As the global population is rising continuously, so does the strain we put on the planet. At the same time, the amount of waste humans generate is higher than ever before, and this is due to the global pandemic too. People are spending more time than ever online ordering food, clothes, electronics, household items, and many more. And all these come packed in cardboard, bubble wraps, or plastic which usually are not recyclable and end up in our landfills.
Even though countries try to impose some restrictions regarding the waste, the amount that is generated daily is incredible. And if it is not on our landfills, it is in our oceans. Plastic pollution is rising continuously and it is damaging nature, animals, and our health. Even though many people are not aware of the consequences of pollution on our health, they are there. Not only plastic, but all waste that is not properly disposed of and ends up in nature, oceans, or on landfills has toxic compounds. These compounds reach the soil and contaminate it, killing and damaging not only the soil fauna but also the survival of plants. And we should not forget that most of our food comes from soil or relies heavily on it to grow and develop.
As waste management and recycling become a priority for many countries around the globe, governments, scientists, and environmentalists are looking for ways to reduce them. If a few years ago, China and other countries were importing waste and rich countries had an easy time sending it across the ocean, this is not possible anymore. China is no longer accepting waste from the United States, so new solutions and trends must emerge. Let’s see which are the waste and recycling trends to watch in 2021.
Computer Technology, Recycling, and Waste Management
One of the main problems that stay in the way of recycling is sorting the waste, says an environmentalist from AssignmentHolic. Even though recycling and sorting correctly the waste gain more and more momentum, people still need to learn how to do it. This is why computer technology could step in at sorting facilities and help. Some robots are driven by AI, but there is also the trend of machine learning. If we combine these two, the result is awesome. Industrialized robots that sort the waste automatically. This would increase the rate of recycling in every country and also the management of waste.
Computer technologies can be used for more than this. Some startups are already working on developing smart bins. For example, some bins could detect if people are recycling, depending on the waste they are throwing in it.
The Trend of Compost
The main concern is that people are not sorting their waste or they do this too little. There is also the problem of green waste whose value is underestimated. However, composting will be one of the iconic trends of 2021. As 2020 was marked by the inception of the global pandemic that changed the way we live and eat, people started turning to the environment for peace and relaxation.
Green waste is represented by all the organic waste we people are generating. For example, potato or apple peels, paper, and many more can be composted. This means that they break down in the soil and turn into nutrients, so essential for other plants and the soil fauna. In 2021, we will see a tremendous development of compost facilities that could transform green waste into biofuel.
This will be of huge help for managing the waste we are generating. Compost facilities will support restaurants, bars, or pubs that generate an immense quantity of food waste or green waste that can be later used and not thrown on the landfill.
Circular Economies
The concept of a circular economy is not a new one, but rather one that will grow tremendously during 2021, notice experts from top essay writing services uk. This concept promotes a closed system where products are used, recycled, or reused, and nothing gets lost on the way. This also means that recycling and composting are some of the main activities promoted by the circular economy to reduce the amount of waste.
In a circular economy, the main principle is to not waste anything. So, everything is a resource that can be recycled or upcycled. This is an environmentally friendly system that can be implemented across countries worldwide.
Renewable Energy
One of the main principles of circular economies is the use of renewable energy. But this is a trend that will rise in 2021 tremendously. The shift to renewable sources of energy is already happening because the actual ways of producing energy are damaging to the environment. They contribute to global warming and climate changes and a replacement needs to be found.
Gladly, renewable energy is the solution everyone is looking for. Depending on the local climate conditions, solar panels, wind turbines, or hydro energy could work just fine for you. As more and more people are becoming aware of the environmental and climate effects of their choices and lifestyles, renewable energy becomes one of the trends that will describe not only 2021, but the years that follow too.
Recyclable Packaging
Because 2020 was the year when most people spent their time inside, the domain of e-commerce experienced tremendous growth. But the waste generated by online orders is even higher than before. To reduce it, companies are turning their attention towards recyclable packaging materials.
This is a trend that will slowly conquer the industry of food delivery, one that generates huge amounts of waste that comes only from the packaging. Even though not all versions of packaging will be compostable, businesses need to shift to ones that are easier to be recycled than the actual forms. This means to shift to cardboard boxes, compostable and recycled paper, and lighter versions of plastic that can be recycled.
Protective Equipment
The global pandemic is here to last from what it seems. We will likely be needed to wear protective equipment such as face masks or gloves for some time. And currently, we can see face masks everywhere. Just a walk in the park and you will see face masks near the recycle bin, in trees, or irresponsible thrown on the ground. Besides the environmental impact of pollution, protective equipment not disposed of responsibly poses epidemiological risks.
Fortunately, a designer from Holland has invented the facemask that can be planted after using it. It has seeds incorporated in the material, which is compostable. So, after you are using the face mask, you can plant it and flowers will grow out of it. This is a nice solution to reducing pollution with protective equipment.
Final Words
Thankfully, there is more media coverage of essential topics that need to be discussed during these times, apart from the global pandemic. Pollution is reaching alarming rates, with 91% of the world exposed to one or more types of pollution. Air pollution is among the most dangerous ones that affect millions of people every year and it is responsible for 9% of the annual global deaths.
But air pollution is not the only danger that lies ahead if we do not change our lifestyles. Our soils and oceans are full of plastic. We can see waste disposed of inappropriately even when we hike, affecting the life of many animals and the growth of flowers. Opting for renewable energy, recyclable packaging, and compostable protective equipment will be just a few of the trends to watch in 2021.
Computer technology will begin to be used in generating solutions to reduce the waste and sort it while composting and circular economy will be more popular. Green waste is a concept that will gain more momentum this year, especially because it comes with the immense value of generating biofuels.
Jessica Chapman is a lab report writer and editor from Chicago. She collaborates with an essay writing service uk and https://dissertation-today.com/.
Image: https://www.csuohio.edu/sites/default/files/waste_recycling.png