Kitchen Guides
A Beginner's Guide to Segregating Household Waste
Pollution in all its forms is destroying our world. Here's how to dispose of your household waste the right way
We’re finally waking up to the reality of environmental destruction, and conscientious individuals want to champion the cause of eco-conservation. Like charity, eco-sensitiveness begins at home: by saving energy, cutting consumption and segregating our garbage.
Though many of our residential localities may have started garbage-segregation programmes, often we, as residents, don’t know how to make the most of them. Segregation of garbage can cover a wide array of things that Indian homeowners may not have been aware of, such as hazardous, biomedical, garden and e-waste. Much of our garbage ends up in landfills, producing greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide, and leaching toxins into the soil and groundwater. Awareness is key to reducing our consumption of products, and to practise smarter segregation and disposal of wastes, which will result in less waste finding its way to landfills.
Though many of our residential localities may have started garbage-segregation programmes, often we, as residents, don’t know how to make the most of them. Segregation of garbage can cover a wide array of things that Indian homeowners may not have been aware of, such as hazardous, biomedical, garden and e-waste. Much of our garbage ends up in landfills, producing greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide, and leaching toxins into the soil and groundwater. Awareness is key to reducing our consumption of products, and to practise smarter segregation and disposal of wastes, which will result in less waste finding its way to landfills.
Take it a step further by segregating paper and plastic waste
Make sure that plastic sachets of milk, curds, oil, idli batter – any food item – are cleaned of all their contents and dried before being put in the dry waste bag. This will prevent any stink, spillage or possibility of attracting vermin.
Plastic bags may take anywhere from 100 to 1000 years to discompose and pose a severe threat to land and marine animals. Ensure bottles are sent out for recycling and, at best, avoid purchase of plastic bags at points of sale and always carry your cloth bags for shopping.
Though paper waste generally take around four to eight weeks to decompose, by recycling it, you avoid filling up landfills. Also, you conserve trees and energy by reducing the need for creation of virgin paper. Paper tissues soiled with food are classified as wet waste and can be sent out for composting.
Tip: Though It is fine to reuse paper for cleaning or plastic boxes for storage, we strictly DO NOT encourage reuse of one-time disposable soda PET bottles, as they tend to disintegrate faster, releasing chemicals like antimony and formaldehyde that can adversely affect the human body. So it is best to limit the purchase of aerated drinks in plastic bottles and to immediately give them to local ‘kabadiwala’ scrap dealers for recycling purposes.
Make sure that plastic sachets of milk, curds, oil, idli batter – any food item – are cleaned of all their contents and dried before being put in the dry waste bag. This will prevent any stink, spillage or possibility of attracting vermin.
Plastic bags may take anywhere from 100 to 1000 years to discompose and pose a severe threat to land and marine animals. Ensure bottles are sent out for recycling and, at best, avoid purchase of plastic bags at points of sale and always carry your cloth bags for shopping.
Though paper waste generally take around four to eight weeks to decompose, by recycling it, you avoid filling up landfills. Also, you conserve trees and energy by reducing the need for creation of virgin paper. Paper tissues soiled with food are classified as wet waste and can be sent out for composting.
Tip: Though It is fine to reuse paper for cleaning or plastic boxes for storage, we strictly DO NOT encourage reuse of one-time disposable soda PET bottles, as they tend to disintegrate faster, releasing chemicals like antimony and formaldehyde that can adversely affect the human body. So it is best to limit the purchase of aerated drinks in plastic bottles and to immediately give them to local ‘kabadiwala’ scrap dealers for recycling purposes.
Do not mix hazardous waste with wet or dry waste
Hazardous waste is any waste under the physical, chemical, biological, reactive, toxic, flammable, explosive or corrosive waste category that can cause danger to one’s health or the environment. It includes the waste generated during the manufacture of commercial products by industries involved in petroleum refining, production of pharmaceuticals, petroleum, paint, aluminium, electronic products, and so on. It also includes a number of things in our homes.
Items like paint cans, corroded aluminium jars, cosmetics, razors, expired medicines, repellents and pesticides, cleaning solutions, tube-lights, aerosol cans and batteries all come under this category. These items need to be packed in a separate bag marked with a large red ‘X’ so it is visible to garbage collectors. The waste needs to be collected and treated by authorised agencies in an environmentally sound manner.
Hazardous waste is any waste under the physical, chemical, biological, reactive, toxic, flammable, explosive or corrosive waste category that can cause danger to one’s health or the environment. It includes the waste generated during the manufacture of commercial products by industries involved in petroleum refining, production of pharmaceuticals, petroleum, paint, aluminium, electronic products, and so on. It also includes a number of things in our homes.
Items like paint cans, corroded aluminium jars, cosmetics, razors, expired medicines, repellents and pesticides, cleaning solutions, tube-lights, aerosol cans and batteries all come under this category. These items need to be packed in a separate bag marked with a large red ‘X’ so it is visible to garbage collectors. The waste needs to be collected and treated by authorised agencies in an environmentally sound manner.
Family-friendly designated corners for waste disposal
You may assign designated areas in your home to collect different kinds of wastes in order to generate interest and a sense of purpose. Encourage family members to identify the right boxes for disposal various kinds of waste. Items such as glass bottles and newspapers that are safe for reusing or recycling need to be segregated from e-waste that needs to be disposed of safely. Even biomedical waste that poses a threat for the environment needs to be identified and disposed of separately from the regular dry waste.
Biomedical waste (classified under hazardous waste and often segregated from other waste) consists of disposable syringes, vials, condoms, sanitary napkins, diapers, bandages or any item contaminated by human body fluids. Such things need to handled carefully. (You’ll be surprised to know that even human hair and nails are counted as biomedical wastes; but they can be mixed with wet waste). So it is best to collect hazardous biomedical waste in a paper bag marked with a legible ‘X’ with a red marker on the cover before handing it over to the municipality garbage collectors.
You may assign designated areas in your home to collect different kinds of wastes in order to generate interest and a sense of purpose. Encourage family members to identify the right boxes for disposal various kinds of waste. Items such as glass bottles and newspapers that are safe for reusing or recycling need to be segregated from e-waste that needs to be disposed of safely. Even biomedical waste that poses a threat for the environment needs to be identified and disposed of separately from the regular dry waste.
Biomedical waste (classified under hazardous waste and often segregated from other waste) consists of disposable syringes, vials, condoms, sanitary napkins, diapers, bandages or any item contaminated by human body fluids. Such things need to handled carefully. (You’ll be surprised to know that even human hair and nails are counted as biomedical wastes; but they can be mixed with wet waste). So it is best to collect hazardous biomedical waste in a paper bag marked with a legible ‘X’ with a red marker on the cover before handing it over to the municipality garbage collectors.
Never line wet garbage bins with plastic
One big mistake that nearly all homeowners do is to line their garbage bins with plastic to collect kitchen waste. Simply collect your garbage in the bin and clean it regularly. Paper or tissues soiled with food are counted as wet waste and can be composted, so using paper bags instead of plastic is a smarter alternative. You can add a layer of sawdust at the bottom to prevent wet garbage from sticking to the base of the bin. But if you are a habitual offender and still continue to collect your wet waste in a plastic bag, ensure that at the point of disposal your wet waste enters the wet bin and the plastic liner is disposed of in the dry waste bin.
One big mistake that nearly all homeowners do is to line their garbage bins with plastic to collect kitchen waste. Simply collect your garbage in the bin and clean it regularly. Paper or tissues soiled with food are counted as wet waste and can be composted, so using paper bags instead of plastic is a smarter alternative. You can add a layer of sawdust at the bottom to prevent wet garbage from sticking to the base of the bin. But if you are a habitual offender and still continue to collect your wet waste in a plastic bag, ensure that at the point of disposal your wet waste enters the wet bin and the plastic liner is disposed of in the dry waste bin.
Plant waste can be treated at home
Garden waste, such as leaf clippings, dried petals, seeds, coconut shells and fronds, and the like are counted as organic waste and can be composted at home itself or dropped off at your apartment complex garden compost heap. These items are not garbage but essential soil-enhancing resources that are very useful for composting, mulching and briquetting purposes.
Garden waste, such as leaf clippings, dried petals, seeds, coconut shells and fronds, and the like are counted as organic waste and can be composted at home itself or dropped off at your apartment complex garden compost heap. These items are not garbage but essential soil-enhancing resources that are very useful for composting, mulching and briquetting purposes.
Involve everyone you know in such an initiative
Though you may take stringent measures to segregate waste and send it out for recycling, if the garbage gets mixed at the point of collection then all purpose is lost. Thus, it is important to spread this awareness among your friends, family and society members alike. Train the housekeepers in your apartment building as well. Buy separate drums for wet waste (that needs to be cleared out daily), dry waste (that can be held off till filled) and electronic waste (such as batteries, computer parts, wires, electrical equipment of any kind, remotes, watches, cellphones, bulbs, tube-lights and CFLs) that needs to sent to authorised e-waste collectors for safe recycling or disposal.
Though you may take stringent measures to segregate waste and send it out for recycling, if the garbage gets mixed at the point of collection then all purpose is lost. Thus, it is important to spread this awareness among your friends, family and society members alike. Train the housekeepers in your apartment building as well. Buy separate drums for wet waste (that needs to be cleared out daily), dry waste (that can be held off till filled) and electronic waste (such as batteries, computer parts, wires, electrical equipment of any kind, remotes, watches, cellphones, bulbs, tube-lights and CFLs) that needs to sent to authorised e-waste collectors for safe recycling or disposal.
From a sustainability standpoint, our aim must be to reduce garbage finding its way to the landfill and to ensure optimal utilisation of waste products. By understanding waste segregation, we become responsible citizens and consumers who proactively participate in schemes for reducing, reusing and recycling waste products.
Read more:
9 Ways to be More Eco-Friendly in the Kitchen
How to Stylishly Repurpose and Reuse Old Items in Your Home
Tell us:
What are the latest measures taken up by your family or housing society to ensure efficient garbage segregation and disposal? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
9 Ways to be More Eco-Friendly in the Kitchen
How to Stylishly Repurpose and Reuse Old Items in Your Home
Tell us:
What are the latest measures taken up by your family or housing society to ensure efficient garbage segregation and disposal? Tell us in Comments below.
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For the uninitiated, garbage needs to be segregated into wet and dry waste as they need to meet the end of their life cycle at different places, other than the landfill. Wet waste comprises biodegradable kitchen rejects like fruit and vegetable skins and peels, eggshells, fish and meat bones, tea leaves, coffee grounds and so on that can be composted. Dry waste consists of non-biodegradable garbage such as plastic, glass, rubber, styrofoam, fabric, leather and so on that can be reused or recycled.
Maintain two garbage bins in the house
Start with the practice of keeping two bins in your kitchen. One is to collect the wet waste while the other will collect the dry waste. It is important to segregate and not mix together these wastes at source. While wet waste needs to be disposed of daily, dry waste can be accumulated over time and given to the waste picker.