Less Waste in Landfill Means Less Harm to the Planet
Australia generates millions of tonnes of rubbish annually, and a significant portion of it is sent to landfill - even though much of it might have been recycled or reused. Landfill is not without its other problems, however. Not only does it take up space, but it also produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Apart from that, the greater the use of landfill, the greater the natural habitats and ecosystems we lose in order to find space for new landfills.
Efficient rubbish sorting reduces pressure on landfill by taking out materials that can be recycled like glass, paper, cardboard, metals, and some plastics from the rubbish stream prior to tipping. Construction rubbish like bricks, concrete, and timber can also normally be recycled if sorted properly. These materials, once placed in the right bin - as opposed to getting all thrown in together - can then be hauled to special plants where they're sorted and re-used, rather than being dug up in the earth. It is important to sort through trash and separate recyclables and deliver them to the right facilities.
Recovering Resources That Would Otherwise Be Lost
When trash is mixed together, precious materials are sent to landfill unnecessarily. Metals, for example, can be recycled an infinite number of times without compromised quality. Wood can be chopped up and reused in landscaping or even being recycled back into biofuel. Bricks and concrete can be broken down and reused in road base and building. But as soon as these materials are mixed with food waste, chemicals, or everyday trash, they become unrecoverable.
Sorting trash properly keeps recyclables clean and ready for reuse. It reduces the need to extract raw materials from the earth, i.e., metal mining or felling trees for wood - activities with devastating environmental consequences. Recycling sorted material back into production and manufacturing reduces the need for virgin resources and the overall carbon footprint of manufacturing and production.
When you hire a skip bin from Bin Corp, you're not just hiring a bin - you're hiring a business that diverts what we collect to recycle valuable material. We don't dump and walk away. We do everything we can to derive value from waste before it's sent to landfill.
Reducing Pollution and Environmental Contamination
Littering is among the top causes of waterway, soil, and air pollution. When rubbish is not separated, toxic substances like batteries, paints, oils, and chemicals get mixed with regular rubbish. If such items reach landfill or illegal dumping sites, they percolate into the ground and contaminate the surrounding lands for years - even decades.
Sorting of waste is the most important thing to avoid such contamination. Separation of hazardous materials from normal waste guarantees they're taken to the correct treatment plants. In the case of e-waste or chemicals employed in construction, there are also specific disposal and handling procedures done so that they don't contaminate the environment. This protects wildlife and human health, particularly in urban areas where landfills are typically near water bodies and housing areas.
At Bin Corp, we educate our clients on what can and cannot go into our bins, and we help sort out waste that needs to be taken away for special disposal. We believe that saving the world starts with learning and goes on through action - and that's exactly what thoughtful waste sorting delivers.
Supporting a Circular Economy
Proper waste sorting is also one of the basic principles in building a circular economy - an economy where materials are reused, recycled and remanufactured rather than being used once and then thrown away. In a circular economy, product lifecycles are lengthened, which is tantamount to using fewer resources, generating less waste, and having an even balance of taking from nature, and giving back to nature.
For example, when wood from a teardown is graded and repurposed as new materials, it's being reused instead of contributing to landfill. When metal is recovered and recycled into new parts or construction materials, it reduces the demand to mine new material. These aren't just environmental best practices - they're cost-effective. They create local jobs in recycling, production, and distribution and reduce the cost and carbon footprint of producing new materials.
Order your skip bin today and allow us to help you do the right thing for your project and the planet.