Helpful tips for residential waste disposal and recycling

Knowing how to properly dispose and recycle your waste is not only key to keeping your house clean and free from funky odours but it is better for your overall health and the environment. Without proper disposal, certain types of waste can be extremely hazardous, causing water, soil and air contamination. As you can imagine, any sort of hazardous contamination can have long term environmental dangers and risks - and this is why we should all do our best to prioritise safe waste disposal and recycling.

Not only should we be disposing of our general waste properly, but we should also be taking the appropriate measures to recycle. Statistics tell us that a whopping 60% of waste that ends up in a dumpster could have been recycled. If we take the time to think before we throw out the trash, we can reduce the amount of rubbish that goes into landfill as well as prevent methane gas being released into the atmosphere.

If you’re ready to take your residential waste disposal to the next level, here are some helpful tips to help you get started.

Seperate waste at the source with multiple bins

Much like the workplace, we suggest you use multiple colour-coded and labelled bins in your kitchen. Having multiple bins ensures that you can separate your recyclable and non-recyclable waste easily. Plus, it’s much quicker and easier to separate your waste as you use it, rather than worrying about the process of separating it when it comes to your bin day.

Set up an at-home compost system

Setting up an at-home compost system is as simple as creating a mud pit in your backyard. You can use this space to dump all of your cooking waste, including vegetables and fruit. Once composted, you can then use the pile of compost in your garden as an effective and natural fertiliser that your plants will be sure to love. Another way you can utilise the art of composting is by setting up a compost bin filled with worms that will digest the waste for you - easy!

Take a trip to the tip

If you have large items like household appliances (fridges, washing machines etc), furniture, large trees and green waste, take them to the tip for easy disposal. If you have a lot of items, you might want to consider hiring a ute or a truck so you can safely load and offload the waste.

Check before burning waste

Burning the wrong types of waste can be extremely harmful to the environment as it can release toxins into the air. When waste burning is done properly by rubbish removal services, special liners are used to specifically prevent pollution and toxic chemicals from leaking out into the atmosphere. This helps safely contain any methane gas that could be detrimental to the environment.

Visit your local op shop

Instead of throwing out items after a cleanup, donate them to your local op shop! Remember, another family just might appreciate your used goods. You know what they say - one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

Make the most of your recycling bin

Ensure that you are putting all your recyclable glass, plastics and paper in your recycling bin. Avoid using plastic bags where possible and opt for cardboard boxes or safely place the items straight into your bin.

Be mindful with your remaining waste

Collect any of your remaining waste and place it into your garbage bin, remembering to push the bin lid completely down so that animals and birds can’t access it.

Repurpose anything you can

Repurposing items is a great way to upcycle them! You could use bags and boxes as rubbish bins for storage or you could repurpose glass jars and containers to store food. You could even use any leftover glass jars as flower vases or get crafty and use them for art projects.