DOMESTIC SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but we rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty” – Maya Angelou, and that is why often times, when we see images or/and pay visits to a developed and clean homes, estates, and states, that is occupied by disciplined characters, we assume that the place was just created that way and begin to blame nature and those in authority on why some areas we live are underdeveloped. We all have roles to play towards protecting the environment which will in return protect us. This starts with our attitudes individually at home. If we individually, put up a descent life style, it will collectively create a friendlier environment that will be habitable.

A focus on a mind blowing, costly but very common negative life style we live in our homes – Domestic Solid Waste Management. Our concept of solid waste management in our homes being the responsibilities of the environmental protection agency’s/and those contracted to the job has proven to be a failure. As a matter of fact, indiscriminate hip of stenching refuse is one of the attributes of disorganized setting. A sight of such tells the life style of people living within the hood. This negative perception is the resultant effect of principally indiscipline and lack of knowledge of what solid waste management is.

In our homes, the moment we exchanged money for payment of apartment or purchase any item for use is exactly when we start generating waste. It is factual to notice that, we rarely think or remember that these waste we generate are already paid for and as such, should find a way of justifying the money spent or recovering the money.

Waste management in this context is emphasizing on solid waste management in our homes. The processes involved from the point of generating of waste through separation, treatment, and properly disposing same is solid waste management. This has become an issue owing to the fact that waste is continuously generated in our homes and cannot be avoided, but because we do not manage them well, it becomes a problem, thereby creating breathing haven for domestic rodents and insects that infect us directly or indirectly. The disciplined approach associated with the control of generation, storage, collection, transfer, processing and disposal of solid waste material in our home in a way that best protect our health, conserve our resources, economy, well-being, and environment, is a better explanation of Domestic Solid Waste Management.

They are best practical approach to the Domestic Solid Waste Management, first, think and imbibe the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) formula.

                        Reduce – reduce solid waste generation

                        Reuse – reuse solid waste generated

                        Recycle – recycle solid waste generated.

Reduce – Often, we create waste that ought not to be or should be reduced. For instance, when we buy food items in the market or shops, we seem to prefer carrying the entire bunch of vegetables with the stems as they were harvested as if they add value to the food, whereas, a better option of detaching the leaves from the stems and leaving behind the stems to the seller for processing and we go home with just the leaves which has less weight but more value. Another example is purchasing items that have lots of white foil/corks packaging that serve the purpose of protection during long distance freight. Instead of us picking out the items alone to our homes, we seem to prefer carrying the entire loads/waste as if we intend impressing any one with them, thus creating more waste than can be handled or imagined.

Domestic Solid Waste Management can be reduced when we pick only the valuable items and leave the less valuable/packaging for the seller to process – do not forget that these waste have been paid for and taking them home to generate more waste and pay for it is an economic/financial waste.

Reuse – Some items used in packaging of goods e.g., Polyproplyethanol (PPE)  containers, bottle and cellophane bags can actually be used in storing some items at home and collection of other waste before disposal. Big cellophane bags can actually serve the same purpose of packaging for transportation of collected waste just like the refuse bin bags. PPE containers and bottles can be used so many times before it’s discarded. PPE containers and bottles with screw cap can be used to store liquids and powders that need to be used for a long time and should be covered from frequent atmospheric exposure to preserve the content. Papers can be used in decoration and mosaic art in our homes before finally trashing them out.

By the practice of the few steps as mentioned/explained above, items termed to be waste has been re-valued and re-used for same purpose or for different purpose but has reduced waste generation.

Recycle – this, we may say is the last stage of Domestic Solid Waste Management. The value of some of the waste are always forgotten, and because they are easily forgotten, less attention is given in understanding the negative effect caused by abandoning of our responsibilities in our little way to the environment. Some bio-degradable waste like the vegetables, food remains, intestines of fishes and animals, etc are very vital and expensive organic fertilizers. These waste though smells and could be disgusting, are of value if well preserved by drying or composting. About 60% of Urban Municipal Solid Waste in developing countries is made up of organic components while about 15% is of plastic which if well processed will be used or sold as organic fertilizer and raw materials for industries respectively.

Basically from my view, there seem to be no waste. That an item has lost its first value does not really mean it is valueless. Sometimes, most items have better value at their reuse stage than the first stage of production and purpose. The 3Rs are interrelated and serve purpose for another. It is very advisable that trash bins should be separated and termed/tagged as follows:

            A – food remains and shredded vegetable/animal parts

            B – papers and paper napkins

            C – cellophane, PPE and cloths

            D – bottles and ceramics

            E – cans and other metals.

Each of the bins should be adequately packed and transported to refuse collection point where same style of separation should be observed. It can as well be sold to waste merchants who resell them to industries or/and export same to other countries. Bin A must be properly covered at all times to avoid fly infection, and must be disposed regularly or dried.

If all these positive steps are taken as disciplined and holistic measure towards the management of waste in our homes in our little way, it will in no doubt go down well as it will be a lesson to the agents responsible for the collection of waste and they will tow same line of practice and our environment will be a good place for us all. 

Unsorted Solid Refuse Hip/Dump

Separated Solid Waste Bin with Labels

Solid Waste Garbage Containers