Weekly rubbish collection? What is a rubbish collection in London, and how does it work? The grueling waste generated requires a collection system that facilitates its management and avoids the problems derived from its accumulation. In the case of urban solid waste, a weekly rubbish collection system is the responsibility of each municipality. It implies a set of means of action that go from the point of contribution by the holder to the first destination, which can be a warehouse or a facility for its recovery or elimination, as the case may be.
Rubbish collection in London comprises different elements such as the type of container where the waste is deposited, its location, the collection vehicles and their frequency of passage, and the waste managers (public, private, mixed, etc.). The way they are configured will depend on the waste separation model chosen and the characteristics of each municipality or municipal group.
Rubbish collection in London can be classified according to the waste segregation model, such as by fractions (plastics, glass, paper and cardboard, etc.), minimum or multi-product waste. But they can also be classified according to the modality and location of the collection system. The most common collection system is the weekly rubbish collection and that of surface or underground containers of different types, depending on the kind of waste in question.
Another system for rubbish collection in London that is working and giving good results, even better than the previous one, is the door-to-door (PaP). This PaP system delivers waste to the municipal collection service at the entrance of each house or business, setting specific days and times for this and each fraction of waste.
Door to door, a proposal for participation and awareness
The door-to-door rubbish collection in London is suitable for each domestic and commercial waste fraction, whether in bags, small containers or in bulk (for paper and cardboard). The only fraction of waste this system would not be applied to but the usual one for containers is glass. In the case of specific commercial collections, this system allows the collection of a large quantity and quality of waste, avoiding the overflow of the containers or having to dispose of a large amount of these on public roads.
The door-to-door system has been shown to have good results regarding the quantity of waste collected and separation quality. This is a highly recommended collection system for areas where it is easier to identify each person’s trash. Still, it can also work in denser regions and with vertical buildings if the waste collection is used—community containers in multi-family homes.
The configuration of the weekly rubbish collection must consider the population and its needs, as the type and amount of businesses and industries to establish a system that adapts to the municipality’s needs, customs and habits. In addition, rubbish collection in London must be accompanied by an information campaign that facilitates understanding the system and adjusting it once launched to optimize its operation. Thus, the advantages of this rubbish collection system would be potted:
- Higher levels of selective collection and recovery.
- Removal of the containers from the public road (more space on the road, it is unnecessary to maintain and clean the containers, and there are no overflows).
- Anonymity in the delivery of waste disappears.
- The percentage of the population that participates in the selective collection is higher.
- Allows the application of pay-per-generation garbage rates.
- Recycling costs tend to be lower, and the income from integrated management systems, sale of materials and return of the canon are higher.
- The percentage of non-municipal waste for which the municipality ends up being responsible is reduced.
- Complementary selective collection systems (vegetable fraction, bulk) work better.
The optimization of the recycling process is carried out in three stages:
- Identify the generated waste streams and their classification to establish the appropriate collection system.
- Classify waste as biodegradable, hazardous, and non-hazardous to design the recycling plan corresponding to each case, per current legislation.
- Use and reuse of by-products by the company itself or its commercialization.
- This waste separation and recycling system in the industry serves to protect the environment and saves on operating costs caused by investing in a waste disposal process.
The weekly rubbish collection makes it possible to identify the generator of the waste better, thus enabling the implementation of fairer inspection systems, such as payments per generation (for example, per bag or container). The performance of a working rubbish collection will require raising awareness among citizens so that they get involved and participate. In this way, it will be effective and improve waste management.