Maybe not a particularly nice subject but an interesting one, nonetheless. How does improper disposal of rubbish really affect the environment?
In the UK we’re lucky, it’s unusual for rubbish to pile up or be disposed of in a dangerous way. But some countries are not so fortunate. Italy for example, in Naples it’s widely accepted that the mafia have been disposing of toxic waste in and around the city for many years. The practice has led to higher than average terminal illness in the local population.
In the 90s the Indian city of Surat was hit by a pneumonic plague caused entirely by the incorrect and unhygienic disposal of the city’s waste.
You might think that none of this is relevant here, but waste disposed of incorrectly can cause problems anywhere.
Overfull bins attract vermin and flies, the same flies that then land on your nice al fresco lunch! Vermin such as rats carry Weil’s disease which can be passed on to humans. Overflowing rubbish and dirty wheelie bins can cause respiratory problems by polluting the air with toxins such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane.
Besides causing all the above, overflowing waste is bad for the morale of the population in general, no one wants to live in a smelly town do they?
We can all do our bit to prevent the place we live becoming a noxious cocktail.
- Make sure you fill the bin properly, push the rubbish down so the bin lid is closed
- If you’re putting food packaging in the recycling make sure particles of food are not still clinging to it
- Wrap up your food waste before you put it into the caddy
- If you have too much waste for you bin make sure it is secured or not left out over night so that animals can get it
- Have your bin cleaned regularly so that if there is any waste stuck to the bottom it can be removed, and the bin cleaned and sanitized.
At Freshbinz Ltd we like to think that we’re doing our bit for the environment and it’s pretty easy for you to do your bit too.