Avoidance and Reduction Methods

Avoidance and reduction – it sounds simple, but actually the most important and difficult method on trash management is to avoid and reduce the amount of trash that produced by human. Avoidance and reduction method, that also known as trash minimization, involves any efforts to minimize resource and energy use during manufacture. Actually, it is not only needed in manufacture, but also needed in household life. Any efforts in household which refers to prevent or reduce any waste materials can also be categorized here.   The ways to avoid and reduce the trash can be used in two areas, which are in industrial area and household area.

I.                   Industrial area

The avoidances and reductions in industrial area are not only how to minimize the amount of remaining things that produced by the factory, but also how to use the raw materials efficiently during manufacture. It doesn’t only give many benefits for the environment, but for the company which produce the product too. If they can use the raw materials efficiently, it will prevent the waste of money for remaining materials that are not used.

There are some methods that are usually used in industrial to minimize the remaining things.

1.      Optimizing the raw materials in producing something.

2.      Reusing the remaining materials that can still be used.

3.      Preventing the product failure in producing.

4.      Reducing the useless materials in the product design.

5.      Improving the durability of products.

Any efforts that are mentioned above have been proven effective. However, it needs to be remembered that minimization sometimes could harm ourselves if we overstep the limit on it. For example in car industry, the company could make more profit if they changed the current materials in car’s body with other materials that have lower price but also lower quality. It might give more profit, but also more damage for driver when the accident happened.

In addition to conserve natural resource, the minimization of raw materials can also provide many benefits for the company which produces the products. However, whether the side effect of it will harm ourselves or not depends on how we can manage it.

II.                Household area

The avoidances and reductions in household area are how to minimize any household activities that have a potency to produce trash. Many people believe that household trash is not dangerous. But in the fact, even though it is not as dangerous as industrial trash, there are some household trashes that actually can be categorized as dangerous. Not only for environment, but also human. To avoid the effects of that kind of household trash, there are several tips for the products that you can start to avoid or handle it more carefully.

1.       Aerosol

Beside of its CFC that can effect the ozone layer, Aerosol spray is also flammable. Disposing an aerosol spray that isn’t completely empty into a trash compactor or combustion device could cause a serious explosion. So make sure any aerosol product you throw out has already emptied and try to use pump-spray instead of it next time.

2.      Auto batteries

An auto battery contains a dangerous corrosive acid. When you want to buy a replacement battery, buy from a vendor that will take your old battery to be recycled.

3.      Wood cleaners and polishes

The fume of wood cleaners and polishes can irritate your eyes. Try to substitute it with lemon oil or beeswax.

4.       Automobile motor oil

Do not pour used oil down the sewer. One drop of used oil can contaminate thousand gallons of water. If you want to change your oil, collect the used oil and take it to the local gas station to be recycled.

5.       Insecticides, pest sprays, rat poison

These products work by poisoning small animals, but can also effect big animals, plants, and people who contact with it without them realizing. Try to minimize using it. If you do end up using it, use it carefully and get rid of the leftover container at your community’s household next household hazardous waste day.

Although many people do not realize it, there are some products in household that actually is dangerous, even after it becomes trash. If we can avoid or reduce using those products, not only the environment we can save, but also our own selves.

Inorganic Materials Recycling

Any kind of materials that are produced by human and need they help to be recycled classified in here. Any kind of products made by human such as plastics, glasses, metals, and others cannot be broken by nature. Although it can be broken, it needs a long time to be completely destroyed. That is the reason why human do a recycling. Despite of its naturally friendly, it can also economize any waste materials.

Inorganic materials recycling has also other advantages, it can help in reserving the source available for the future generations to come. Because, if the current generation could economize in utilize any resources with using them efficiently and converting them into newer products, they would provide availability for future generation to use the left resources before it runs out. Moreover, recycling can reduce and prevent the emission of the greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) or chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) into the atmosphere. The industrial process in the manufacturing of different product often releases this kind of gases that can effect the ozone layer and cause global warming. With recycling, we can prevent global warming with reducing the production of many products that can also release emission.
The best advantage of inorganic materials recycling is its economic friendly and it also helps in raising the green environment. It is a better solution to reduce any kinds of pollution that are caused by human made materials instead of disposing that waste of money.

Organic materials recycling (Composting)

         Organic materials recycling or as also we known as composting, is including any kind of organic materials that are produced by nature and can be recycled, itself. However, even though it said it can be recycled itself, actually it needs help for decomposer and sometimes human if the condition cannot be able.

        Decomposer is an organism that eating the death or decaying organism. Basically, it will appear naturally from the death body of living thing in normal condition such as normal temperature, humidity, and sunlight. Decomposer is very important to recycle the energy from living thing. Without decomposer, the chain of energy which is transfer from one living thing to other living things when they eat each other will be cut off if that living things die themselves. What is more, decomposer can also be used as energy sources. When the decomposers do the decaying process, it also releases a certain gas called as methane. This gas later will be used by human to generate electricity.

       The organic materials recycling happen naturally with decomposer’s help. It takes an important role in nature to keep the continuity of life cycle and also provides an energy sources for human.

Image from : climatelab.org