![]() Singapore is the latest city to see garbage in a “waste-to-energy” light. But in other urban centers where landfill options are limited, incineration is seen as a solution to the garbage problem. Proposals to incinerate garbage have always been opposed by Toronto politicians on the grounds that pollutants produced from burning impact air quality, add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, and produce ash waste that can be filled with unknown quantities of toxic metals and chemicals. At one point Toronto was considering sending its non-recyclable garbage to an abandoned open-pit iron mine site some 600 kilometers (almost 400 miles) north of the city. Toronto exports garbage to the United States and we pay an American landfill operator to take it. The grey bin garbage goes to landfill sites with one even in neighbouring Michigan. The green bin recyclables are collected to turn into compost which the city uses for parks and other green spaces, and gives away to residents at community recycling events. ![]() The city collects from homes with curbside pickup and delivers the blue bin recyclables to warehouses where the stuff is sorted and stashed awaiting buyers who can turn the collected material into new products. Households, apartments, and condos have multi-coloured bins for recyclable plastic, metal, paper (blue), organic recyclables (green), and what is disposable (grey). Some of it is burned.įor cities like Toronto, the garbage management process is multifaceted and problematic. Much of it gets flushed into our streams, rivers, lakes, and eventually the ocean. We 7.5 billion humans today produce over 2 billion tons of the stuff every year. But for the rest of us garbage poses an enormous problem. Archeologists consider the stuff a treasure trove of information about societies from the past when they dig down through centuries of deposits. Additional Info.J– We humans produce one thing more than any other – lots of garbage. Questions? Please contact the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at 651.296.6300. You share the same air and water with everyone in your community! In a Minnesota survey, 45% of respondents burned household wastes. Educate your family and neighbors about the hazards of trash burning. Reduce waste-compost or chip yard waste buy items with less packaging. Separate your metal, glass, plastic, and paper, and more for the programs in your area. Find a trash hauler or local drop off sites. ![]() Use local garbage and recycling services. What you can do: First, stop burning garbage-not even at the cabin or in the campfire. Many counties are closing remaining loopholes in state law by passing no-burn/no-bury resolutions for all residents. Smoke: pollutants from backyard burning of trash are released primarily into the air, and close to ground level where they are easily inhaled-with no pollution controls!Īsh: ash remains contains concentrated amounts of these toxic materials that can blow away or seep into the soil and groundwater.įor most Minnesotans, it is against the law to burn or bury household garbage-it's been illegal since the 1980s. Garbage has changed: today's household trash contains a lot of plastics and paper treated with chemicals, coatings, and inks. They produce a lot of smoke, as well as a variety of toxic substances-even burning seemingly harmless materials like paper. Typical home fires are small and inefficient. It's also against the law for most homeowners in Minnesota. What’s the problem? Burning household garbage in burn barrels, stoves, and fire pits creates pollution that's dangerous to human health and contaminates the air, water, and soil. Find local services for recycling and garbage disposal in your county. If you're still using a burn barrel, wood stove, or fire-pit for your trash, it's time for a change.ġ. Burning your household garbage is dangerous to your health and our environment, and generally against the law in Minnesota.
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