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Australia is a developing country that is rapidly facing a crisis on waste generation and recycling. There is no doubt that we are one of the world’s main rubbish manufacturers. Since each of us contributes a huge amount of waste each year, the country’s battle with rubbish generation needs huge effort from every individual, household, community, company, and local government to resolve the rubbish problems.
In 2016-17, Australia produced approximately 67 million tonnes of waste and around 32 million tonnes of that volume have been recycled, while a whopping 22 million tonnes of rubbish have ended up in landfills. In New South Wales alone, households generate a total of 3.66 million tonnes of domestic waste. The 1.94 million tonnes of residual waste of the totality goes to landfill, and the remaining 1.72 million tonnes being recycled.
Moreover, the consequences of the production of rubbish will further affect us if we don’t do anything about it. Pollution, global warming, climate change are just some of the problems we are currently facing due to the piling up of rubbish. To better have an idea of how devastating the situation is, here are snippets of how waste is affecting the world with the rising temperature of the world.
Inorganic Waste Indirectly Opts Temperature Increase
Unless it is incinerated, inorganic waste does not contribute directly to greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, the production process of inorganic items emits greenhouse gases.
All manufactured goods use natural resources in their production, such as water, fuel, metal and timber, resulting in the emission of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Accordingly, waste sent to a dumpsite or landfill contains a large number of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere. These gases have been causing trouble for our environment as it is the leading cause of climate change and global warming.
Plastic Waste Encourages Global Warming
Perhaps the most troublesome type of trash we have today is plastic waste. Every year, we manufacture millions of tonnes of plastic globally. This should not come as a surprise, because for a variety of reasons we depend on plastics.
Food packaging, plastic shopping bags, plastic bottles, disposable cutlery, and plastic straws are among the most popular plastic items we use. In appliances, electronic devices, and vehicles, plastic is also an inevitable component. Almost all of these plastic types are derived from products made from fossil fuels (like ethylene and propylene) (mostly oil and gas).
Through the process of extracting and transporting these fuels, billions of tons of greenhouse gases are generated by plastic production. For instance, 4% of the world’s annual output of petroleum is diverted to make plastic, and another 4% is burned in the refining process. But it is equally troubling how we treat all the plastic that then goes into circulation.
Organic Waste: Adding Heat to the World
In Australia, waste generated every day includes readily biodegradable organic matter such as kitchen waste, garden waste and paper, which accounts for about 58 per cent of the total weight of waste generated on average. The amount of organic waste is responsible for almost 70 per cent of the total waste production in some of the bigger cities.
Most of this rubbish ends up in landfills or dumps sites. Carbon dioxide and methane gas are created when organic waste breaks down. When there is no air present, methane is produced, while carbon dioxide is the natural product when something rots in the air. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane are the causes of global warming and climate change.
Food Waste and Global Warming
Every year, Australia sends 7.3 million tons of food waste to landfills, equivalent to 300 kg per person, of which 2.2 million tons come from business and industrial sources such as coffee shops, supermarkets and fast food outlets. It is also claimed that 1 of them ends up being a waste for every 5 bags of food Australians buy.
Not only does this food contribute to the region’s already overflowing landfills, but food waste also accounts for more than 5% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. It’s one of the reasons why the temperature in Australia rises above the sun’s normal heat. In addition, it emits methane gas that would be detrimental to the atmosphere until food waste combines with other items that are already rotting in landfills.
In order to get customers to understand that a change needs to be made, campaigns have begun across Australia about food waste. The numbers, however, are still rising every year, suggesting that the war against food waste is not improving at all.
In a Nutshell
The globe gets warmer and warmer, especially in recent years, at a record-breaking rate almost every single year. There are many factors to pinpoint, but waste is one of the great contributors to the temperature rise.
The more we consume, the higher rate we throw, leading to higher numbers of rubbish sent into landfills releasing methane gas, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and global warming. With all these, there is a need to take action as to how we manage our waste and how irresponsible we can get.
Reach Aussie Junk Team Today!
At Aussie Junk Rubbish Removal, we are aiming to make Australia’s waste manageable and minimise the effects of climate change and global warming. Our team can help remove all your rubbish at home safely without harming the environment. We will expertly sort out any types of rubbish for a hassle-free rubbish removal. For all your rubbish removal needs, call us at 0407 125 125 or book online today.
