so, you can reduce the amount of waste you produce.
- Refuse disposable items. If you have a choice, refuse single-use items, such as plastic cutlery, straws and plates.
- Fix things that break, instead of throwing them away. By doing this, you can extend the life of the item and reduce the amount of waste you produce.
Reuse Reusing things you would otherwise throw away is the second most important step to combat waste. If you reuse things, you save resources and reduce the amount of waste you have to recycle or landfill. There are many ways to reuse things, including:
- Use reusable water bottles, instead of buying packaged ones. Use glass, metal or plastic bottles that can be used again.
- Use your own shopping bag. Thus you will avoid using disposable plastic bags.
- Make your own gifts, instead of buying them. You will enhance your creativity and reduce the amount of waste you produce.
- Donate or sell things you don't need. You'll make someone else happy and avoid throwing these things away.
Recycle The last step of saving valuable raw materials and protecting the environment is recycling. Recycling helps to spare resources and to limit the amount of waste which must be disposed of. Here are some tips for recycling:
- Recycle everything possible. Check the local rules of recycling to find out what you can recycle.
- Sort your waste. This will help to ensure that things that can be recycled go to the right place.
- Place recyclable waste in the correct containers.
The 3R rule is a simple but efficient strategy in the battle against waste. Everybody can do their part in helping to save the environment and to preserve resources for future generations.
- Support businesses that commit to sustainability. When you shop, choose enterprises that commit themselves to being sustainable. Thus you will support their efforts to protect the environment.
- Support laws and regulations that support sustainability. When you learn about laws and regulations supporting sustainability, express your support for them. Thus you will help to enforce sustainable practices on the local, state and federal levels.
- Use separate bins for different types of waste.
- Pack waste so that it does not degrade other waste.
- Do not dispose of waste in Nature.
- Pick up trash. It doesn't have to be yours, but you can set an example and start a change in your surroundings. And you can combine it, for example, with a trip or a meeting with friends.
- Educate yourself and others, so you know how to behave better. Read and pass the information on to your friends.
- Use environmentally-friendly products, because not every cleaning agent is friendly to the environment. Choose those that are biodegradable and thus more environmentally friendly.
- Reduce your carbon footprint. A little thing is sufficient – choose a bicycle instead of a car, walk or take public transport, turn off unnecessary lights and buy food from sustainable sources.
Zero Waste food in glass containers. Source: Unsplash.**
Zero waste Zero Waste is a lifestyle that tries to minimize the creation of waste so that it does not get back into the natural cycle. The goal is to produce as little waste as possible, which must be landfilled or incinerated. Zero Waste is very ambitious, because instead of the “3R” principle, two more are added to the overall “5R”:
- Refuse - refuse the things you don't need.
- Reduce - reduce the amount of waste you produce.
- Reuse - reuse things you would otherwise throw away.
- Recycle - recycle things you can't reuse.
- Rot - compost biological waste.
Zero Waste is not only good for the environment, but also good for your wallet and health. If you decide to start a Zero Waste lifestyle, prepare to change your habits and customs. But with a little effort and determination, you can achieve great things.
