Category: Waste Management

Zero-Waste Challenge for London Families: Tips to Protect The Environment and Your Wallet

There is a common misconception that living eco-friendly is a more expensive lifestyle and we want to show you that it is the exact opposite!

We know that the pandemic has hit many London families hard and we want to support you by reducing your waste while saving money. Make the effort to create change now and it will eventually seem like second nature. The most important thing is trying your best and involving your children in order to instil a lifelong interest in protecting their planet, because at Express Waste Removals they only use environmentally friendly waste disposal methods.

Here are some things you can do:

Make a Weekly Meal Plan

A great way to make sure you don’t waste any food is to plan your meals each week. Get the whole family involved and ask what they’d like for every meal in the day such as breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks and only buy exactly what is needed. Knowing exactly what to order or buy in the shop is key to not overspending and wasting food unnecessarily.  So, hold everyone in your household accountable for reducing your waste and cost.

Use more non-disposable Products

Single use products are one of the biggest contributors to landfills and pollution, which is a huge shame as non-disposable alternatives are almost always available and more affordable often! Picture how many disposable nappies, wipes and cloths you would go through in a single day with just one baby. Buying reusable nappies and baby washcloths that you can be used over and over will save you money and generate less rubbish. Invest in reusable cotton wool pads that you wash and bamboo earbuds. Replace your cling film and foil with stretchy lids and reusable oven liners. It really doesn’t take long at all to find fantastic alternatives that will last for years and save you massive amounts of money in the long run. And for the household waste that is still left over consider recycling or get Express Waste Removals involved to help out with that.

Make smarter Food Choices

local-food-shopping-to-save-money-and-reduce-packagingReducing the amount of meat and fish you eat as a family will reduce the cost of your weekly food shop, help the environment and also improve your family’s health. Pick healthier and more affordable sources of protein like chickpeas, beans, lentils, tofu, soya and peas, which can be bought in bulk and are much cheaper than meat or seafoods. You can also access these easily at many zero-waste supermarkets, whereas unless you go to a butcher, meat is often packaged in lots of plastic.

Eating less meat and fish products and more veg and fruit can decrease the risk of heart disease and strokes, as the saturated fats in meat can contribute to weight gain, high cholesterol, blood pressure and further complications. Sadly, one of the most heavily plastic packaged foods you will find in supermarkets is fruit and vegetables. For a waste-free alternative that tastes much better, go to local fruit and veg shops. Rather than being imported, the fruit and veg will be locally sourced, making them much more eco-friendly and organic. Supporting your local fruit and veg store is not only better for the environment, but it is often cheaper, and it will always taste better and support the small shops and businesses in your area!

If you have a garden, then the best option is to grow your own fruit and vegetables at home. You can control exactly what you are eating and you can use organic products to support the growth of the plants with your garden waste and compost. Get the family involved and they could develop a love for growing their own food and continue it in the future. You will save ridiculous amounts of money by investing some of your time each week into growing food. Research how to use seeds and roots from fruit and veg that you’d usually throw away to grow your own vegetables.

Upcycle old Furniture

If an item of your household furniture has become outdated, or it is slightly broken, don’t throw it away! It is so simple to upcycle furniture and you create a bespoke piece for little to no cost in the process.

For example, perhaps you have an old table that is slightly damaged, has a broken leg and really doesn’t suit the style of your home. Rather than binning it, the solution is simple! You can use wood filler to fill in any chipped or damaged areas, wait for it to dry and sand it down. Check out some useful YouTube tutorials about upcycling ideas to be inspired. Clean down the dressing table with sugar soap, sand it down to remove any tough bits. Then, prime it with a furniture primer and give it two coats of paint with the colour of your choice or even a trendy pattern! Remove the handles prior to painting and soak them in equal parts vinegar and ketchup to get them looking brand new.

Think how much waste would be reduced if everyone made the effort to upcycle a piece of furniture they would’ve otherwise sent to landfill. And at Express Waste Removal they try to donate old furniture to charities and only deliver it to the landfill, if there’s no other option, which offers you a skip hire alternative.

Living as a zero waste family is not as hard as you may have thought and hopefully you will give the above tips a try – your kids will thank you for it later!

Health Hazards Caused by Improper Disposal of Pesticides

The use of pesticides by the UK population is on the rise with the latest reports showing an increase in among the farmers. While the use of pesticides has enabled considerable ease in pest management and ensured better yields, pesticides have adverse effects on humans, wildlife, and the environment.

To help curb the runaway effects, the Environment Agency has put in place rules and regulations on transportation and disposal of pesticide wastes.

How are people exposed to pesticides?

While pesticides are used on farms and gardens to improve crop production, the continued use seems to introduce a health risk to humans. Pesticides have artificial compounds that can remain in the environment for a long time. Some pesticides like organochlorine can stay on the surface 30 years after use, yet they had been banned. The remains in the environment expose humans and other living organisms to their effects. That explains why more people use pesticides, the higher the cases of effects.

Improper Disposal

There have been reports of the presence of pesticide residues in foods like grains, vegetables, fish, and milk. This means that foods are the other way humans get exposed to pesticides.

Pesticides can also present in water bodies. Most pesticides have polarity and solubility with water such that once they are applied in the fields; they can mix with runoff water and enter into the water bodies. The nearby agricultural activities determine the amounts of these chemicals in the aquatic systems.

Another way humans get exposed to pesticides is due to accidental release into the environment due to waste dumps, leaking pipes, spills, groundwater, and underground storage tanks. These accidents tend to release large amounts of pesticides in the environment that remain present for a long time.

An occupation where people are directly exposed to pesticides is dangerous to the workers.

Health Effects

At the moment, it is not a debate of if pesticides have health effects on humans anymore; instead, it is all about the extent. The results of the pesticides on humans and the environment have been recorded since 1962 in the environmental book Silent Spring. The acute decline of wildlife, wild bees, birds, and other aquatic life has been contributed to the continued prevalence of pesticides on the environment.

Pesticides also kill wildlife and birds by killing them indirectly. The presence of chemicals in the environment kills other insects that birds feed on — the same way the herbicides for controlling weeds kill other plants species used for food and shelter. In the end, the use of pesticides affects the whole ecosystem.

Apart from the animals, the effects of pesticides have been manifested in humans as well. There are two ways in which humans experience health effects;

  • Acute toxicity

This is a point where the harmful effects of pesticide exposure manifest within a short time. Generally around 48 hours.

Some of the conditions one can experience include; allergic sensitization, loss of consciousness, respiratory tract irritation, sore throat and cough, eye and skin irritation, and extreme weakness and seizures, and in some extreme conditions death.

More than 3 million cases of acute poisoning from pesticide exposure are reported annually, causing around 250 – 370,000 deaths every year.

  • Chronic toxicity

Long term toxicity is when it takes an extended period before the effects of the exposure to pesticides are realized. This is mostly due to the low level or gradual exposure.

Some of the conditions linked with chronic toxicity include hyperactivity disorder, attention deficit, and cancer, like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, and other types of solid tumor.

How to protect against the hazards

After confirming that improper disposal of pesticides can be hazardous to health, it is essential to raise a question. How do you protect from the probable health hazard?

Handling and disposing of pesticide wastes through the right channels. Simple, right?

Well, from how often the people in the UK keep getting exposed to the pesticide toxins, you might be forced to rethink if it is as simple. The truth is most people don’t have information on how to properly dispose of pesticide wastes. Most do not understand that they are hazardous chemicals that need special handling, unlike the regular wastes. Even pest elimination in London is well managed by professionals who avoid the usage of hazardous pesticides for pest control.

The best way to handle pesticide wastes by commercial and industrial scales users is to hire authorized waste disposal experts to help remove and clear the waste. For small scale users, they can easily access the several authorized hazard waste sites to either recycle or dispose of wastes.

Using an expert in disposing of is time-saving, cost-effective and reduces the probable health hazards caused by improper disposal of pesticides.

Improper disposing of pesticides has seen a rising case of health defects. While there is no way the use of pesticides can be eliminated from everyday life, those who handle them must be ready to follow the regulations and laws put in place for handling and disposition. This is the only way to keep humans, animals, and the environment from hazardous health effects.

What is Waste Management and Methods of Waste Disposal

When it comes to Waste Management, most think it is a complex process. It is good to understand what Waste Management is, the importance of proper waste management and what are some methods of waste disposal.

What is Waste Management?

Waste management is the collection, transportation and the disposal of all forms of waste such as garbage and other waste products including sewage. It is composed of all processes involved in collection of waste, proper transportation of waste and the best method of disposal for each category of waste. It factors in use of proper materials and methods of handling waste as well as compliance with health codes while considering environmental regulations.

The importance of waste management cannot be under estimated and every home owner, business owner and individual needs to be aware of what waste they have to be able to dispose of it in the best way. Improper waste disposal leads to air, water and soil pollution, doing great harm to our environment. By properly disposing waste we can conserves our environment and get rid of harmful materials properly while encouraging recycling and reuse of materials.

What are the methods of Waste Disposal in Waste Management?

Unlike in the olden days, people used to bury waste in a small hole in the outskirts of their homesteads or if need be, burnt it. These days, with all the complex materials we use in our day to day lives, this may not suffice to sufficiently dispose of all categories of waste.

Here are some of the main methods of waste disposal;

  1. Landfills

A landfill is a site allocated for the main purpose of disposing garbage. It is a big hole dug in the ground with the aim of dumping rubbish. Once full, the landfill is then covered. Currently, landfills are quickly reaching maximum capacity and this is why there is need for us to reduce our waste and start reusing and recycling waste as part of our daily routine. The challenge of landfills is that once some materials breakdown, harmful substances and chemicals are released into the soil and can harm the surrounding soil and environment for many years down the line. This is why most items selected for dumping in landfills is now restricted.

  1. Recovery and Recycling

Recovery of waste is where discarded items are converted into energy in the form of heat, fuel or electricity. Recycling is the process where waste materials are turned into new products to save on the energy and process of having to dispose of them. The advantage of recycling is mainly to reduce the size of landfills by making use of waste, save on energy that would have been used to dispose it to minimize the effect of greenhouse gases, land and water pollution

  1. Incineration

This is also known as combustion and it is a method disposal technique that involves burning of waste at very high temperatures. The advantage of incinerating waste is that it reduces waste by at least 30% which reduces greatly the volume of waste unlike landfills. This is an ideal method of disposing solid waste in some countries and through this, the waste can be converted into gas, steam and heat.

  1. Composting

Composting is the process of taking garden, kitchen and plant remains and turning it into a nutrient rich material for compost. This waste is left to sit in one place for months and microbes turn it into compost which can be used for providing plants with vital nutrients.

  1. Plasma Gasification

This is a relatively new types of waste disposal where organic matter is turned into a synthetic gas by use of a plasma torch. It is still in the early stages of development and one main advantage of this method is that there is almost no waste product left behind.

  1. Energy Recovery

This is the process of turning waste that cannot be recycled into electricity, fuel or heat, turning it into a renewable energy source.

  1. Reducing

This process is where we all work to reduce the amount of waste we create. This combined effort will help eliminate the need for waste disposal and lead to a better, cleaner environment.

 

Summary

Waste management is important for the preservation of our environment

What Is The Importance Of Waste Management?

Waste management is a crucial exercise that revolves around the quick, safe, and effective removal and disposal of waste.  There are a thousand and one reasons why we should manage waste effectively.

  • For the sake of clarity, the best waste management practices involve more than just dumping waste into your bin, awaiting its collection.
  • Instead, it’s looking at the larger picture of the impact of waste on the environment, and then initiating measures to ensure its proper removal.
  • Once you look at it that way, all the benefits of waste management will trickle down and you’ll be the greatest beneficiary! From office waste to household waste, to electrical waste or building and construction waste; there are numerous reasons for ensuring their safe disposal.

Importance Of Waste Management

    1. Good health; accumulated waste stinks; it attracts pests and rodents as well as other disease-causing microorganisms. The best way to keep your family or employees safe is to ensure that they live and work in a clean environment. Effective waste management practices help ensure that everyone enjoys good health.
    2. Good mood; who enjoys living in a dirty, badly cluttered house where cans and food leftovers litter tables and the entire floor? Which employee likes working with an overflowing waste bin behind their seat? A clean and neat environment yields positive and lively moods in us; on the contrary, an untidy and messy environment makes you stone-faced, cranky, and dull for no apparent reason.
    3. Less injuries; the waste and debris left behind after a home renovation or during building and construction can easily cause injuries. It gets even more worrisome when there are young children playing and jumping around. The rusty nails, wires and electric cables, iron sheets, glass, toxic paints and asbestos; these must be safely and quickly removed from building and construction sites in order to minimize instances of injuries.

 

  1. Healthy environment; industrial waste and eWaste are examples of harmful waste that needs to be carefully disposed of. Otherwise, they pose a huge risk to the environment if simply dumped into a landfill. There are laid down mechanisms on how exactly such waste ought to be disposed of and failure to adhere doesn’t just mess up their environment; it places you on a collision course with the law.
  2. How to do proper waste managementMore productivity; offices and businesses that have put in place sound waste removal mechanisms tend to enjoy more productivity from their employees. The staff and employees enjoy working in a clean, freshened up the environment; they are able to concentrate more on their jobs and assignments. The tidiness boosts their morale and attitude; they’ll serve customers with a smile and positivity you’d not find in a dirty workplace.
  3. The law is clear; here in the UK, the law is very clear on your obligations as a homeowner or business owner, on how you should dispose of your waste. Thus, you can’t simply leave your waste outside your gate or dump it on the highway at night; the law will punish you. By effectively managing your waste, you also stay safe from decrees and bylaws that govern the handling and disposal of waste.

In summary;

Effective waste management is a duty and obligation we all have, as long as we’re generating trash, then we have an obligation to ensure its safe disposal. It benefits us directly, it benefits those around us including our employees, plus the environment is also protected from pollution. Hiring a professional waste removal company is a worthy investment. You get the peace of mind knowing that everything is taken care of and that all your waste is ethically disposed of.

What are the Impact of Waste on Environment in London?

The manner in which waste is disposed in London directly affects the surroundings or conditions in which we all live in. The manner in which waste is disposed has a direct impact on the air you breathe, water you drink, your plants and pets too are part of that equation. This is why it is important to understand how waste has affected the London environment.

  • Water and Land pollution from disposal of Plastic bottles and Waste: Bottled water is highly consumed in London, making the disposal of plastic waste uncontrollable as most of it ends up in landfills, The Thames and public parks. All these cause environmental and marine pollution which in the long run directly affects the health of citizens, animals and plants. Londoners and visitors are encouraged to embrace to carry their own water from home as opposed to buying bottled water, as well as the introduction of improved processes of recycling in london.
  • Impact of Waste on Environment LondonAir Pollution from Greenhouse emissions and Landfills: The use of greenhouse to recycle waste has had a great influence on the climate patterns in London. Emission of carbon from greenhouses during waste recycling and the production of methane from land fill sites to produce energy cause air pollution, which poses great health risks to the citizens. The gases emitted have greatly affected the climate patterns in London. The weather experienced is hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters. There are also situations of extreme weather like heavy rainfall and heat waves more often. This is as are result of human actions that emit greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.
  • Noise from Air and Land transport: the use of garbage vehicles and loud noise from landing and taking off of aircraft affects both the humans and animals in the surrounding areas in London by distracting their normal routine such as sleep and causing annoyance. This directly affects the health of the people and the animals. Although we have spoken about the negative effects, we also have positive effects that waste In London have on the environment.

 

  • The positive effect of waste on the London environment: With the revised London local government strategies, waste management can be seen to be of more benefit than loss. Most of the recent bylaws enacted are meant to help in the continuous environmental improvement. Their aim is to have further improved environmental performance by use of low carbon transport service, more sustainable resource use, improved recycling performance, a valuable refuge for plants and animals and Improved local environments. All these have created a harmonious environment that has kept the city very habitable and welcoming to both Londoners and visitors who are a great boost to London’s economy as well as creating a safe habitation for all.

 

Conclusion on impacts of waste on the London environment:

Since London realized the negative impacts of waste on its environment, leaders and different stakeholders have all come together to work positively towards putting in place counter processes and procedures to reverse the situation. By using safe and eco friendly ways of managing waste, the rate of pollution is now lower than it has been in a long time. Private waste removal companies have been in the frontline towards helping manage the city’s waste in a safe, green way. As a service provider, we have liaised with the major recycling plants around London to ensure that 90% of all the waste we clear from, your premises is taken for recycling. For more info, you can give us a call or fill an online form for a free no obligation quote.

What Are Damage Caused By Improper Waste Disposal?

Improper waste disposal is the wastes that affect the nature and the surroundings. The disposed of wastes will be harmful, where some can be felt earlier as they exhibit toxic soon. The improper disposal includes paper, bleaches, plastics and solvents. Though people have dust bins outside their home they choose not to use it. Here, we show the effects of these kinds of wastes.

Why wastes have to be considered seriously is that it causes damage to both the value of the state and the economy. So, one has to understand that the value of a state depends on its health and wealth, which directly affects the economy with diseases and environmental crises.

Improper waste disposal
Not only to people, but it also affects the regular nature of animals as well, since the survival of these living things is the environment. Regular disposal of wastes will avoid these damage in the life cycle. Once food chain is spoiled, it not only affects the animals, it also affects people around the animals and some of them who eat it. Even the Aquatic species will get spoiled because of the improper way of disposal through water, which may be plastics, oil spills, exhibits from the chemical industries, etc., Meanwhile, the same kind of wastes disposed to plants or landfills will affect both animals and human.

The wastes like old furniture, clothes and other regular wastes dumped at the same place for a long period of time will make the place unpleasant in both looks and feel. So, what one has to hire the rubbish removal professionals to dispose of the wastes regularly at your place. It makes the place clean and eco-friendly in nature. Make sure you choose the right company for this service, who can help you in the long run and charge you for a very reasonable price only for the number of wastes collected.

 

 

6 Different Types of Waste Disposal

Most countries with developed industries are struggling with the difficulty of waste disposal. It is difficult to find safe ways to dispose of waste especially the non-biodegradable and hazardous wastes. These wastes can have a negative impact on the environment and people’s’ health. It is therefore important to dispose of waste properly to keep the environment clean and also to protect people from contamination. Luckily, ways of garbage disposal have been devised to help reduce the amount of waste.

Below is a list of 6 Different Types of Waste Disposal:

  • Hygienic Landfill:

Landfills - Waste Disposal

This process involves non-recyclable wastes. The selected area of the landfill should have low levels of groundwater and should have non-porous soil. The area should not be prone to flooding too. A base first created to prevent harmful chemicals from reaching the water zone below. After that, the wastes are carefully separated and spread out on the protective base. Later on, layers of soil are spread on top of the waste and compacted. The Landfill area can then serve as a leisure ground or park at least until the wastes decompose. This could take up to more than 25 years hence no construction should take place in the landfill area

  • Biogas and Fertilizer Generation:

Biogas Waste Disposal

Organic wastes can be used to create compost that will, later on, be decomposed naturally into nutrient-rich fertilizer. This is mostly used by farmers or homeowners with a large amount of organic waste. The type of fertilizer formed is advantageous to plants since it’s all organic. Biodegradable wastes can also be used to create biogas. Bio-degradation companies turn these wastes into biogas by using fungi and bacteria to decay the wastes. The biogas generated is later then used as fuel. This method is very efficient for organic and biodegradable wastes.

  • Vermicomposting:

Vermicompost Waste Disposal

This is another type of waste disposal that involves the use of worms to help decompose wastes. A specific type of worms is used to feed on the wastes and digest them. This process not only helps with waste disposal but also helps improve soil nutrition. The excretion of the worms adds nutrients to the soil, this improves the quality of the soil leading to a better growth of plants.

  • Recycling and Reusing:

Recycling and reusing is another effective means of disposing of wastes. Wastes such as glass, rubber, plastic or wood can be transformed through industrial processing into other useful products that can be used again. You could also reuse items such as plastic bottles and paper bags instead of throwing them away. This will greatly reduce the amount of waste you have and also help you save money that you could have used to purchase new plastic bottles or paper bags.

Recycle and Reuse - Waste Disposal

  • Disposal by Incineration:

This process involves the burning of wastes in airtight incinerators. This process is cheap and very efficient as it reduces the size of the wastes by up to 95%. The by-products of incineration such as heat and ash can be used for energy creation and hydroponic purposes respectively. The energy can later be used to provide power in the industry. This method is commonly used for toxic and hazardous wastes.

  • Disposal in Water Bodies:

Incineration - Waste Disposal

Hazardous wastes such as radioactive substances are usually dumped into large water bodies such as oceans and seas. These type of toxic wastes sink deep into the water to avoid their contamination from reaching human beings.

The above 6 methods are so far the most effective and reliable methods to dispose of waste products. In addition to that, they are safe as they reduce the risk and chances of human and animal contamination.

If you’re looking for rubbish removal company in UK, you can contact 020 8099 9819 immediately, our team will arrive with Man and Van to collect wastes at your place.