3.1. We generate much waste
3.2. Uncontrolled landfills: the environmental impact of waste
3.3. Reuse and recycling: waste recovery
3.4. Where does trash really go?
3.5. The composting of the organic fraction of waste
3.6. Advantages and disadvantages of controlled disposal and incineration of waste
3.6.1. Controlled Landfills
3.6.2. Waste incineration: energy recovery plants
If waste can cause a serious environmental problem there is no doubt that you have to carry out its proper management. The Catalan and Spanish waste regulation, as well as, the European community regulation, take into account the concept of management. Directive 2006/12/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 5 April 2006 referring to waste, defined management as the collection, transportation, valuation and disposal of waste, including the supervision of such operations and of disposal sites after closing.
Thus, in this section we will firstly analyse the evolution of the amount of waste generated, as well as, the evolution of the amount generated per capita. It is evident that the country that generates more waste is China, but from what country are the people that generate more waste individually? How are things in Catalonia and in Spain? We can not avoid generating waste, but we can do something to reduce the quantity.
In parallel with the first objective (trying to effectively reduce the amount of waste produced), we need to bet on trying to valuate the greatest amount of them. Unrecoverable waste must signify the smallest possible fraction of the total generated and this will be by means of both reuse and for recycling. To achieve this second objective proposed, which involves some obvious environmental and economic benefits, it is absolutely necessary to properly manage waste. But, where should waste go and where does it really go?