April 2023

By 2050, waste production is predicted to be 73% higher than in 2020.
Even worse is the fact that the mass of the generated waste is so big that it can't be processed properly. Only 71% of global solid waste is collected, with 33% openly dumped.

Two significant factors related to tremendous waste generation: the overexploitation of natural resources, and the overconsumption of modern societies. Proper waste management involves how we choose to discard our waste and reducing its production.

Let’s tackle this huge challenge together and learn how to transform our consumption behaviour, and which measure we can take immedately.

WHAT IS WASTE?

Trash, rubbish, garbage, refuse…. Waste can go by any of these names. No matter how we choose to call it, it is essential to note that waste, in the way we conceptualise it, is a result of human activities. Waste could be referred to as a product or substance no longer suited for its intended use and, as a result, no longer rendered valuable by its owner. It is, in very simple words, items without value.

But is this value objective? Sometimes the term waste can be subjective. For example, a lamp that is not working anymore is probably considered ‘waste’ by its owner, but it is a functioning item for someone who can repair it.

Know your waste - Classifying waste

Not all types of waste have the same environmental impact. We need to understand our waste to treat it appropriately and thus sustainably. Waste can be classified roughly into two major categories: residential-household and commercial-institutional.

RESIDENTIAL-HOUSEHOLD WASTE

…comes from residential areas and is the type of waste that regards us as individuals. By and large, we can differentiate between three large categories of this household waste: organic, inorganic and hazardous waste.

Organic waste: kitchen and garden waste such as vegetable peelings, cores of fruits etc., which can undergo biodegradation.

Inorganic waste: basic everyday materials, including paper, plastic, glass and metal. Inorganic waste can be further classified into recyclable and non-recyclable waste.

Hazardous waste: discarded chemical products that threaten public health or the environment. It originates from activities like cleaning, maintenance, technology (e.g., batteries, electronic waste, like Laptops →, and Smartphones →), personal care (e.g., razors, hairspray cans), medicine and agriculture (e.g., bottles of solid chemicals such as detergents or pesticides).

COMMERCIAL-INSTITUTIONAL WASTE

…is created primarily in places of retail, hospitality, and services - namely, stores, hotels, restaurants, health care, banks, insurance companies, education, retirement homes, public services and transport.

SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT

Removing waste from premises and public areas is waste management's first and basic goal. But waste management is not just about getting rid of rubbish. As an individual, the two main ways to sustainably handle waste are minimising its production and disposing of it properly.

Minimise your waste production

The best way of handling waste is to avoid its creation in the first place. Waste prevention is the most cost-effective and preferred solid waste management activity. As mentioned above, the term “waste” can be subjective. This means that what we handle as waste is a conscious decision; consequently, we control the quantity we generate.

RECONSIDER YOUR CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOUR

Consumption and waste creation go hand in hand. Usually, the more we consume, the more waste we generate. Sustainable consumption refers to decisions over what, when, where and how much we choose to buy. So as individuals, the first step to adopting a conscious waste mentality is to reform our consumption habits. What does this mean? It means we think more before buying, reduce what we buy, and reuse what we have before replacing.

3 TIPS TO REDUCE WASTE PRODUCTION

…or: “The 3 pillars of sustainable consumption”

Rethink the consequences of your consumption. Before choosing a product, ask yourself how it was produced (is a more sustainable alternative available?), how it will be used and where it will end up.

Reduce consumption. When on the verge of buying, ask yourself: “Will that make me happier?” “Do I need it?”. And choose to buy only what you truly love and need.

Reuse items whenever possible. Introduce buying second-hand commodities in your consumption mentality. And before throwing away stuff you consider old or broken, think of alternative ways to use it, or find someone who needs/ appreciates what you do not need anymore.

8 TIPS TO MINIMISE PACKAGING WASTE

Packaging is an essential source of waste generation. As consumers, we have two main options for mitigating the impact of packaging waste: we either recycle the packaging or focus on the preventative approach of reducing it.

Here is some advice on how to reduce packaging waste:

Choose packaging-free products. When you opt for loose products, e.g. fruits and vegetables, you minimise not only packaging waste but also food waste by only shopping for the precise amounts you genuinely need.
Learn more about Food Packaging Alternatives →.
Buy in bulk. This means choosing products that come in a single large container with multiple servings of the product - e.g. pasta, rice, paper goods, dried legumes etc. An excellent place to start would be the producers' webpage - sometimes, you can purchase larger quantities directly in the producers' online shop, but not at retailers.
Opt for products in refillable containers, e.g. personal care, cleaning products and food items such as glass jars and reusable plastic bottles (especially dried goods).

Give up on single-use products such as wet wipes, cotton pads, makeup remover wipes, plastic plates and cutlery.
Bring your reusable shopping bags to avoid buying additional packaging at the checkout.

When ordering takeouts In restaurants and cafes, bring your refillable containers, such as reusable water bottles, stainless steel coffee mugs, and food containers.
Opt for products with recycled and/ or biodegradable packaging
Look out for innovative, sustainable packaging such as smart bottles and edible boxes (for example, bottles made from sugar cane or algae). These packaging innovations are not yet on the mass market, but it is only a matter of time before this happens.

Learn more about your options to swap and check out our piece on Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic →.

Dispose of waste properly: Recycling.

There is no way around it (not yet): We generate waste. So, how do we deal with the inevitable?
Ideally, our trash gets recycled. We need to pre-sort it to support recycling stations in recycling our waste.

Recycling is a series of activities that includes:

Collecting used, reused, or unused items that would otherwise be considered waste
Processing the recyclable products into raw materials
Remanufacturing the recycled raw materials into new products.

The primary categories of household waste are paper, glass, plastic, metal, organic, and electronic waste. Recycling can efficiently recover scarce resources such as aluminium.
Did you know it takes four times less energy to recast a can than to produce it from scratch?

CREATE A RECYCLING ROUTINE - STEP BY STEP

Starting a recycling routine within your household can feel overwhelming initially, as there is a lot of information to seek. But don’t worry! Our advice is to take it step by step. Make sure to start from the basics, such as separating your glass and paper from the rest of the trash.

Check our 6-Step-by-Step Guide → to learn how to establish a long-term recycling routine.

AN EASY GUIDE TO PROPER RECYCLING

Get started researching your national and local recycling rules. Ask at the recycling centre or browse tips from your local conservation organisation. As a rule of thumb, throwing the item in the rubbish is better than placing it incorrectly in the recycling bin while contaminating valuable waste.
Get notified about where each recyclable material should be placed. Each country has a reasonably different waste-separation standard, so be informed about what your local recycling centre accepts and the rules of proper separation.
According to your municipality's instructions, learn to identify recycling symbols to know what is recyclable and what is not. And get informed about what belongs in which bin.

Whenever possible, separate different packaging material layers from each other.
Wash your dirty packaging/ products before disposing them in the appropriate recycling bin.
Many recycling-sorting facilities will not open closed opaque bags for safety reasons, so collect your plastic recyclables in a transparent bag where the content is quickly revealed.
Recycle textiles by placing them in specialised clothing recycling bins around your residence.
Pay extra attention to hazardous waste. Do not throw electrical equipment in the trash but at local recycling drop-off points. For example, many local supermarkets offer collection points for used batteries or light bulbs, where they can be safely recycled.
Glossy paper (such as magazines) can be recycled, so do not hesitate to put it in the paper recycling bin.
Do not crumple your paper before tossing it in the recycling bin. The more intact paper is, the more money it is worth, as the (cellulose) fibres are more robust, increasing the number of times it can be recycled.
Paper with adhesive glue (such as post-its) can only be recycled when separating the glue from the paper.
In some areas, styrofoam from packaging can be recycled, but a few recycling facilities only accept it.
Try to reduce the volume and bulkiness of recyclable waste. e.g. folding cardboard boxes and crushing plastic bottles and aluminium cans.

Learn more in our manual entries about Composting → and Sustainable Packaging →.

MATERIALS THAT CAN NOT BE RECYCLED

Those non-recyclable materials are considered trash and should be disposed of in the garbage bin.

Cardboard and paper stained with greases like pizza boxes and pastry bags.
Products smaller than a post-it note.
Diapers, paper towels, napkins.
Products made of inseparably mixed materials such as greaseproof and plasticised paper.
Broken glass, like pieces of a fractured mirror, window or drinking glasses.
Shredded paper.
Receipts from credit card machines or supermarkets.
Personal protective equipment (facemasks, gloves, protective gowns etc.).

IN SHORT: What we can do to avoid, minimise & optimise our waste production

To wrap it up, as a consumer, you can contribute to achieving proper waste management through behaviours such as:

Minimise consuming unnecessary products.
Select items with the least packaging.
Avoid disposable goods or single-use materials.
Opt for second-hand commodities.
Buy products that are recycled, recyclable, repairable and reusable.
Recycle waste properly, especially hazardous waste.
Repurpose items instead of throwing them away.
Donate items like old clothes in good condition to charity organisations or vulnerable families.

Learn from the experts

In the following, we have gathered some helpful sources for you to dive deeper into recycling and waste-avoidance practices.

"Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste", by Bea Johnson
"Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash", by Shia Su
"Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too", by Beth Terry
"The Zero Waste Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Cooking Without Waste", by Giovanna Torrico and Amelia Wasiliev
"Waste Not: How To Get The Most From Your Food", by James Beard Foundation
"Plastic-Free: Wie ich dem Plastik den Kampf ansage und wie du das auch kannst", by Sandra Krautwaschl
"Die Müllbibel: Wie wir richtig entsorgen und nachhaltig leben", by Olaf Tamm
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