Waste management
Waste Management is a Real Environmental Challenge.
Our planet needs us to change the big picture under which we manage our waste. It is time for us to expand our circle of interest and act as conscious citizens of the environmental and social problems in which we are up to our necks. It is not about perfecting this lifestyle, it is about being actively involved in the decisions of our community.
Why it is important? Waste Management in the country is responsible for almost 10% of Greenhouse Gases in Mexico according to the National Institute of Climate Change in Mexico.
In the climate crisis we are living in, we cannot continue to bury garbage. Most of the garbage in Mexico goes to landfills. This is an outdated, 20th century technology. Landfills emit methane into the atmosphere (a Gas 28 Times more powerful than CO2), pollute soils and are a waste of valuable material.
Don’t let your local governments keep spending public money on this outdated technology. It is an environmental crime that at this stage of the game we continue to bury garbage in landfills generating methane. Get involved in the decisions of your community.
Waste management in Mexico
Most Garbage in Mexico goes to sanitary landfills. This is an outdated technology. Sanitary landfills emit methane to the environment, pollute the soils and bury very important material which could be returned to the economy.
Europe used to have sanitary landfills during the 1980s. This technology always presented leakages of toxic chemicals and methane to the environment. Try to get involved in the decisions of your community and foster Zero Waste strategies.
Fuente: PNPGIR, SEMARNAT (2013) Gestión Integral de Residuos.
Waste management in Germany
Germany is a champion in recycling. It has the highest recycling rates in Europe. However, due to a bad public waste policy in the 1970s, Germany had heavy public spending on incineration plants.
People now recycle so well that they are running out of garbage and have to import it from elsewhere. Those plants only competed versus Zero Waste strategies. Getting energy from inorganic garbage is a very bad idea.
1. In principle, we do not need so much energy
2. It is a tremendous mistake to incinerate garbage (which is not garbage, if it is not a valuable resource that could be returned to the Economy).
Do not allow your governments to expand this type of environmentally and socially costly technology.
Fuente: ONU STAT (2013).
We cant keep a wasteful society on a planet with finite resources
Sanitary landfils bury the evidence
Incineratiors burn the evidence
Zero Waste Hierarchy
In a Zero Waste management strategy, we work together to reduce and conserve materials.
This is achieved through better waste prevention.
2. Cyclical uses of resources is achieved through the circular economy.
3. Change usage schemes for more sustainable schemes.
4. Recycling is the last option
5. We do not bury garbage, we investigate what cannot get recycled and companies participate to improve its design.