Friday, February 24, 2017

Important Information On Waste Disposal Houston TX Residents Need To Know

By Brenda Cox


The amount of waste that is produced by the United Sates is estimated to be at about 220 million tons annually. This is the highest amount by any country and as such its disposal presents a major challenge both for the private citizen and the government. There are a wide range of methods that have been developed to deal with the problem. If planning to undertake waste disposal Houston TX residents need to be aware of a number of things beforehand.

Some of the common methods that may be used include landfills, recycling, fermentation, reuse, land application, source reduction, composting and animal feeding among others. The use of landfills is by far the most popular because of the ease with which it can be used. It has become common practice to treat the trash before getting rid of it so as to minimize on environmental degradation.

There has been a steady reduction in the use of landfills as an option of disposal. Among the contributing factors for this shift is the existence of methods that are more ecofriendly. Landfills have been said to contribute to the release of some harmful gases such as methane. These gases damage the ozone layer and contribute to global warming.

Combustion or incineration is another widely used form of disposal. The manner in which this is done varies from one place to another. There are differences in the techniques that are employed at household level and at municipal level. The main downside of combustion is the release of harmful fumes into the environment. This is why some countries tightly regulate the practice.

Recovery and recycling are arguably the safest methods and also the most ecofriendly. Recovery is where various items that have been marked for disposal are picked from a heap of garbage and put into other use. The items may also be used as a source of energy in the form of fuel, electricity and heat. Recycling is the process of turning refuse into newer products.

Plasma gasification is a rare option but quite effective nonetheless. In this method, electrically charged gases are employed in altering the state of matter from one form to another. Typically the liquid and solid refuse is converted into a form of syngas using very high temperatures. The gas so produced can be used in the generation of various forms of energy.

Composting is another simple option that can be used by anyone. In this method, the waste is subjected to a natural bio-degradation process. This means that the waste must be biodegradable. Examples of refuse that falls in this category include plant remains, animal excreta and kitchen waste among others. Composting is mainly used to provide a source of organic fertilizer and not necessarily as a disposal option.

Reducing the release of waste into the environment is the most effective option of dealing with pollution. This calls upon everyone to ensure that they recycle and reuse items at every available opportunity. The use of disposable items should be kept at the very minimum. When dealing with biomedical waste, expert advice is highly recommended because of the risk involved.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment