Environment-Friendly Waste Destruction

Environment friendly waste destruction might be more complex than it sounds because it deals with more than how we dispose of glass, cardboard or plastics. Obviously to be environmentally friendly as much as possible the waste product should be recycled, reused and put back into service. However, what about waste that formerly was dumped into landfills or burned, but now is determined to be hazardous such as PCs, monitors and electronics? Is it as simple as shredding or melting and re-using?
A short answer is that new regulations recognize that electronic components contain hazardous materials such as Cadmium, lead, mercury, and traditional waste destruction or disposal methods simply release toxic elements slowly or quickly into the air or soil. Waste destruction of cardboard, paper or glass is by comparison relatively simple to accomplish and current recycling methods are usually enough to reduce waste significantly. However, electronic and electrical items, which fall under the Waste Electronic Electrical Equipment directives, require special handling by law and to protect the environment.
Traditionally methods of waste destruction might involve burning or melting which produces more environmentally unfriendly waste such as smoke slag and ash and contributes to pollution. Compounding this problem, certain electronic and electrical items also release toxic gases, and heavy metals left in the slag and ash making an unacceptable waste destruction method even more costly in environmental terms.
The Environmentally Friendly Answer to Waste Destruction
Waste Destruction on some items as noted is difficult even with legislation in force. What this means is if the homeowner or the business owner has a large amount of waste that is not easily recycled such as electronics or PC or even electronic toys, they are faced with the problem of how to get rid of it legally and in a none environmentally destructive manner.
The average home in the UK produces at least 4 Kg of electronic waste a year. The landfills cannot be used to dispose of this waste in an environment friendly manner and recycling uses are limited on some items. That is the problem. The solution is to return the items to the individual manufacturers or to locate a waste disposal company that will deal with it in a legal and environment friendly manner.
Cheaper is not always better when it comes to waste destruction as the proper disposal of the items may require dismantling with parts going to different places. This is acceptable to most because it reduces the incidence of illegal waste disposal and of incidental clean up costs.
Before engaging a company to dispose of your waste, it is important that you research their disposal methods, insure they are registered with the appropriate waste disposal authority.
Disposing of waste in a fashion that affects the environment the least has become important to companies seeking to improve their policies and homeowners concerned about the future. It is not just laws are behind the changes in policies and the focus of waste destruction in the UK and Europe.