Many common types of garbage today can negatively impact the environment. These items require special handling and processing for safe disposal. Homeowners need to take precautions with some waste to protect the environment and the people in the home. Six tips will help homeowners to get rid of garbage safely.
Tips To Get Rid Of Garbage
Take Old Electronics to a Large Retailer
Electronics can leak harmful chemicals in the ground, water and air when deposited in a landfill. Several large retailers will actually accept electronic waste at little to no cost. Dropping off old computers, phones and televisions at large retail stores protects the environment.
Donate Household Chemicals to a Reuse Center
Many cities today have reuse centers that collect old household items so other people can use them again. Household chemicals like cleaners, solvents or paint can be dropped off for free at a reuse center. This saves resources and prevents the chemicals from entering the environment.
Recycle Used Tires
Drivers who have gone online to search tires for a new set must dispose of the old wheels properly. Old tires can release toxic chemicals when piled in a field or yard. Many waste management companies today accept used tires. The tires are shredded into small pieces that can be used safely in a variety of other products.
Call a Waste Removal Service for Large Jobs
Anyone cleaning out a home will have large amounts of waste like stained furniture, electronics and mattresses. It is easiest to call a professional waste removal service to pick up these items. Waste removal services can aggregate many different types of items so they are each disposed of safely.
Keep Different Types of Garbage Separate
Mixing household chemicals, flammable materials and other types of garbage can create an unsafe situation. It can also cause the wrong items to be taken to the wrong locations leading to trouble. It is safest to keep all types of garbage in separate areas or containers so they do not mingle and interact.
Take Old Prescription Drugs to a Pharmacy or Hospital
Prescription drugs thrown in landfills or flushed down toilets can reenter the water supply and affect children, pets and adults. Prescription drugs should be taken to a pharmacy or hospital. Doctors and pharmacists can dispose of the drugs safely.
It is always a good idea to look at the labeling on any item to see whether there are special disposal instructions. Just throwing trash into a garbage bag means it will end up in a landfill where it can harm the environment. Taking extra time to dispose of waste properly will keep the environment and everyone in the home safe.
