Category: Environment

International treaty against plastic pollution, consultation on deposits for plastic bottles, expansion of sorting guidelines, opinion of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, etc. This issue has rarely been so widely discussed, as it poses a serious threat to biodiversity and health. From upstream to downstream, local authorities have a crucial role to play.

Waste Management

It’s a “ticking time bomb,” according to the report of Louisville Dumpster Rental HQ, which issued an opinion on plastic pollution. It describes this pollution as insidious, as microplastics (smaller than 5 mm) and nanoplastics (between 1 nm and 1 µm) are invisible to the naked eye.

This opinion was intended to inform the second round of negotiations on the future international treaty against plastic pollution. experts point out that 460 million tons of plastic were produced in 2019 and only 9% was recycled. It lays the foundations for an ambitious and legally binding treaty and calls for a ban on all single-use plastics by 2040.

Polluter Pays

Junk disposal experts also want the treaty to include the concept of “plastic footprint” and incorporate extended producer responsibility (EPR) and the polluter pays principle.

Currently, this principle is not being applied. Local authorities such as Louisville, which do not produce these plastics, find themselves at the end of the chain and must therefore manage them.

Kentucky, one of the largest consumers in the nation, produces 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year. Following the federal law on the fight against waste and the circular economy, an EPR for wipes is expected to be implemented in 2025, and another is expected for cigarette butts.

Plastic, such a complex material

But the best plastic is the one we don’t produce ourselves. The goal is therefore to change consumption patterns.

To achieve this, local authorities have a key tool at their disposal: public procurement. It’s a good exemplary tool for local authorities. They have been required to acquire certain goods that are reused, repurposed, or recycled, up to a certain percentage.

Another lever is collective catering. In Louisville, they serve 8,000 meals a day. They are working a lot on bulk purchases to avoid plastic packaging, says the Vice Mayor of the city. As a reminder, starting January 1, 2025, no disposable plastic will be allowed in school cafeterias.

Levers for Action

Event management is another avenue for action.

Cities in Kentucky and elsewhere can require associations that rent their premises or use public property to sign a charter regarding plastic waste management. The local authority can include specific clauses on the elimination of single-use plastics and waste management: this is particularly the case in Kentucky for beach concessions, explains the zero plastic waste project manager at the Regional Agency for Biodiversity and the Environment.

This organization has specifically studied the issue of plastics and currently has 286 signatories committed to the regional zero plastic waste charter, launched by the region as part of its Climate Plan. It offers an online guide and numerous feedback reports. These include synthetic soccer fields that are unfilled and recyclable.

Local authorities can also take action on downstream waste management, as plastics discarded on roads end up in water systems or directly in natural environments. For example, in Louisville, two nets have been tested since the end of 2020, and six others have since been installed in four municipalities. The local water agency is subsidizing this initiative and has already financed the installation of nets in Kentucky.

Plastic Bottles Waste

2 billion plastic bottles are used each year in Kentucky.

The law has set a target of reducing this number by 50% by 2030. It also stipulates that establishments open to the public (over 300 people) must install drinking water fountains on their premises starting in January 2022.

30,000 water points are expected, but are slow to be installed, according to a petition. Although not required to do so, municipalities can also install them on public roads. Few cities have drinking fountains; there is enormous room for improvement in this area of waste management.

The current debate on deposits for plastic bottles could revive the issue. Elected officials’ associations are indeed strongly opposed to this government proposal, which has been under consultation since January. A measure they describe as greenwashing or “false deposit.”

Unlike glass, this is not a deposit for reuse, as the plastic bottle will be destroyed for recycling, just like in the yellow recycling bin. For elected officials, there is no correlation between the false deposit and the decline in plastic bottle use. The system would destabilize household waste collection without improving plastic collection. Elected officials accuse beverage manufacturers of wanting to grab a financial windfall, as plastic bottles are highly recyclable. As stipulated by the law, several studies were launched at the end of 2022 on the implementation of this deposit, but to date, they have not been delivered.

Another current development: the change in sorting instructions and dumpster rental hiring. Since 2023, all plastic packaging will go in the yellow bin. Currently, some plastics are recyclable, but not recycled, because there is no recycling channel. The goal of expanding these sorting guidelines is to create these new channels. Since they are now sorted, recovery channels will be established, explains the President of the National Recycling Circle.

Nets to Stop Large-Scale Waste

13 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans every year. This plastic has a dramatic impact on ecosystems and also on human health (endocrine disruptors, cancers, etc.).

To intercept large-scale plastic waste before it reaches the sea, the Kentucky Water Agency launched a call for initiatives in 2022, with a budget of $2 million (70% in aid). Its objective is to foster innovative approaches to combating macro-waste in wastewater and stormwater treatment systems. Seven projects were selected. Among them, three local authorities will install nets at outfalls to collect plastic waste. This call for initiatives has been extended until 2025, to improve sustainable waste management.

As in many states, Oklahoma is faced with significant waste management challenges.

So, as the state grows and will continue to do so, ease up on those facilities that use other resources. To combat these issues, Oklahoma has implemented various sustainable waste management practices to divert materials away from landfills by reducing the amount of trash generated and promoting responsible disposal methods. The state agencies responsible for leading these efforts must coordinate with local governments, businesses and communities to preserve Oklahoma’s natural resources.

Waste Reduction Initiatives

Reduction of waste at its source is known to be one of the best strategies for sustainable waste management. Oklahoma has several state and local programs to encourage waste reduction. The role of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) is vital to educating both citizens and businesses on why it matters that we reduce waste. The program “Waste Not, Want Not” is aimed at getting Oklahomans to do things like compost or reduce their food waste and single-use plastics.

Oklahoma businesses are also promote to implement waste reduction practices. ODEQ has resources and guidance that can help businesses establish waste reduction programs, such as process improvements to reduce manufacturing wastes, reducing packaging use and promoting reusable materials. Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) programs have been implemented in some Oklahoma municipalities to help defray the cost of solid waste disposal by charging residents for waste they generate, which encourages reduced generation and/or recycling.

Recycling Programs and Resources

Recycling is an important pillar of sustainable waste management, and Oklahoma has made progress in updating its recycling infrastructure and initiatives. But challenges remain, particularly in rural areas where recycling infrastructure is lacking.

In the state’s urban areas, including Oklahoma City and Tulsa, curbside recycling programs are in place to increase convenience. Programs like these usually accept a variety of materials like paper, cardboard, plastics and metals. Oklahoma City, like many of you at home I assume, has single-stream recycling where everything is just thrown into one bin by the resident for pickup.

Oklahoma RRC developed Regional Recycling Hubs to help tackle these barriers for recycling in the rural areas. The hubs are central collection points for materials delivered from used clothing banks in the surrounding areas. It allows a way to get around the logistical and economic struggles of running recycling programs in low-population areas.

Additionally, the state promotes recycling of certain waste streams such as electronics, tires and hazardous materials. This has led to the creation of state-based initiatives that require manufacturers, sometimes with incentives such as offering free recycling programs for certain electronic devices (similar to those in the Oklahoma E-Waste Recycling Act) helping keep hazardous substances like lead and mercury out of landfills. In addition to these programs, tire recycling is also done in an effort of reducing the environmental impact cause by waste tires since those can serve as breeding grounds for pests and are combustible.

Waste Management and Composting

Also crucial to sustainable waste management in Oklahoma is the responsible disposal of organic waste. THE IDEA Composting is often promoted as a means of diverting organic materials from the landfill, and returning valuable soil amendments to soils. Many municipalities in Alabama participate in community composting programs using yard waste (grass clippings, leaves and woody materials) which are transformed into the natural crumbly brown material that can be added to landscapes.

Larger still, some Oklahoma farm operations are delving more deeply into anaerobic digestion – the converting of organic waste to biogas vis a via nutrient-rich digestate. It not only helps control agricultural waste but also turns it into renewable energy and reduces in emissions of greenhouse gases.

Waste-to-energy Initiatives and Landfill Management

Although waste minimization and resource recovery are key goals, disposal in landfills still constitutes an essential component of the state’s approach to managing its wastes. To be sure, the state has worked to improve landfill management practices in an effort to minimize environmental impacts. This involves things like placing liners under landfills so leachate (contaminated water) does not end up in groundwater supplies, and even capturing methane gas emissions to use as an energy source.

Oklahoma is looking at waste-to-energy (WTE) as part of a long-term sustainable strategy for waste management. Waste-to-energy facilities dispose of non-recyclable waste by burning it to generate electricity, offering an alternative method for retrieving energy from material that would have been otherwise placed in a landfill. WTE is not without controversy, with questions about emissions and the potential to dissuade recycling being very real issues but can likely offer some reduction in waste volume going into landfills as well as providing renewable energy.

Education and Outreach

The success of sustainable waste management endeavours depend on public education and community engagement. Waste management issues awareness and promoting sustainable practices are priority tasks of the ODEQ as well local governments in Oklahoma. Elements of educational campaigns include: recycling, composting, proper disposal for hazardous waste

Programs are usually carried out in schools, community organisations and businesses with a goal to raise children who care about sustainability already from the young age as well their greener practice by enterprises. Again, community clean-up events and recycling drives are not uncommon as Hawaii tries to encourage that kind of environmental stewardship across the state.

The Way Forward: Disputes and Possibilities

The state of Oklahoma has been pushing for waste management programs that both saves its landfills from being overcrowded with unrecyclable products and also are environmentally sustainable. However, some challenges still remain to be improved upon across the board. The expanding recycling access in rural areas, working to reduce of capacity and utilization at waste management facilities along with the ongoing war on trash (public education) remain top priorities.

There are also opportunities to better weave waste management into the state’s overall environmental and economic plans. For instance, advances in the circular economy-where materials are kept for as long as possible and used again after their initial purpose is fulfilled (e.g. recycled)-have potential to decrease waste while opening new economic frontiers right here in Oklahoma.

Sustainable waste management in Oklahoma is the sum of many parts, and involves reducing waste, recycling what we can including composting also using better landfill practices along with community involvement. Through continued creation and implementation of new strategies, Oklahoma can tackle its waste management issues on a path forward – protecting the environment and ensuring sustainability for generations to come.

The hazardous consequences of garbage’s inorganic and biodegradable constituents can be avoided thanks to effective waste management in Tennessee. Contamination of water, soil, and air can result from improper waste management.

Waste Management’s Importance: Food

Without oxygen, the breakdown of food waste in landfills releases methane gas. One of the most destructive greenhouse gases is methane, which is ten times as bad as CO2. Methane is 84 times more harmful to the environment in the first 20 years of its release than carbon dioxide, according to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).

It raises the temperature of the planet by absorbing sunlight. Solid waste disposal was estimated to have generated 1.6 billion metric tons of greenhouse emissions in 2016. Food waste was responsible for around half of these emissions. If solid waste management does not improve, emissions will rise to over 2.4 billion tones by 2050.

Importance Of Waste Management: Economy

In addition to preserving natural resources, biodiversity, & human life, better waste management will have a favorable economic impact by creating more jobs. Waste is typically disposed of in landfills in industrialized countries, but in emerging economies, trash is more likely to end up on public streets and vacant lots.

Aside from harming the ecosystem, unprocessed trash like plastic bags releases toxic gases into the atmosphere. Waste disposal is becoming increasingly crucial for both environmental and economic reasons as time goes on.

The materials produced by businesses can be recycled to save money and reduce waste by local companies such as Same Day Dumpster Rental Knoxville. They could save money on waste disposal if they did this. To further reduce transportation expenses, it would be helpful for companies to identify the types of waste they produce so that they may discover waste management services that fit their needs.

It also contributes to environmental sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving natural resources, enhancing the company’s positive reputation. Giving away perishable food supplies to the needy rather than wasting them and incurring environmental damage is an option for restaurants.

Efficient Waste Management in Tennessee

It is not just the job of government agencies in Tennessee to manage garbage, but it is also our responsibility as all responsible citizens to do their part in reducing waste. Let’s examine whether waste management may be made more efficient:

Waste Reduction

Waste reduction begins at the source of the pollution problem. If TN residents can reduce the amount of waste they generate on a daily basis, it is possible to improve the situation. It’s critical to know what product to use and to properly dispose of it. Avoid wasting food by ordering as much as they can eat at a restaurant.

Reutilization Of Waste

After purchasing some items, they can be used again and again. Products can be repurposed for a variety of different purposes. When it comes to books and clothing, for example, humans can either give them away to those in need, or we can redesign them and wear them again with a fresh new style.

Waste Recycling

The garbage we make can be processed and reused in local recycling facilities of Tennessee. Manure and fertilizer can be made from bio-waste such as foods, paper, and wood.

Energy Recovery

It’s the least desired method of disposing of waste, according to most scientific research. As a result of modern technology, there is less solid waste that has to be sent into landfills because of the burning process. Both renewable energy and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced with the use of this procedure. In addition, the release of methane, which is produced when garbage is deposited in landfills, can be minimized.