Re-using waste for the future

Right through history, recycling has been around in one way or another. Even as long ago as 400 BC signs of early recycling are known to have taken place. Archaeological reports show that ancient waste dumps contained fewer of what is known nowadays as household waste, such as pots, tools and ash, which shows that people were, even in those days, keen to reuse products at a time when natural resources weren’t so freely available. Little did they know that what they were starting would play such a huge role in shaping the world for future generations

Indeed it could be argued that the old ‘rag-and-bone’ man was just an early recycler collecting unwanted goods on his horse and cart, before reusing or turning the collected items into something new. The 60′s TV series, Steptoe and Son, brought this very much to the public eye and greater attention.

During periods such as the World War Years, recycling and re-use were necessary as natural resources became much more difficult to come by. As well as food being rationed, certain materials such as metal and fibre were largely allowed only for use by the government in support of military operations, to meet manufacturing requirements often in the production of weaponry. There was a desperate need to support the military.

Due to rising energy costs, the need to recycle aluminium increased in the seventies.. As a material aluminium utilises much less energy in the production process than some other materials. Also it was much sought after because of its non rusting properties. The need for aluminium saw the rise of scrap metal merchants who were willing to pay money in exchange for good quality metal. Also, in the 70′s in parts of the United States of America, the first vehicles were seen to be collecting waste with a separate trailer for the collection of recyclable materials being towed behind the vehicle.

To the late 1980′s, early 1990′s and as the awareness of managing the global environmental state increased amongst worldwide governments, the focus upon recycling really started to gather momentum. In the UK, the government imposed recycling targets upon Local Authorities and with the introduction of the new legislation upon the waste industry, recycling schemes really began to take off. The once commonly recognised waste disposal companies, began to call themselves waste management companies and demonstrated through the offer of waste collection and recyclable material collection that waste needed to be managed more effectively. Local skip companies needed to become better at what they did.

Today, many hundreds of materials and products can be recycled, ranging from paper, card, glass and plastics, to mobile phones, electrical items, printer cartridges, textiles, clothing and concrete. The demand for different types of collection receptacles has increased dramatically.

What is Recycling?

The term recycling describes the process of converting used materials into new or nearly new materials to avoid the need for potentially useful materials or products to be discarded. Essentially it is diverting waste from landfill.

Recycling plays a key role in a world where climate change is high on the environmental agenda. It helps to reduce the need to unnecessarily send waste materials and products to landfill or other waste disposal options. This in turn diminishes the need or the reliance upon consuming fresh or new raw materials, reduces energy use and air and water pollution, all of which contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Significant contributions to improving the environment.

Recycling is probably most evident through the recycling services now provided by local authorities for domestic refuse and recycling collections and by modern waste management companies who generally offer a full range of waste and recycling collection services.

There will be many companies across great britain who now provide paper recycling, cardboard recycling, glass recycling, energy from waste , recycling services. But to be sure your waste is really going to be appropriately recycled is it important to find a well well-known and trusted company.

In the waste sector, the common promotional activity surrounds the waste hierarchy – ‘reduce, reuse, recycle and recover’. This four R slogan is a simple message designed for a far reaching audience. Think about how you can reduce your waste. Can the waste products or materials be reused? Can the waste product or material be recycled or recovered? Many questions to consider.

The waste hierarchy is a strategy which many waste management companies and local authorities consider when developing new waste management strategies. The strategy is intended to focus the mind around preventing waste being generated in the first place. Consider the options for reuse and recycling but ultimately minimise the amount of waste produced at the end of the cycle.

So the emphasis is very much on the entire production process. The waste hierarchy extends much wider than to waste management companies and local authorities. Working groups have been set up to bring many sectors together to consider the entire waste cycle. For example, the manufacturer of a product needs to consider how the product is to be manufactured. Can parts be used which can later be recycled or reused? Can the amount of packaging which surrounds the product be reduced? When the product reaches the retailer, is it necessary for the product to be placed within an outer package? Once the retailer sells the product, what will the buyer do with the unwanted elements of the purchase, i.e. the packaging? How will the packaging be collected and where will it go? Will it return to a recycling plant, for onward transfer to a reprocessing plant, where the cycle begins all over again? The process must be simple to manage and implement.

How are Materials Collected for Recycling?

Legislation now dictates that all waste should be treated to divert the amount of recyclables and unnecessary waste going direct to landfill. Since 1996, UK government has applied a landfill levy on all waste disposed of within landfill. The rate of tax has increased considerably in recent years rising from the original level of £8 per ton, to today’s rate of £40 per ton. The UK government has previously announced that this will increase further to £48 per ton by the end of 2010/11. This rate applies to all general waste streams, although there is a lower rate for inert materials. Sending waste directly to landfill is an expensive option and finding suitable methods to divert waste away from landfill is now a priority. For inert materials the rate is £2.50 per ton.

So, the message to everyone is clear, segregate your waste to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Traditionally, at home or at work, as soon as you place waste in the container , it is forgotten about. Someone else will collect it and take it away. Nowadays, at home and at work, recycling is being encouraged through the provision of bins in which to place specific recyclable materials. At home, the children are often the keen recyclers.

Perhaps the most common materials to be seen being collected for recycling are paper, card, glass, metals and plastics. But the opportunity to recycle a vast number of materials or products continues to grow. Although technically not seen as recycling, food waste and garden waste collections are increasing, where the food or garden waste is taken back to a plant for processing into a reusable or saleable compost product.

There is a substantial range of paper recycling bins could be set at high usage points for instance close to photocopying machines to gather excess papers.

The methods of collecting materials or waste to be recycled is also increasing and becoming more noticeable within local communities. Dedicated collection sites, often referred to as a bring bank sites, are springing up in supermarket car parks to encourage customers of the supermarket to return such items as bottles, newspapers or card to the bins on their way into the supermarket. Shoppers are therefore encouraged to bring back their recyclables.

Local Authority waste collection crews or their appointed contractors will collect refuse and recyclables from the kerbside usually at the front of your home. Collection from domestic premises generally remains the responsibility of the local council and many have now employed the provision of baskets in which to collect specified recyclable materials or products.

In the industrial and commercial sector, waste management contractors offer separate containers in which the customer deposits the appropriate waste stream or recyclable material ready for collection. The bins will often be clearly labeled as to which recyclable product should be placed within that container or bin. Alternatively, the bins will be colour coded to identify which recyclable materials should be placed within which bins. Waste management companies also may have to deal with special requests from the customer.

The key to a successful recycling initiative is informing the public about what can be recycled and how. In the commercial world getting the co-operation of office employees is crucial. The introduction of any recycling scheme must ensure that in asking staff to separate waste for recycling, it does not become time consuming and affect the efficiency of what employees should be doing in their work. The introduction of any recycling scheme should be kept simple.

The Recycling Process

Various collection systems exist for the collection of the recyclable material . Whichever collection system is utilised , the materials are taken to a recycling centre where they will be segregated from other wastes. This could be done manually or by using mechanical separators.

To begin the recycling process from a collection point of view, the more recyclable material which can be separated at source, i.e. at home or in the work place, the more efficient it will be for the waste collector. That is why separate containers are supplied to the waste producer to encourage segregation at source. If card can be collected on a vehicle, which will collect no other waste material, the card will be kept uncontaminated and therefore will have a higher value when it reaches the processing plant. Similarly, dedicated glass collection vehicles are used to collect only glass. Apart from the obvious health and safety reasons and the weight of collected glass, it will have a much higher value if the collected glass load is not mixed with other waste.

Once collected, the recyclable materials can be taken direct to a reprocessing plant, if the load contains only that specific type of material. So a dedicated glass collection vehicle could take the load directly to a glass processing plant. It is more likely that the glass will have to be bulked up for onward shipment to the processor.

If mixed recyclables have been collected such as paper and card within the same container, it may be necessary for the collector to take the load to a drop off point to unload and allow the load to be sorted into separate paper and card bundles for onward transfer to a paper or card processing plant. Whichever method is used, the recyclable material collected will usually be segregated or cleaned before going through to a reprocessing plant to be converted to a new resource and ultimately used as a new product or in manufacturing.

Because of high density populations, the problem of waste disposal requires more innovative solutions than the old landfill ideas. power in waste is just one such solution, turning waste material into electricity.

The Increasing Importance of Recycling

In the UK around 35% of waste collected from households is recycled or composted. Whilst in the commercial and industrial sector, the volume of waste sent to landfill has declined substantially in recent years and the amount of waste now being diverted for recycling or reuse by this sector has risen above the volumes going to landfill.

Landfill continues to play an important role in the management of waste across the UK as not all wastes can be recycled and some are more suited to landfill disposal than by any other means. However, it’s not just the increasing costs of disposing of waste directly in landfill which is making recycling a more attractive option for businesses. Landfill is becoming scarce, with some experts suggesting that the amount of space available across all UK landfill sites, has less than ten years existence remaining before all sites are deemed to be full. Such countries as Dubai have filled parts of the coastline with their waste and created useful land area to extend the boundaries of their country.

In recent years, waste management companies have had to change their focus, and start to consider and invest in new technologies, such as energy from waste plants, anaerobic digestion plants and mechanical biological treatment plants, as alternatives to landfill. Local Authorities have also changed their views by undertaking comprehensive strategic reviews as to how waste under their jurisdiction should be handled. In some cases this has meant that unitary authorities are implementing plans to introduce long term contracts, usually around 25 years in length, through which to manage their entire waste management requirements. These contracts will often include the need to build a facility through which to handle all waste generated across the region by sorting all waste streams. The contracts may also include the collection of all waste and recyclables from homes across the area. So the face of waste management is changing rapidly. The days of just throw it in the dustbin have disappeared and the advent of new technologies are upon us. The introduction of new technologies will play a huge role in the future of waste management.

Conclusion

Recycling is now a way of life and is here to stay. It has evolved over the years from something that was undertaken without any real thought behind it. The trusty rag and bone man was just trying to make a living. Today, many blue chip organisations are setting out plans for a ‘zero to landfill’ waste policy, where the intention is very clear – reduce waste, reuse waste and recycle waste, but no waste must end up in landfill.

Many homes across the country now have some form of bin in which to separate waste for recycling. The need to separate newspapers, aluminium cans and plastic bottles are almost common place. Whilst in industrial and commercial sectors, there is an increasing list of items to consider for recycling such as printer cartridges, office paper, metal and electrical equipment. Even on street corners and airports you see bins to recycle such items as newspapers and drink cans.

Ideally the whole process would be a complete cycle such as it was in the days of the horse. However the advent of new technologies will accelerate further the way in which our waste is to be managed in the future, but it is highly unlikely that we will ever reach the ultimate waste free society. There will always be a need for waste to be disposed of somewhere, somehow.

Different Organic Products

Zero chemical treatment during manufacturing: this is the main feature of organic products in general. They require certification and special labeling for people to recognize them. The stress on the environment would be significantly reduced if more organic products entered the market. Diversity does characterize the categories of organic products, and one can shop for almost anything from clothes and food to packaging materials, sustainable building and cleaning solutions. Organic products normally correspond to the laws of ecological production, and every country has its own set of regulations.

Non-organic items dominate the market; that is a fact, and using only organic products becomes almost impossible.A first step towards a more ecological lifestyle is the use of several organic items. Start with food for instance and try to prepare all of your meals with fresh natural ingredients that are free of toxins, chemicals, additives and hormones. The overall health condition would improve, and you should experience improved vitality. People who suffer from chronic ailments should only consume organic products. The advantages are manifold and they cannot result from a regular conventional diet.

Besides food there are lots of other organic products that have no toxicity at all. A fine example here is house cleaning. Bio-degradable solvents are a cheaper and safer alternative that poses no health hazards with house cleaning. Adults and children alike have a lot to gain from the consume of cleaner and safer materials based on ecological ingredients.

Organic products are now available in many hypermarkets and online. The variation in the offer has even made people wonder whether the products are really ecological or just fake green products. This means that there is often room for fraud, and that there are many so-called organic products that do not meet the necessary criteria to deserve such a label. The authorities usually keep a close eye on organic products, particularly since the testing is very complex and thorough. Flaws do exist in the standardization process, and you are much safer if you double-check the organic products you buy.

Rolland Springland is the Author of this article related to Sit Ups.
For other information related to Menozac or Zetaclear bring a visit to his site.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only and it should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for acne diagnosis or treatment.

All you need to know for Safe Asbestos Removal

Introduction

In recent years the effects of failing to manage the management of asbestos in a secure and safe manner has grown dramatically on the health and safety agenda.

Workers who over many years worked in confined spaces where asbestos dust were present, or in the manufacture of materials or items which included asbestos as a key component have faced serious health issues. It is now widely recognised that the largest single work related cause of death is asbestos. It is for this reason, that health and safety information highlighting the dangers of incorrect control and the need for safe management and disposal of asbestos contaminated products is high profile.

What is asbestos?

There are generally three forms of asbestos known as brown, blue and more common white asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre and is mined in various Countries but particularly in Russia, the largest producer, Canada and South Africa. Because of its unique resistance qualities, such as being resistant to heat, electricity and noise, it can be employed in several ways for industrial use or in building construction and also a key component for items such as brake linings and insulation.

Asbestos became widely used in the building industry in the late 19th Century. Hospitals, factories, schools and farm houses were all built with asbestos containing materials. Its qualities of being resistant to heat, flame retardant and a good insulator meant that it was widely recognised as very good construction material. Although asbestos today is rarely used in building development, many old buildings including long established hospitals, schools, farm barns and houses still contain asbestos in ceilings and walls. It was also widely used as a lagging material to wrap around steam pipes and boilers. Some household products such as early electric ovens also contained asbestos material, due to its excellent heat resistant qualities. Indeed I seem to recall the use of it in a very early electric oven at my grand parent’s house in the mid-late 1960′s.

Nowadays to discover that asbestos is still present within a building, is likely to cause alarm amongst those people working in it. People living close by are also likely to be concerned and very quickly an entire local community will becomealarmed over the dangers of having asbestos close by.

However, as long as the asbestos is well maintained and is not releasing any fibres, there is no hazard to health. Asbestos becomes a health hazard and is most dangerous when it is disturbed and if you breathe in asbestos fibres, it is this which creates the health hazard.

Asbestos is toxic and it is the fibres being breathed in which can lead to serious illness such as breathing difficulties and in some cases forms of cancer, including lung cancer. From the mid-1980′s, countries within the European Union and some of the world’s other most developed countries have banned asbestos due to its high health risk concerns.A simple task such as laying roof insulation, should always be undertaken whilst wearing a protective face mask to avoid inhalation of asbestos dust and particles.Contractors will provide demolitions waste management services.

Why is Asbestos Dangerous?

The inhaling of asbestos dust is the cause of debilitating disease. So, if you work in an environment where many hundreds of asbestos-related particles exist in the air, unless you wear the appropriate face mask protection, you are putting your health at risk.

Of course, many years ago the dangers were unrecognised and whilst asbestos related illness does not affect you immediately, in later life the effects will become more apparent. Currently asbestos is responsible for approximately 4000 deaths per year and every week, it contributes to the deaths of almost 40 tradesmen, including plumbers, electricians, carpenters and joiners. These trades are particularly at risk because the tradesmen will have been employed in environments where asbestos will have been present. The updating of plumbing work in factories, hospitals, schools, houses and factories will have been a common requirement in recent years. Equally, electricians, carpenters and joiners will have been exposed to similar work in their professional fields.

I used to work for a compressed air equipment manufacturer. The company’s main manufacturing site also included the offices, the manufacturing and assembly plant, the foundry and workshops. The whole site was constructed in the early 1900s and inevitably had used asbestos products within its construction. In the 1990s with much of the manufacturing moved overseas, it was decided to sell the site for redevelopment and the site has now been entirely demolished, ready for reconstruction. But just think how much of the construction material would have contained asbestos.

Before major demolition works could commence, a full site survey including an asbestos survey would have been required to identify and assess how to manage the removal of the asbestos material across the site. Each specific area would have required the advice of an approved asbestos management contractor and assurances of how the asbestos materials would be safely removed and disposed of. Due to the size of the site, this would have been a major task and also a costly one, but an essential requirement to ensure that all regulations relating to the management of asbestos material were adhered to.

Where is Asbestos Found?

If you visit an old building built prior to the 1950s, it is worth taking a look around to see where asbestos has been used and the types of materials which might contain asbestos.

Asbestos cement products, such as large sheets of a corrugated material are likely to be asbestos cement sheets. It is distinguishable as a hard grey coloured material in which asbestos has been mixed with cement. It is likely that if the sheets have been used on the roof, that similar flat sheets will have been used for wall cladding.

If a wall has been given a textured coating, then many old wall coating materials contained an asbestos mix to create the texture. On the floor, floor tiles made from asbestos may also be in place. Recognised for its fire retardant qualities, an asbestos spray may also have been used to coat wooden roof beams. Asbestos sprayed on walls and ceilings will have a high content of asbestos and is known to be easily disturbed just by movement and will give off dust. Then there will be asbestos used as a lagging material on pipes and plumbing equipment. No matter how big or small the task, always employ a supplier of asbestos removals waste handling services to comply with regulations.

Managing and Disposing of Asbestos

Since the avoidance of using asbestos took effect, the usual method by which asbestos is now disposed is through the use of landfill sites. There are however very strict guidelines on how asbestos should be managed and disposed of.

First you must decide how big a task the job is. If you have asbestos removal to undertake in the home then the best advice to remove asbestos safely is to employ a fully licensed asbestos removal specialist. The basic requirements for protection, including the wearing of a dust mask and a disposable overall, are not suggested as the limit of safety precautions and you will be will be much safer trusting this work to a specialist contractor. If you are removing sheets of asbestos for example from an old garage or shed, simply breaking one sheet up will release potentially harmful asbestos dust and fibres. As long as there are no electrical cables and connections nearby, the asbestos removal specialist may treat the asbestos to be handled with water spray before commencing the removal of the material, but this kind of thing is not for the novice DIY enthusiast and should be left to an experienced specialist contractor at all times. Removed asbestos cannot simply be placed within your domestic waste for collection, it must be treated separately and either bagged or placed in a dedicated skip for safe disposal by specialists. Personally, I would always seek the advice of an approved asbestos removal contractor, for any work involving asbestos or even the potential for asbestos.

When the requirement for asbestos removal is much larger, the work should always be undertaken by a licensed commercial asbestos removal specialist. These specialists have received relevant training and certification and will have the correct equipment to manage the task effectively, safely and in accordance with the correct regulations. Older buildings may require a dismantling process to carefully remove any asbestos and this work is likely to involve the use of scaffolding or cranes to be able to undertake this work safely. The most important point to remember is that as the customer, asbestos is on your premises. You are responsible for the removal, handling and safe disposal of the asbestos so ensure that you appoint an approved contractor.

To ensure that dedicated skips are used in the disposal of asbestos some waste management contractors operate skips of a dedicated colour and ensure that these are used only for asbestos disposal. I know of one leading UK waste management company who have a two tone yellow and red painted skip used solely for the safe transportation and disposal of asbestos. As asbestos is classed as a hazardous waste material, only landfill sites licensed to take hazardous waste material are permitted to accept asbestos into the site.

I recall a large automotive company going into administration and thousands of brake lining pads had to be removed as part of a major site clearance project. Although they were all boxed, the fact that asbestos had been used in their manufacture meant that a specialist contractor was brought in to manage the removal and disposal of the stock.In today’s environment where recycling is a buzz word, it is very difficult and costly to recycle asbestos. There is a big difference between dismantling & demolition techniques. Be sure that you know the difference.

Health and Safety Issues when Working with Asbestos

Before commencing any work, if it is considered that asbestos may be present, the contract manager must undertake a complete project plan. No employee should be placed at risk, in an environment where asbestos is knowingly located.

Through a complete site survey, it must be established if materials containing asbestos are present and the work must be planned to either avoid disturbance or the need to dismantle and remove these materials.

If the asbestos materials are to be removed, it is essential that the work should be undertaken by an [approved|licensed} asbestos contractor, who has completed the appropriate asbestos awareness and training courses and is certificated.

It is also important to note, whether the premises will need to be vacated whilst the work is to be undertaken. If people remain in or near the area where asbestos is to be removed, disturbance of the material will place anyone in the close vicinity of the project in danger. Other considerations and decisions will need to be taken as well, particularly if there is a need to work at height and identify precisely what equipment is to be required to complete the task safely.

All major projects, should be supervised throughout and inspected at various stages to ensure that the work complies with regulation and at the end of the task, and that it is safe for employees to return to the premises.

Of course, throughout the project, the contract manager must ensure that arrangements have been made for the safe disposal of all asbestos waste. For those undertaking the work, vigilance will be required throughout the project to protect their own health. Face masks will be worn, as will appropriate clothing such as a disposable all in one overall. Clean as you go is a strategy employed by asbestos removal specialists as they work through the project to limit the amount of asbestos dust spreading to other parts of the building.

Conclusion

The strict regulations which now surround the handling and management of asbestos will in nearly all cases require that any project involving the removal of asbestos materials is managed by a specialist asbestos removal contractor.

Without specialist knowledge, awareness and the correct equipment, any project involving asbestos removal brings potential health risks. Not just health concerns, but for the company and contractor, the need to ensure that the rules and regulations which govern the management of projects where asbestos is present are complied with. Also any company engaging a contractor who does not comply with the correct legislation will be responsible themselves, not the contractor.

Often referred to as the hidden killer, improved knowledge and awareness of the devastating effects that asbestos can have upon one’s health is now well documented. It is hoped that in the coming years we will begin to see a decline in asbestos related disease or illness,as the exposure of those working in asbestos environments is more carefully managed. Unfortunately until the mid-1980s, for those who had worked in or around environments where asbestos was present, the worry of asbestos related death or illnesses remains.

Whichever way you look at it, asbestos brings cause for concern if it is present in your premises, so seek the advice of a specialist asbestos removal contractor to ensure the effective and compliant management of your particular project.