Has the Recent Lockdown Helped in Reducing Sydney’s Waste Volume?

There are only a few months left before 2020 comes to an end. However, the thread of Covid-19 is still out there. Since the start of the lockdown, the pandemic has caused several effects on the economy, education, businesses, and way of living of the people.

One notable impact of the global health crisis is the waste generation in each household. 

If you are asking the question, has the recent lockdown helped in reducing Sydney’s waste volume? Let us be frank and answer you that it does not. Instead of decreasing, waste generation has increased, especially medical waste materials such as disposable masks, gloves, PPEs, and alcohol bottles. 

To guide you on how the recent lockdown impacted Sydney’s waste volume, let us look into the following reports:

Household Rubbish Continues to Pile Up

Since March, authorities have necessitated people to stay at home and practise social distancing when going out. With the strict implementation of standard health protocols, people depend on online shopping and food deliveries for their needs. These methods prompt higher household waste generation than usual. 

Moreover, homeowners maximise the opportunity to conduct a general cleanup, emptying cabinets and decluttering each corner of their room.

Thus, wastes are bound to pile up. In Sydney alone, the City of Canada Bay Council reported an increase of bulk household materials collected by 50% last April. 

Illegal Dumping Troubles Out the Local Councils

Aside from increasing waste volume, illegal dumping has been rampant in each council of Australia. There are some limitations on the collection of rubbish in Sydney. For example, white goods and bulky items require a special booking appointment.

However, since the regular waste have increased for the past months, council pick-ups need to double-time while practising health precautions.   

That said, some of the councils temporarily stopped offering bulk waste collection, which prompted people to dump items on the kerbsides.

In Sydney, illegal dumping has increased by 35%, according to the City of Canada Bay Council. Let us remind you that it can cost you to pay up fines from $4,000 to $250,000.

Increasing Construction Waste since the Start of Lockdown

Construction of new buildings, roads, and other infrastructures have also increased during the time of lockdown. The streets are not that busy anymore, which is the perfect time to finish the project quickly.

Along with its rise in number, construction waste such as rubbles, concrete, steel, and wood materials are typical rubbish items that require trucks to discard. 

Note that local council pick-ups do not collect construction waste. Thus, if you are the project contractor, you must transport them to landfills. But, the threat of the virus is still out there.

For your safety, you can always trust Aussie Junk. We conduct fast and efficient construction debris removal services while following standard health protocols. 

Overwhelming Medical Waste 

A face mask is our first line of defence whenever we go out to protect ourselves from Covid-19.

The most used kind of mask is probably the surgical mask since it has 60% filtering rate effectiveness and is readily available in the market. However, its one-time use makes our medical waste generation increase through time. 

Moreover,  soaps, hand sanitisers, alcohol, PPEs, gloves, and face shields protect us from the virus. For a few months now, they are in high demand in the market, and their waste turnout has been increasing. The most practical solution to lessen medical waste generation is by avoiding to go out as much as possible.  

Conclusion

Up to this day, the threat of the virus is still out there. Even though the number of cases is decreasing, we should not be complacent. Authorities still remind people to stay at home as much as possible and avoid going out to crowded places. 

Based on the recent lockdown, we can say that Sydney’s waste volume has gone up in numbers when we stay at home. That said, we should now avoid online shopping and food deliveries if possible. Moreover, by avoiding going out, we can reduce medical waste, which continues to rise in numbers all over the world.

Dealing with waste, especially in the middle of a pandemic, can be quite a hassle. Local council pick-ups have certain limitations, and you probably don’t know how to segregate and discard your rubbish.

Luckily, Aussie Junk is just one call away to aid you on your rubbish needs.

Our first-rate removalists can sort and transport all types of waste while following the NSW EPA Guidelines. We have the right equipment and truck for any service that you may need. Furthermore, we make sure to avoid landfills as much as possible. We have a vast network of recycling partners who can turn your rubbish into something valuable. In this way, we can reduce the overall waste volume of Sydney. 

Reduce your waste now in an eco-friendly way! Contact us at ‪0435 569 921‬ or send us a message through our email.