​​​​​​​​​​​​Garbage and waste: everything you need to know about the concepts and importance of correct disposal

Have you ever stopped to think about the difference between trash and waste? For many, the terms are used interchangeably. However, technically, there is an important difference that we will show later.

Knowing the distinction between these two words is essential to understanding how to dispose of and manage the waste generated at home and at work. Keep following this article to learn the difference between trash and waste.

What is the difference between trash and waste?

Basically, garbage is everything that is no longer useful, something that will finally be discarded. The residue, on the other hand, can be recycled and used for someone else, as well as becoming raw material for a new product.

It’s clearer now, isn’t it? Even so, there is a certain difficulty for people in knowing how to differentiate garbage and waste in their daily lives, especially regarding the meaning of garbage. 

Trash

The term garbage refers to what is no longer useful and can be thrown away, that is, a material that has completely lost its usefulness and cannot even be considered for reuse.

In other words, garbage is undoubtedly something that society needs to avoid generating as much as possible, since we see the incorrect disposal of tons of garbage on a daily basis, whether in open-air places, rivers, streams and oceans.

Some examples of materials considered as garbage are used toilet paper and napkins, plastic bags and straws, laminated packaging such as cookies and disposable cups. These items lose their function and cannot even be reused.

It is important to highlight the relationship between waste and the environment. Years go by and the generation of waste only increases in society. Therefore, the urgency arose to solve this problem to minimize environmental impacts and try to transform garbage into something reusable. This goes for both organic and inorganic waste.

Residue

Unlike garbage, which is something that cannot be reused and recycled, waste is seen as any leftover material that can be recycled and also reused. In other words, waste is a product that, even though it has already been used, can gain a new use as soon as it is discarded. 

A great example is PET bottle packaging, which is recycled even in the textile industry, in the production of fabrics. Other examples of waste are glass bottles, aluminum cans and paper. Materials like these must be sent to selective collection, which separates glass, plastic, paper and metal for later recycling.

Recycling and waste and waste management in a company

Waste control in a company is essential for its production process. Both large and medium and small companies produce garbage and waste and often do not dispose of it correctly. Actions like this negatively impact the environment.

Therefore, one of the great challenges of organizations is to ensure that all waste is disposed of properly and safely. Proper separation of waste produced is a determining factor for material recycling. Therefore, you need to look at each discarded product carefully.

In addition to paying attention to separating materials properly, it is essential to create awareness of the need to reuse materials, such as paper. These practices enable more savings for the company. Another example in order to avoid the generation of garbage and unnecessary waste is to eliminate any type of disposable cup and encourage employees to bring their own bottles or mugs.

Finally, a company must, without a doubt, invest in the recycling of materials, as well as spread out bins for the proper separation of organic and recyclable waste.

Need help?

SCS Group Integrated Services specializes in cleaning and building maintenance and has customized solutions to meet the disposal and separation demands of companies, always with maximum agility and efficiency.

Through a strategic and customized plan according to the needs of your enterprise, we optimize services to ensure that your company’s focus and productivity are not impaired.