The subject of waste management is nothing new. Garbage cans are labeled and students are taught waste segregation. It is encouraged to be practiced anywhere, most especially at home, where habits are usually first formed. Moreover, people are urged to recycle. It turns out that many of our waste can still be used to create something new.
There may be a treasure in trash, but in it comes health hazards if its containers are not cleaned regularly. Waste management should not end in proper segregation and recycling alone. If you are sensitive to dirt, professional trash can cleaning is one of the many services available in Sandy, Utah and other cities. To ensure clean and safe surroundings in your home, regular cleanups are essential.
Garbage attracts bacteria and pests
If your waste bin at home doesn’t have a lid or is left overflowing, it makes the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. When the bacteria spread, they will pollute the air, making you and your family susceptible to air-borne diseases. Insects such as flies will also be attracted to its odor, and these insects can contaminate your food and lay offspring inside your house wherever it is convenient for them.
Food poisoning is a risk if your kitchen and pantry get exposed to flies. Severe cases of garbage overflow will potentially attract rats, and they carry more serious illnesses. To avoid these situations, get rid of your trash at the end of every day. Take the time to clean your waste cans every so often. If you think they don’t need cleaning because there is no visible dirt, think again. Bacteria are not seen by the naked eye. Don’t wait for them to accumulate before you make your move.
Check garbage containers outside your home
There are garbage containers designated in every residential area. Take the time to observe how they are being maintained. These bins, being the “central” trash disposal for all residents in an area, pile up faster and acquire more pathogens such as yeast, mold, E.coli, and salmonella. Keep yourself and your children away from areas near trash bins. Contact your residential maintenance personnel to address this problem.
Backyard trash burning
Unfortunately, there are people who resort to burning their waste within the confines of their own property. Trash burning causes serious health hazard because it releases greenhouse gases, according to the journal of Environmental Science and Technology. The hazardous pollutants they release can travel to crops and waterways, affecting our food and water. It also increases the risk of heart disease and aggravates one’s respiratory issues, such as asthma.
Trash burning also releases a toxic chemical called dioxin. This harmful toxin only exists in burnt waste. Trash incinerated at home barrels produces a higher level of dioxins than those burnt in municipal incinerators. Dioxins, along with other harmful pollutants that backyard burning releases, produce greater health hazards because of their exposure right outside houses.
This issue should not be taken lightly. If you see a neighbor engaging in this dangerous procedure, contact your local waste management institution to help bring awareness to this person.
It is important to stay well-informed in waste management, especially if you are raising a family. Instilling values of cleanliness and environmental awareness to our children will make them role models to people around them. Your family could encourage your neighborhood to dispose of their trash and sanitize properly. Parents, guardians, and business owners will benefit directly from this habit, too. They will learn to be more mindful and careful of what they expose themselves and their loved ones into.
