Waste minimisation
Did you know that, each year in Australia, each one of us generates an average of 1000kg (one tonne) of industrial, commercial and domestic waste? That's a lot of stuff we have to get rid of somehow. Most ends up in landfill sites. As well as this industrial, commercial and domestic waste, there's demolition waste, radioactive waste, sewage sludge, agricultural waste, mining wastewaters, and waste of energy and water. What's in your bin? Household bins contain waste ranging from plastic, glass and paper to vegetable scraps and food waste. The quantity of each varies depending on factors like the season and the size of the family using the bin.
What is waste minimisation?
Waste minimisation aims to eliminate waste before it is produced and reduce its quantity and toxicity. Prevention is the primary goal, followed by reuse, recycling, treatment and appropriate disposal.
Why minimise waste?
Population increase and high consumption of products in the developed world has created a global waste problem. Affluence has created effluence - the more we have, the more we have to dispose of safely. Scientists now believe we're producing more waste than the environment can absorb. The benefits of minimising waste include:
- reducing demand for landfill space,
- saving resources and energy,
- reducing pollution, and
- increasing the efficiency of production.
If each one of us changes the way we think and act, together we can reduce the amount of waste we make and get rid of.
Last updated 16 November 2010