Types of garbage

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Simon Doyle
Types of garbage
Organic and inorganic waste (plastic, metal, paper, glass and electronic waste)

The types of garbage They are established according to various criteria, such as their origin, composition or ability to be recycled. The word "garbage" refers to all material that has no application for those who generate it and therefore dispose of it..

Garbage can originate in the domestic sphere; waste from household consumption. Garbage is also generated in the commercial field when product packaging is discarded, as well as elements derived from customer consumption.

Garbage can also be generated in industrial activity, especially waste from factory production lines. On the other hand, there are special areas of origin of waste, such as electronic waste, sanitary waste and space waste..

If we classify garbage according to its composition, there are two large groups, organic and inorganic. In this case defined by containing or not organic matter as its main structure.

Article index

  • 1 Types of garbage according to its origin
    • 1.1 Household garbage
    • 1.2 Commercial garbage
    • 1.3 Industrial waste
    • 1.4 Institutional waste
    • 1.5 Agricultural garbage
    • 1.6 Electronic waste
    • 1.7 Sanitary waste
    • 1.8 Space junk
  • 2 Types of garbage according to its composition
    • 2.1 Organic waste
    • 2.2 Inorganic garbage
  • 3 Types of garbage according to its capacity to be recycled
    • 3.1 Recyclable garbage
    • 3.2 Non-recyclable garbage
  • 4 References

Types of garbage according to its origin

According to its origin, the garbage can be classified into:

Domestic trash

It is all solid waste that is produced in the home or complementary areas, such as parks and streets. It is considered from the remains of food to anything that we discard as useless.

This includes scraps of toilet paper, diapers, feminine sanitary pads, discarded clothing, batteries, and batteries. Like broken or discarded furniture, damaged appliances, and debris from small works in the home.

Commercial garbage

Commercial waste is considered to be generated from the specific commercial activity itself. This includes boxes and packaging waste, disposable tableware in catering services, printer ink cartridges, stationery and others..

Industrial garbage

All that material discarded from the production processes and collateral services carried out in the industry is industrial waste. This as long as the referred materials are really destined for disposal and not for recycling..

Industrial waste is in turn divided into many subtypes depending on the industrial branch in question. In such a way that there is metalworking, chemical, trash, and others. A particular case is the rubble derived from the construction and demolition industry..

Institutional garbage

Refers to garbage produced in government, educational, military, prison, air, land and sea terminals.

Agricultural garbage

This includes waste generated in agricultural and livestock production units, such as crop residues and animal feces. As well as containers of agrochemicals, fertilizers and medicines for animals.

Electronic trash

Electronic waste encompasses all electronic equipment and its constituent parts that are discarded for damage or renovation. Examples of electronic waste are waste from computer equipment, televisions, air conditioners, and others. This type of garbage is particularly polluting, given the high content of heavy metals that characterizes it..

Sanitary garbage

This is another particular type of garbage, since it is the waste generated by hospitals, laboratories and other health services. These are syringes, surgical medical equipment, drug containers and even expired drugs and even organic tissue remains. It is undoubtedly a garbage that requires special procedures for its disposal, handling and disposal..

Space junk

This special type of garbage is generated as a result of the decommissioning of artificial objects put into orbit by humans. Those who do not re-enter Earth, are left circling around it becoming space junk.

It includes satellites, space vehicle parts, debris and all kinds of debris related to space missions. Estimates indicate more than 50,000 objects larger than 1 cm in orbit.

Types of garbage according to its composition

According to its composition, garbage can be classified into:

Organic trash

This includes all waste derived from the consumption or use of materials originating from living beings, that is to say, of organic origin. Such is the case with food scraps, crop residues, seeds, animal feces (including human feces) and animal carcasses. As well as ash of vegetable or animal origin, paper without additives, non-synthetic or treated fabric, wood and its derivatives.

  • Organic waste is that which comes from living beings, be they animals or plants.

Inorganic trash

This includes all garbage that does not have a biological origin, that is, it does not derive from living beings or parts of them. Therefore, plastics, metal scraps, electronic waste, synthetic or treated cloth, batteries, batteries, tires, glass and porcelain are considered as inorganic waste. Likewise compact discs, X-rays, paper and cardboard.

In the case of paper and cardboard, although its basic composition is cellulose of vegetable origin, it is considered inorganic waste. This is due to the fact that rubber, synthetic resins and other inorganic substances are added to it in the process of its production. In any case, it is mixed garbage, although for management purposes it must be considered inorganic..

  • Inorganic waste includes plastic, paper, metal, glass and electronic waste.

Types of garbage according to its capacity to be recycled

According to this classification, garbage can be classified into:

Recyclables

It is all garbage for which current technology gives the possibility of being reused or recycled. Such is the case of almost all organic waste, which can be easily biodegraded and used as organic fertilizer..

Also many glass containers are returnable and therefore reusable. While other glass or metal can be recycled to use the material in other production processes.

Many parts and materials can be recovered from electronic devices that can be used as raw materials for new products. For example, gold, tantalum, coltan, lead, copper, zinc, beryllium, and other high-value metals are recovered from cell phones..

Paper and cardboard are also recyclable when they do not have plastic coatings or certain additives. Likewise, glass and many types of plastics are recyclable..

Non-recyclable garbage

Non-recyclable garbage is all that for which there are still no technological variants for recycling or, if it exists, it is not economically profitable. This type of garbage includes fabrics, paper or cardboard that have a plastic application or additives that make recycling difficult. For example, self-adhesive paper, carbon paper, photographs, and some cardboard tableware.

Glass and porcelain are not recyclable either, due to their lead oxide content, and neither are mirrors. Similarly, expanded polystyrene is not recyclable, since when used with food it is contaminated, in addition to its expanded volume making the recycling process difficult..

References

  1. Aldana J and A. Serpell (2012). Construction and demolition waste themes and trends: a meta-analysis. Construction Magazine 12: 4-16.
  2. Jambeck JR, Geyer R, Wilcox C, Siegler TR, Perryman M, Andrady A, Narayan R and Law KL (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science 347: 768-771.
  3. Jursova S (2010). Metallurgical waste and possibilities of its processing. Metal. 18. - 20. 5. Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Česká republika. 6 p.
  4. Montserrat GD (1995). The study of waste: definitions, typologies, management and treatment. Geographic Series. 5: 21-42.
  5. Tello-Espinoza, P., Campani, D. and Sarafian, D.R. (Eds.) (2018). Comprehensive management of urban solid waste. Inter-American Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering.

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