Waste sorting is the process by which waste is separated into different elements.

[1]

Waste sorting can occur manually at the household and collected through curbside

collection schemes, or automatically separated in materials recovery facilities or mechanical

biological treatment systems. Hand sorting was the first method used in the history of waste sorting. [2]
Waste can also be sorted in a civic amenity site.

Waste segregation means dividing waste into dry and wet. Dry waste includes
wood and related products, metals and glass. Wet waste, typically refers to organic waste usually
generated by eating establishments and are heavy in weight due to dampness. Waste can also be
segregated on basis of biodegradable or non-biodegradable waste.
Landfills are an increasingly pressing problem.[citation needed] Less and less land is available to deposit
refuse, but the volume of waste is growing all time. As a result, segregating waste is not just of
environmental importance, but of economic concern, too.

REUSE, REDUCE and RECYCLE

Reuse - To reuse is to use an item again after it has been used. This includes conventional
reuse where the item is used again for the same function, and new-life reuse where it is used for a
different function. In contrast, recycling is the breaking down of the used item into raw
materials which are used to make new items. By taking useful products and exchanging them,
without reprocessing, reuse help save time, money, energy, and resources. In broader economic
terms, reuse offers quality products to people and organizations with limited means, while generating
jobs and business activity that contribute to the economy.

Reduce - The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Making a
new product requires a lot of materials and energy: raw materials must be extracted from the earth,
and the product must be fabricated and then transported to wherever it will be sold. As a result,
reduction and reuse are the most effective ways you can save natural resources, protect the
environment, and save money.

Recycling is a process to change waste materials into new products to prevent waste of
potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage,
reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for
"conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to plastic
production.[1][2]Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of
the "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" waste hierarchy. Recyclable materials include many kinds
of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. The composting or other reuse
ofbiodegradable wastesuch as food or garden wasteis also considered recycling.[2] Materials to
be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up from the curbside, then sorted,
cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing.

8 Reasons why waste segregation is

important

Today, only 11% of the total amount of waste in Metro Manila are recycled. This is mainly due to
incomplete segregation. The fact that plastic needs more than a thousand years to completely
decompose should make clear enough why recycling is crucial. Recycled waste is returned into
the product cycle and thus does not end up on landfill, in the ocean or in rivers.

Workers in manual Material Recovery Facilities are only able to sort a certain amount of the
waste that arrives on the landfill. As long as we do not have a disposal system with mechanized
Material Recovery Facilities, segregation is crucial for the waste sorters to focus on the
recyclable materials.

The technology to turn biogas into

energy already exists and is used in the
Philippines. Methane gas that evaporates on the landfills is transferred into electricity. But to
produce the energy efficiently, the compostable waste needs to be free from other materials.

By segregating properly, you make the waste collection much more convenient for the collecting
companies and their trucks. So it is less likely to experience the surprise of waste not being
picked up completely at your home. Besides, some collectors will not pick up your trash at all
when it is not segregated.

This might come as a surprise for you, but many parts of your waste are actually
valuable. Just to name some examples, compost can be used as fertilizer, plastic
bottles can be used for the construction of houses, paper can be used for handicrafts,
and so on. By segregating, you support the selection of those materials.

The waste collection, the recycling and the biogas production are only efficient and thus
cheaper, when waste is segregated properly. There might be a fee on waste disposal one day,
so try to keep the costs low. Otherwise it could become expensive. Likewise, the money that is
spent today in an inefficient system can be used for investments to further improve waste
management.

When not disposed properly, a lot of

items in your trash bin are dangerous to
your health. Batteries, all sorts of electronics, paint or aerosol cans cause harm to humans and
the environment. So they definitely have to be disposed separately.

This technology
waste problem
incineration
emission
work when the

could solve Manilas

in the future. There are
plants with almost zero
already, but they only
waste that arrives there
is segregated.