Tracking Trash

The bulk of news items, articles and reports about business in China focuses on how the country has become the manufacturing center of the world. However, China soon will be taking a leadership role in another area, one that is getting considerably less attention and certainly triggers little or no pride: trash.

According to various sources, China now rivals the United States in trash generation, producing as much or only slightly less garbage. Although the United States historically has been the leader in trash generation, it is estimated that both countries produce about 250 million tons of municipal waste annually.

Indicators from recent years show solid waste generation may be starting to decline in the U.S. due to a variety of factors—from the slowdown in the economy and less manufacturing activity to more emphasis on waste reduction strategies and the expansion of recycling/reuse programs. This does not appear to be the case in China. According to the World Bank, the amount of waste generated in China is expected to more than double within about 15 years, reaching what some are calling a shocking 480 million tons annually. ¹

Similar soaring trash amounts are occurring in many other parts of the world, especially in emerging nations. In fact, when it comes to trash generation, these countries also might be referred to as emerging trash generators.

For instance, some estimates indicate that waste generation in India will grow from less than half a pound per day per capita to approximately two pounds per person per day by 2030. With an anticipated population of more than 1.5 billion people by 2030, that amounts to more than 3 billion pounds of trash generated daily.

The big problem with all this trash is determining what to do with it. According to most studies, China, India and many other countries around the world, both industrialized and non-industrialized, simply do not know how they will handle disposal in the future. It is estimated that much of the trash generated in India is simply dumped on low-lying land areas around the country, typically near urban centers. This strategy may have worked decades ago when India had a smaller population and far fewer manufacturing facilities, but today, with its growing population and rapid industrialization, such practices are no longer sustainable.

According to studies conducted by the China Environment Forum in conjunction with Western Kentucky University, the majority of China’s urban landfills are expected to reach capacity by 2020. “China is being overrun by its own garbage,” wrote Holly Hubbard Preston in a January 2008 article in The New York Times.² “Growing at a clip of 8 percent to 10 percent a year… [this is becoming] a nightmare for China’s urban planners and environmentalists.”

Methods of handling trash

The means of discarding trash vary tremendously around the world. Factors that determine the means of disposal include how technologically advanced a country is as well as the type of trash being discarded including household, industrial, chemical, medical, hazardous and nonhazardous.

However, there are two common strategies found everywhere:

1. Landfills: The most common practice for trash disposal around the globe involves burying waste in landfills, which are often in vacant areas near cities. If designed properly, they can serve as economical and environmentally safe locations for dumping waste. However, poorly designed and older landfills are common even in North America, and some are causing environmental and health concerns. Problems include wind-blown debris, liquids that seep into nearby soil and groundwater, and hazardous odors and gas, which can have greenhouse gas implications.
2. Incineration: This involves combustion or burning waste. Often incineration methods are used to convert waste materials into gas or steam that can power equipment or heat facilities. Incineration is the most recognized practical method for disposing of hazardous or dangerous waste. It is a common practice in countries such as Japan that have a scarcity of land or few or full landfills. However, the incineration method can have negative environmental impacts. Incinerators do not completely burn all solid wastes; they create ash, which can be toxic and typically is transported to landfills. Further, released gases can pollute the air and harm the environment. In some cases, dioxins are released, which can have serious environmental consequences.³

FMs and waste-reduction strategies

“Waste starts at home,” said Doug Berjer, product manager for CFR, manufacturers of carpet extractors that recycle water and cleaning solution. “This means the best way to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and incinerators, and potentially harming the environment is by reducing the amount of waste generated in our homes and offices and recycling everything we can.”

According to Berjer, it is estimated that nearly 40 percent (by weight) of all waste generated in the U.S. comes from packaging materials, used for everything from construction supplies to toothpaste. Reducing the amount of waste from these sources can be accomplished in many ways, such as purchasing fewer items or selecting products in larger containers.

“For instance, in the professional cleaning industry, many green cleaning chemicals now are packaged in five-gallon instead of one-gallon containers,” said Berjer. “This has significantly reduced packaging needs and resulted in cost savings for both the manufacturer and the end customer.”

While many facilities have recycling programs in place, Berjer believes more can be done. “Everything from [using] recycling carpet extractors that reduce chemical and water consumption to taking advantage of manufacturer take-back programs, where old electronic equipment, for instance, is taken back so that the components can be reused, is making a major dent in the amount of waste that is discarded.”

New technologies also are helping facility managers reduce waste and operate more efficiently. Dashboard-type systems, for example, are available that can help FMs determine exactly what consumable products—cleaning chemicals, paper and so on—are being used in a facility and in what amounts.

Using these systems, a site needs analysis can be conducted to not only benchmark what currently is being used in the facility “but also to suggest alternatives that can reduce waste, which typically results in a cost savings” said Michael Wilson of AFFLINK, “In essence, the power of technology is allowing businesses to turn information into insight so that they can make sound, strategic decisions on how to better run their companies.”

Waste realizations

As the world becomes more sustainability focused, it is important to realize that when items are disposed of, they really are not being thrown away. Often, they are just being moved from one area—homes, schools and offices—to another—landfills and incinerators.

Not only is this no longer sustainable in many parts of the world, in the long run, employing source-reduction strategies is more environmentally responsible and a cost-effective way of dealing with the growing solid waste problem. Successfully reducing waste does not necessarily require a change in our lifestyles as much as it requires a change in consciousness. Being aware that many of the items used every day in homes and facilities can be reused or recycled will help make a giant stride in reducing the amount of waste discarded around the world. FMJ

References:

¹ InterChina Consulting, “A Review of Waste Management Activities in Chinese Cities;” AMEC Earth and Environmental, “Review of Waste Quantities and Composition in China; ” Gabriella Prunier, “A Review of Private Sector Participation in China Waste Management Sector;” and Environmental Resources Management, “CDM Umbrella Guidelines for MSW in China.” All prepared in 2004 and all available from the World Bank.

² Holly Hubbard Preston, “Waste Management: An Old ‘Green’ Investment Is Newly Hot,” The New York Times, Jan. 4, 2008.

³ Dioxins are a group of chemicals that form as unwanted byproducts from incomplete burning of household and industrial waste. Excessive dioxin exposure can have serious health implications for humans as well as wildlife and aquatic life.