5 SIMPLE WAYS TO PRACTISE WASTE

SEGREGATION

What is waste segregation?

Waste segregation refers to the separation of wet waste and dry waste, the purpose is to recycle dry
waste easily and to use wet waste as compost.

Why should we segregate waste?

When we segregate waste, there is reduction of waste that gets landfilled and occupies space, air and
water pollution rates are considerably lowered. Segregating waste also makes it easier to apply different
processes - composting, recycling and incineration can be applied to different kinds of waste.

Here are some steps to manage and segregate waste:

1. Keep separate containers for dry and wet waste in the kitchen.

2. Keep two bags for dry waste collection- paper and plastic, for the rest of the household waste

3. Keep plastic from the kitchen clean and dry and drop into the dry waste bin. Keep glass/plastic
containers rinsed of food matter.

4. Send wet waste out of your home daily. Store and send dry waste out of the home, once a week.

5. Keep a paper bag for throwing the sanitary waste.

Practising waste management and segregation as a community -

The best way to practise waste management is to form a group of like minded people. The process of
waste segregation should be thoroughly explained to family/neighbours in your apartment building or
neighbourhood. Create awareness amongst the staff in the apartment building/neighbourhood to help
make the process easier. Acquiring separate storage drums for storing the dry waste and wet waste will
be a great way to store bulk waste. Contact the local scrap dealer to collect the dry waste.

Source : https://www.jaagore.com/current-issues/5-simple-ways-to-practise-waste-segregation
Why should I segregate my waste properly?

Most places you go to will have some form of waste segregation. Your office may have a bin for paper
and cardboard, the gym has a mixed recyclables bin, even your house should have some form of waste
segregation as all local councils do kerbside collection. But how important is it to put the right waste in
the right bins? This blog will discuss why you should pay attention to waste segregation.

The first reason is it is legally required. Under the Waste Regulations 2011, you must segregate paper,
cardboard, plastic, metal and glass at source unless it is technically or economically unfeasible. Under
the same regulations, you should implement the waste hierarchy; reduce, reuse, recycle, other recovery
and disposal. By law, you should implement this hierarchy and segregation helps with recycling in
particular.

Waste segregation is included in law because it is much easier to recycle. Effective segregation of
wastes means that less waste goes to landfill which makes it cheaper and better for people and the
environment. It is also important to segregate for public health. In particular, hazardous wastes can
cause long term health problems, so it is very important that they are disposed of correctly and safely
and not mixed in with the normal waste coming out of your home or office.

You have a legal obligation to correctly describe waste as it leaves your site using the correct waste
transfer documentation. For a reminder on waste transfer documentation, see our previous blogs on
waste transfer notes and hazardous waste consignment notes. These are legal documents that must be
completed correctly. If you describe a bin of your waste as ‘paper and cardboard’ and someone has half
filled it with plastic, you are incorrectly describing your waste. If this happens, you could face a fine,
your waste contractor could refuse the waste or you could be charged more for them to deal with it.

Segregated waste is also often cheaper to dispose of because it does not require as much manual or
mechanical sorting as mixed waste. For example, here at EMS we segregate our paper and cardboard
into a separate skip to our other, general waste. When it comes to collection and disposal, the paper and
cardboard is nearly £3 cheaper than our general waste bin. Over time that can add up and, if you have
more diverse waste streams, you can see further cost savings. For some waste streams, you may even be
able to sell it off and create a revenue stream.

There are a number of important reasons that we encourage waste segregation; legal obligations, cost
savings and protection of human health and the environment. As a business, you should make it as easy
as possible for your staff to correctly segregate their waste. This can include labelling, making sure you
have enough accessible bins and making it clear why segregation is so important. So next time you’re
presented with a choice to put your plastic bottle in a general waste bin or a plastic bin, reach over to the
plastic one and pop it in there.

Source : http://www.em-solutions.co.uk/blog/why-should-i-segregate-my-waste-properly/