Why Organic Waste Management is Important

Organic waste is not only the yard waste that is generated by homeowners when they mow the lawn or cut back some bushes. Each and every one of us generates organic waste every single day. The consumables and perishables that you eat every day, and store in your fridge and in your kitchen cabinets are all considered ‘organic waste’. Organic waste includes vegetables, fruit, meat, eggshells, food leftovers, and even tea bags, and coffee grounds.

Organic waste can cause severe damage to our environment so even tossing your uneaten food away has an effect. It is important for you to manage the disposal of this organic waste and ensure that it is kept out of landfills as far as possible. This is where a professional waste removal company such as Little Green Junk can help. We recycle where possible, and only use the landfill as a last option.

How Should Organic Waste be Handled?

Most of us are aware that glass, paper, and plastic should be put in the recycling bin instead of with regular trash. But what about our leftover food, fruits, and vegetables? Did you know that this organic waste can be just as harmful to the environment as these other pollutants if it finds its way into the landfill? Disposing of organic waste may even be governed by the law, especially where businesses are concerned.

The reason why organic waste needs to be so carefully managed is that when it breaks down it releases materials that can affect public health. Because it is biodegradable, organic waste breaks down over time. A tremendous amount of methane gas is generated during this process. Methane gas is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in our atmosphere to a much greater extent than carbon dioxide, and as scientists say, this contributes to climate change. Organic waste may contain other pathogens, chemicals, and antibiotics which enter the soil and water when the waste breaks down. This can affect our health as it enters our food chain. 

Restaurants, hospitals, grocery stores, and schools need to dispose of their organic waste responsibly, and there are specialized companies that deal with this. But households and smaller businesses also need to dispose of these materials carefully. Using a waste removal company to collect organic waste is an option for many businesses.

Food Waste Through the Supply Chain

Food that is intended for human consumption can be lost or wasted anywhere along the supply chain, from the farm stage where it is sowed, grown, and harvested, to the way it is handled while being transported to the markets, to its journey to the grocery store, and eventually lands up on your table. Unfortunately, much of the food that is fit for human consumption ends up as waste and gets discarded before it even goes past its use-by date. 

The later the waste occurs along this food chain, the greater the environmental impact is, especially when we consider the energy and natural resources needed to reach this stage.

Food Waste - What Can You Do About It?

Tons of foodstuffs are lost or wasted every day at each level of the food chain. There is not much we can do personally on a global level, but on a personal level, we can all make a contribution.

Many of us buy more than we need at the supermarket, yet we let these products go bad before we eat them. These wasteful habits regarding food put a strain on our natural resources and damage our environment. Consider the labor and the resources such as seeds, water, fertilizer, and animal feed that goes into growing and producing our food. Then there are resources that are required for transport and processing it. These increase greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change. So anything we can do to reduce food waste will help our environment.

Here are some easy-to-follow ways to cut down on food waste.

1. Buy only what you need. Before your grocery shop, it is worth checking what you have in your cupboard and fridge so that you don’t buy needlessly.
2. Create meal plans for your family to eliminate buying unnecessary food items. Buying just what you need will cut down on the amount of food you prepare and the uneaten food that is left over.
3. Store food in the fridge so that the fresh products are at the back and the older ones in the front so that they are used first. Keep any fresh produce chilled to extend its shelf life. 
4. Support your local farmers and small businesses by buying local produce. This also helps fight pollution by reducing delivery distances.
5. Deal with organic waste by using it to make compost. Composting is an important link in this chain. Because even when you manage your food waste perfectly, there are always those inedible parts that remain. These can be turned into compost, along with your yard waste, and will help improve the soil in your environment. Imagine if composting is done on a huge scale to improve the soil, improve water quality, and grow future crops on the farms at the beginning of the food chain. 

Why Use Little Green Junk Company for Waste Removal?

When it comes to the removal of your food waste, or in fact any household waste, we are able to assist you.

• Little Green Junk Company is a licensed professional waste pickup company operating in the York PA area. 
• We remove and dispose of any trash generated at home. 
• We recycle any materials and old items like your household waste. But if you need any unwanted appliances or old furniture removed, we can help you too. 
• We use the landfill only when there is no other option, thus keeping as much waste out of our landfills as possible.  
• We are committed to keeping our environment clean and healthy by encouraging recycling and the reuse of your waste.
• We are your local junk removal company covering the York PA, Lancaster, Dover, and Dillsburg area. We are happy to collect your rubble at a time that suits you, even if that means after hours or at weekends. 

Please call us now for a free, no-obligation quote.

Phone: 717-467-0070

Email: inquiries@littlegreenjunk.com

www.littlegreenjunk.com