More packaging is thrown away than any other time of year and more waste is left on our streets for sweepers to clean up following the annual Christmas party, making the aftermath a busy time for the resource management industry. Even the most ardent recyclers can sometimes not face the challenge during the festive period.
Solving the Christmas waste issue is never going to be straight-forward, no behavioural change ever is. However, we have to be able to move away from the perennial stories connecting the two topics, such as the news that 1 billion cards end up in the bin, when they could be recycled or the equivalent of two million turkeys that get thrown away. It’s just not sustainable to carry on in this way.
The approach needs to be two-fold, by identifying where in the production process surplus resources are being created and reduce these in the first place – through the use of management information systems for example – and better management of the waste when it is time to dispose of it.
Communications
Communications with businesses and consumers about limiting their excesses play an important part in reducing waste. Local authorities also need to ensure they do all they can to collect material or keep municipal waste sites open over the festive period – we recognise that many already lay on extra services to cover this period for this very purpose and provide detailed information about what to do with waste.
It is also up to us in the waste management industry to do our bit by developing the systems that effectively deal with waste, diverting as much as possible from landfill for reuse or energy from waste purposes.
It is also important that all systems are robust enough to deal with the increased requirements during this period as any downtime can have an even more significant impact than usual. Parts and labour must also be available should the worst happen.
It would be nice to think that this time next year, the stories will all be about the reduction in waste at Christmas time rather than a further increase. Wouldn’t that be a present we’d all like?
Related links
www.cdenviro.com
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