Melbourne is one of the largest cities in the southeastern state of Victoria, Australia, with a population of more than 4 million. The city alone produces a great deal of garbage, including green and organic waste. An average Australian produces more than 2 million tonnes of green waste every year. The amount of waste is massive and requires a quality system for its management.
To care for the waste produced, the city has several services working under it. The management services offer a pick-up system, collection trucks, dumping bins, etc., that collects garbage from doorsteps and drop them at the nearest waste centre.
What do we know about green waste?
Green waste is also considered biodegradable waste that can decompose over time. The waste is made out of all organic materials and is broken into its components by natural phenomenon. The most important part of this entire cycle is bacteria, which feed on these wastes and turn them into a new product eventually.
This breaking down of waste takes a lot of time, sometimes even years, depending on what kind of waste is dumped. Moreover, if stored, the newly formed product can be of great use to us as it may also act like great fertilizers.
Why do we need Green waste management?
The garden waste and the organic waste that we generally produce have the potential to turn hazardous that could be harmful to both human beings and the environment. Although green waste is made out of all the green or natural things we use, they do start damage to the land in no time. Landfills that are used to dump such waste are often seen as greatly damaged and completely unfit to use for any other purposes.
In most cases, the biggest problem that is generated with accumulated green waste is the space issue. Moreover, as time moves forward, and the waste content starts to decompose, several harmful gases start to produce. Gases like methane and several other greenhouse gases can even lead to fires if not contained properly.
This is where green waste management comes into play. Companies that offer this service either provide you with green bins that are solely used for dumping your green and garden waste. The bins could be placed either at your doorstep or a few steps away from your residence. They could also offer a pick-up garbage service that suits the most residents as there is no spillage or chances of missing the collection truck.
There are specific issues that could arise if green waste is not taken care of:
- The release of high amounts of methane could lead to a hazardous environment to live in. If the waste is not disposed of properly, the amount of methane could eventually spike global warming and lead to several environmental problems around the world.
- The components that comprise any kind of green waste are flammable. When dried up, they act as very good fuels and can cause a fire at any moment. This can bring many lives to risk and lead to unimaginable resource damage.
- The water drainage system can also be affected by improper waste management of green products. You must have noticed how kitchen waste can clog your sink pipe and create a huge problem. The same could happen if green waste stays unattended, it may enter the drainage system of any city and accumulate in one place. This could disrupt the water system and cause hefty damage that could take a while to be repaired.
As green waste is difficult to dissolve in water, it will also keep floating over the water surface and may also cause floods in the city. The floodwater would also be untreated and could lead to the rise of diseases such as cholera.
- If any kind of waste stays unattended in the city premises, it will also disrupt the aesthetics of the area and give off an unhygienic appearance.
Are there any consequences of illegal green waste dumping?
Countries like Australia give high preference and priority to the hygiene of the public and the health. Since proper waste management plays a crucial role in ensuring the two, the country warns its citizens of any illegal dumping of waste.
The government provides people with several ways to dump their waste in the required manner, they have organised door to door waste collection system, they have invested in various recycling or reusing systems that could reduce the amount of waste generated.
However, if you are still unable to take care of the waste you produce and are caught dumping it illegally, you may get charged with a hefty amount. You may have to give away hundreds or even thousands of dollars in some extreme cases. The punishment may get even severe in the long run to promote healthy waste management and cleanliness.
What can we do?
As has been mentioned above, the government is taking all the crucial steps that could help keep Melbourne a clean and green city. However, are there any steps that we as citizens should take into account? Yes, there are.
Below mentioned are some ways in which we can either reduce our green waste or manage it effectively. Read on:
Reuse
The best way to check on the amount of waste you produce is by reusing it as much as possible. There could be some waste that could be used just one more time before you dump it off. The maximum percentage of green waste that we generate is taken up by our garden waste. To reduce the waste that it generates, you need to check on the size of the lawn you have.
If you have a small lawn, managing it is much easier and produces a small amount of grass that would require trimming. The kind of grass species you choose for your lawn can also vary greatly. Some grasses grow at a very slow rate and do not decompose very quickly after being chopped off.
When mowing your garden, try to stick to the ‘one-third’ rule. Under this rule, you just have to chop off the top portion of the grass. That is, only the one-third portion. This will reduce the amount of garden waste you produce significantly.
Recycle the grass
Not many people think of this as a great idea as it takes time and effort. However, it can help in your green waste reduction. What you have to do is just not throw away the grass you mow. As you may have noticed, grass can grow anywhere without much effort or external help. They can spread from shredded portions if left unattended for a while.
Therefore, if you want to reduce the amount of grass waste you generate, you need to spread out the grass you just clipped over your existing garden. After a few days, you will start to notice the grass growing over those clipping without you having to dump it.
Composting
Composting is a process that not just helps your garden waste but can also make your kitchen waste disappear. Waste such as vegetable peels, uncooked leftovers, and dried plants can take part in composting. All you have to do is arrange for a big pot in your garden that already has clean garden soil in it.
Add a layer of dried leaves or even dry newspaper to it. Take your kitchen waste and dump it in the pot, making sure the ratio is working out. The soil should be more as compared to your waste, only then can composting take place effectively. Cover the pot properly. Leave your creation for a week or two.
After a while, you will start to notice your waste disappearing into the soil without any traces left behind. Moreover, the new soil that you get would also be softer, cleaner, and fresh in appearance.
Production of Energy
One of the best use of green waste is to produce energy. When green or organic waste is treated at high temperature in a closed environment, it produces gases that could be used as efficient and important fuels such as biogas and even biofuel. If treated properly, and with some extra help, green waste can also lead to the generation of electricity.
What do we know about green waste management services?
The garbage disposal companies that specifically take care of our green waste have special choices in what they collect from us and what they don’t. The city of Melbourne has disposal services that take away your garden waste, such as creepers, grass shreds, vines, and leaves.
They also take away your dried kitchen waste if it is a hundred per cent uncooked and contains no added chemicals. Such disposal companies ensure to not collect any plastic, meat, paint and varnishes, asbestos, etc.
There are certain requirements that they have that could promise an effective system of waste collection and disposal. The requirements are as follows:
- An effective way to take care of your pending green waste is to keep it at your property at all times before the collection truck comes and gets it. It is highly advisable to never let your waste be left on a property that doesn’t belong to you. This includes roads, pavements, and front yards of other residents.
- The waste you generate should be neatly tied up in a bundle and placed on a kerb right in front of your place of residence. It should be placed in time and not left there way before the arrival time of the truck.
- If you have any lawn clippings, it is advised to store them in a small cardboard box or even a plastic box that could be easily emptied. The collection department would leave the box right in front of your house.
The green waste management companies such as Mobile Skips in Melbourne are open to queries and even registering your grievances. You are always open to submit an online complaint in case the collection truck was unable to get your waste. If the collection is late or is causing any kind of discomfort, you are open to register a complaint to the assigned authorities.
To assist you even properly, the green waste management system also allows you to pre-book a collection service one day before in case you are not a member already. They are open to collect your waste from any location all around Melbourne.
These waste disposal services give special preference to residents of the area only. Any commercial waste is not accepted as it is taken care of through different means and services. To get your green waste managed, it is important to produce a source of identification to improve the city’s services. Identification cards such as utility bills, a driver’s license, or even a City of Melbourne rates notice could be produced.
Let’s do our bit
As the global population is on a steep rise, the pressure on our planet is increasing at an alarming rate. The increased amount of pollution, waste, and population are bringing the end even closer. However, if we take it as our responsibility to make this planet a better place to live, we will surely have a long way to go.
As citizens, we need to join hands with our governments and manage our biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste as effectively as possible. The facts and steps mentioned above can give you a great start and help your green waste management big time.