Why Waste Management Is Everyone’s Problem

Packaging from deliveries, uneaten food, old electronics, plastic bottles, and other items that can be considered refuse are all part of a single enormous problem. The modern world generates an extraordinary volume of refuse for which conventional systems are unprepared.

Consequently, waste management can no longer be a background service, but rather an essential service. The industry is rapidly changing, as evidenced by the GMI report which forecasts that for the period ending in 2032, the Saudi Arabia Waste Management Market will experience a robust 7.4% CAGR. Growth of this magnitude tells us that smart waste management is a requirement, not an option.

This leads us to ask the question, what does waste management do today?

Modern Waste Management

The term waste management encompasses much more than simply collecting and discarding waste. It includes the collection, transportation, sorting, processing, recycling, and disposal of dangerous and non-hazardous waste.

In the past, chopping up waste and sending it to dirty incinerators and landfills was the only “solution.” As time went on, however, waste management systems developed, and the methods began to show cracks. Some of the exposed cracks included increased air and water pollution and the landfilling of reusable materials.

Landfills, incinerators, and the systems designed to manage them rounded out the waste “solution.” Today, however, that focus has changed, and so have the core goals of waste management. The new goals include minimizing waste, reusing materials, recycling, and recovering value.

Where Old Systems Fail

Technology and innovation have yet to lessen the burdens presented by landfills and incinerators. Landfills still produce methane and leachate, which contaminate surrounding bodies of water and the soil. The air pollution produced by incinerators remains. As cities grow, the costs associated with waste management increase, and vulnerable areas containing waste facilities are surrounded by social injustices.

These problems require a more innovative approach to waste management.

Waste Management Without Complications

Innovative and sustainable management of waste systems involves technology, smart planning, and recycling.

The persistent mantra of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” remains. When waste is minimized at the SOURCE, everything else becomes proactive.

The process of recycling new technologies transforms organic waste and food into compost, which is valuable soil. Recycling systems use new technology in sorting, making recycling more precise and quicker.

Cutting edge waste collection software is tracking bin levels and optimizing collection routes. It is also tracking recycling metrics. This keeps unnecessary collection trips to a minimum, saving fuel and reducing carbon emissions. Overall, efficiency is increased.

Community education is also key. When people are educated on segregation of waste and the reasons behind it, the efficiency of the entire system is improved.

Emerging Trends

Smarter waste bins that capture and transmit real time data. Cities working towards a zero-waste goal. Circular economy systems where materials are reused. Biodegradable packaging substituting traditional plastics. Regulations imposed by governments.

These are the emerging trends or the future of waste collection. More intelligent systems, a cleaner and smarter urban environment, and lower reliance on renewable resources.

How To Take Real Steps

The start of sustainable waste management is easy.

Audit your waste to see what is actually getting discarded. Utilize collection systems that modernize your workflows. Educate the community to create individual ownership. Back policies that support recycling and the proper disposal of waste. Encourage collaboration between the private and public sectors.

The accumulative effects of small actions should not be underestimated.

Final Thoughts

Effective waste management means holding a responsibility. Responsibility for the environment. Responsibility for the people, and communities, and years to come.

With Saudi Arabia developing the waste management industry at a rapid pace, the possibilities for building better systems are endless. The way we manage and control waste today determines the sustainable future we will have.