9 - Urban Waste Flashcards
What are the three primary sources of waste in urban areas?
Industrial waste - produced in the manufacturing process or from industrial activity.
Commercial waste - produced by businesses e.g shops, restaurants, offices.
Personal waste - produced by private homes.
What are the largest components of waste globally (include percentage for each!)?
Organic material (46%)
Paper (17%)
Plastic (10%)
Glass (5%)
What waste is hard to manage/dispose of properly?
Hazardous material - such as medical waste
What is a waste stream?
The flow of waste from its origin through to its eventual disposal.
How do economic characteristics cause waste streams and components of waste to vary?
Richer populations consume more things so create more waste (2.1kg per person per day) than developing countries (0.6kg pppd)
In developed countries, the largest components of waste are paper, then organic material, then plastic.
In developing countries, the largest components of waste are organic material, then plastic, then paper.
Waste streams vary but aren’t linked to wealth but most developing countries don’t have formal recycling systems so many collect recyclable goods from landfills to sell for living.
How do lifestyles cause waste streams and components of waste to vary?
Urban dwellers produce more waste than rural residents.
Urban dwellers produce more manufactured waste.
Rural dwellers produce more organic waste.
Facilities available affect waste streams e.g more likely to recycle waste if recycling facilities are easily accessible and are encouraged to by authorities.
Diets affects components and streams! Processed foods produce high waste from their production and packaging whereas fruit and veg produce more compostable waste and less packaging.
How do attitudes cause waste streams and components of waste to vary?
Many developed countries have a throw-away culture = high levels of waste that cannot be recycled/has a long complex waste stream e.g clothing.
Health concern = throw food away that is near or only just past its sell-by date.
High environment concern = more likely to reuse and recycle!
