What happens to our garbage after it is collected?

Every day, we throw countless items into the trash without knowing exactly what happens to them afterward. But the journey of our waste is more complex and crucial than many of us realize. Below, we take a look at what happens to our trash after it's been picked up by the garbage collectors.

The journey of garbage: From the bin to the sorting plant

After collection by the garbage collector, the first stage of the garbage journey begins: transport to the sorting facility. Here, the waste is separated into various categories, such as paper, plastics, glass, and organic waste. Modern technologies such as magnets and infrared scanners are used to optimize sorting. This separation is crucial, as only correctly sorted waste can be efficiently processed.

At the sorting plant, humans and machines work hand in hand. While machines do most of the heavy lifting, human workers are responsible for manually removing problematic waste and ensuring that the sorted waste is as clean as possible. This collaboration maximizes efficiency and improves the quality of the sorted material.

The collected and sorted waste is then baled and prepared for further processing. For many materials, this means they are ready for recycling. Other types of waste that cannot be recycled are prepared for the next steps in the disposal process. The sorting plant thus forms the heart of waste processing and plays a key role in determining what happens to our waste.

Recycling, incineration or landfill: The path of waste

A large portion of the sorted waste ends up in recycling plants. There, the materials are cleaned and processed before being returned to the production cycle. Paper, for example, is processed into new paper, while glass is melted down and molded into new bottles. Recycling is an important process for conserving natural resources and saving energy.

However, not all waste is suitable for recycling. Some materials end up in waste incineration plants, where they are burned at high temperatures. This type of incineration has the advantage of drastically reducing waste volume while simultaneously generating energy in the form of electricity and heat. However, incineration also produces CO2, which is why this process is controversial and is continually being optimized to reduce emissions.

Waste that cannot be recycled or efficiently incinerated ultimately ends up in landfills. There, it is safely stored to minimize environmental impact. Modern landfills have systems to control pollutant emissions and collect methane gas, which can be used as an energy source. Despite these advances, landfill storage remains the least preferred method of waste disposal, consuming valuable land and posing long-term environmental risks.

The journey of our waste is complex and multifaceted, and every step plays a crucial role in the environmental sustainability of our waste disposal. Through proper sorting, recycling, and the use of modern technologies, we can significantly reduce the impact of our waste on the environment. Ultimately, it is also up to us to prevent waste in the first place and to recycle consciously in order to minimize our ecological footprint.