How to Get Rid of Weird Trash

How to Get Rid of Weird Trash

Trash Talk: Where Does Your Garbage Go?

Albert Mendoza

Where there are people, there is trash. According to an article in The Atlanticeach person in a developed country produces about 2.6 pounds of trash each day. Have you ever wondered where all this waste goes once it is hauled away? Take a look at the journey your trash takes once it leaves your house. 

Transfer Station

The transfer station is the most likely first stop for your trash once after it gets tossed into a garbage truck. A transfer station is a large facility where garbage from many trucks is dumped into one large space so it can be moved again in a much larger vehicle. It typically includes a concrete space where trucks can back up toward a very large hole and dump all that trash into a huge pile. People working inside the facility may use backhoes or dozers to organize the trash for pick up. 

Many transfer stations have an MRF, or multi reuse facility. In these facilities, the trash will go down a conveyor belt where employees will pick out what can be recycled. Some MRF stations even have large machines that can sort through the trash to determine whether it is recyclable or not. 

Landfill

Unfortunately, most trash ends up in a landfill or dump. A dump is usually a simple dirt hole in the ground, while a landfill can be more complex. 

A landfill may have a liner that separates the trash from the rest of the environment. This keeps trash out of any surrounding groundwater. Then the trash is covered with dirt. It will eventually decompose, but this can take hundreds of years. 

Incinerator

Sometimes trash is taken to a place where it can be gathered up and burned. In the past incinerators have been seen as a dirty and non-environmentally friendly way of dealing with trash. Today's incinerators still release chemicals into the air, but they are also being used to create energy. 

Waste-to-energy incinerators can turn trash into heat or energy to be used for electricity. 

Recycling Facility

When your trash has been sorted and separated, much of it can end up in a recycling facility. Plastics, glass, paper, metals and other materials can be prepared to be reused and reconstructed for other purposes. 

Sometimes recycled items are melted or shredded before they can be used to create new items. This process often happens in a recycling center. 

The trash truck is only the beginning of your household trash's journey. Consider where your trash will end up the next time you put the garbage out. Contact a waste hauling company like USA Hauling Service for more information.


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About Me
How to Get Rid of Weird Trash

These days, there are so many new inventions and weird components to machines and appliances. It's hard to know what's safe to keep, recycle, or throw away when something is all used up. For example, I didn't know until a few months ago what to do with old ink cartridges, used computers, or antique printers. I finally called my local recycling center and asked for a list of things that can be recycled. They even told me about this weeklong event they hold every year where they set up recycling pickup stations for large items so you don't have to drive all the way to the center. Learn more tips and tricks about garbage removal on my blog.