Q&A for How to Manage Your Home Waste

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How can I reuse household items?

April Jordan
Sustainability Specialist
April Jordan is a Sustainability Specialist and the Founder of The Ethical Edit, a blog dedicated to making ethical fashion and lifestyle changes accessible by sharing easy-to-digest sustainability information and ethical and sustainable brand reviews. With over five years of experience in sustainability and over five years in the marketing and communications field, April is passionate about using her skills to make the world a better place.

April Jordan

Sustainability Specialist

Expert Answer

You can repurpose a glass jar to hold cosmetics or office supplies. You can also reuse tin cans for art projects or a patio garden. Try punching holes in the bottom of the can so that water can drain out. Alternatively, you can paint the can and use it as a plant holder.

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Question

How do I manage glass waste?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

Glass can be mixed with all recyclables.

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Question

How do I control the smell of compost?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

While there's not much you can do to control the smell, the smell shouldn't last long.

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Question

What effects does waste have on the environment?

Community Answer

It pollutes the air, water and soil, and can hurt or kill animals and plants. This makes the ecosystem weak, which means it could collapse.

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Question

How can I recycle?

Community Answer

Save things that you have used already, and get creative! You can create useful things by recycling products that are empty.

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What is the best method of waste disposal at home?

Community Answer

At least for organic waste, using your kitchen waste disposer is an excellent option.

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Question

How do I dispose of domestic waste?

Community Answer

It really depends on what type of waste it is. Green waste just goes in the green waste bin or as compost. Organic food can be turned into compost for the garden or lawn, as long as it has been decomposed properly. Chemicals can go in bottles and be arranged to be picked up. Anything else can be burned or somehow recycled.

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Question

How do I manage waste?

Community Answer

Keep three bins nearby - one for wet waste, one for dry waste and one for recycling.

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Question

What effect does waste material have on the environment?

Community Answer

It pollutes the air, water, and soil, and can hurt or kill animals and plants. This makes the ecosystem weak, which means it could collapse.

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What should I do with a broken, useless mobile phone?

Community Answer

Many mobile companies keep bins for the collection of old, unused mobiles so that they can send the mobile for recycling and all waste metal plastic can be segregated out of it and can be recycled.

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How do I dispose of home waste if I don't have the space for compost?

Community Answer

You can grind the green waste to paste, add water and pour it in the plants in your house or even outside.

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Question

How can I decompose glass bottles?

Community Answer

Glass bottles will not decompose; you should recycle them.

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Question

What are the impacts of household waste?

Community Answer

Disposing of waste has huge environmental impacts and can cause serious problems. Some waste will eventually rot, but not all, and in the process, it may smell or generate methane gas, which is explosive and contributes to the greenhouse effect.

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Question

What is vermicomposting?

Community Answer

It's a method of composting that uses worms to help break down the organic matter. They leave behind worm castings (or "vermicast"), which are very rich in nutrients.

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How do I get rid of broken bottles and old disposable diapers?

Community Answer

Broken glass can be mixed with recyclables and diapers can be put in your bin.

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Question

How do I manage waste in the community?

Community Answer

You can manage it by creating proper awareness and following the three bin system. You can manage it by vermicomposting and you can also manage it by proper disposal at a particular site.

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Question

What is a zero-waste system in a home?

Community Answer

Zero waste is a set of principles focused on waste prevention that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused. The goal is for no trash to be sent to landfills, incinerators or the ocean.

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Question

What does "donating items when possible" mean?

Community Answer

Their are situations where you can give home waste which is not usable to you to those who can make use of it. For example, the waste might be for composting, fertilizing or for the growth of plants etc. When others are in need of those things, you can give them away instead of wasting them.

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Question

How long does it take for glass to break down into the soil?

Geesearegood

Community Answer

Glass should not be put in the soil. It can take 4000 years to decompose. It is really easy to recycle and reuse, so choose either of those options instead.

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