Making rubbish is every human’s job, although not willingly humans create rubbish, even when they don’t realise it people create waste which brings the need for continuous rubbish removal and disposal.

Plastic BagThese days, big part of rubbish removal and disposal has to do with recycling and reuse. Problem is that still, not too many of the materials and items used on a daily basis can be effectively recycled or reused.

Here is a good example of how recycling soft drink cans saves energy: Usually soft drink cans are made of aluminium-like alloys (aluminium is too expensive to use on its own). These metal alloys are valuable and suitable for many other uses apart from making cans. To put things in perspective –recycling a single can of soft drink saves the same amount of energy as could be created by half of that can full of petrol. One international soft drink giant says they sell about one point seven billion cans of soft drink each day worldwide. If each of these cans were recycled, this would save the energy equivalent created by over three hundred million litres petrol – a staggering figure indeed. This is enough energy to drive around Australia more than two hundred and thirty thousand times in a non-fuel efficient vehicle.

Most of the time, rubbish removal practices in large cities are quite decent. Problem is however, that people throw out items and materials which have been wasted not used, depleted or exhausted. Take for example a metropolis like Sydney. Home to nearly five million people, rubbish removal in the city is second to none but it turns out that people are the one doing the wasting – exactly a decade ago, in two thousand four, it was estimated that each Sydney household wastes over twelve hundred dollars in tossed out goods per year. In total this adds up to two and a half billion of wasted dollars literally, and that’s in twenty o four alone. Most of the waste was food – guess the ‘starving kids in Africa’ pep talk isn’t working.

Rubbish removal and disposal in large cities suffers greatly from plastic bags. These handy everyday items are an unbelievable nuisance to collect, dispose and recycle. Australians use nearly four billion plastic bags every year. Although made of non-renewable materials, plastic bags are recyclable which is somewhat of a comforting thought. As everyone knows, plastic bags are made using crude oil derivatives like petroleum, and now the facts – the petroleum contained in nine plastic bags is enough to power a car for one kilometre. If Australians used the amount of petrol contained in four billion plastic bags for their vehicles, they could travel an extra four hundred and fifty million kilometres. Travelling four hundred and fifty million kilometres would mean crossing the Australian continent more than one hundred and twelve thousand times.

Now you see there is more to rubbish removal and disposal than meets the eye. Consume responsibly, try not to waste and spare a thought for future generations.

  • In 1885, the first garbage incinerator was built on Governor’s Island, NY Harbour.
  • In the years to follow – up to 1908, rubbish removal practices in the US improved greatly which resulted in the construction of 180 garbage incinerators in total.
  • By 1889, people living close to dumps were complaining to local authorities as living near such places was unbearable – the dire need for new rubbish removal and waste management practices was evident.
  • In 1893, Boston residents were still in the practice of disposing of waste in ‘amusing yet horribly menacing ways’ – properly organised rubbish collection system was in place, but it was paid so people weren’t willing to fork out for rubbish removal.
  • Garbage CollectionIn 1896, official records of the City of Chicago, indicate that the waste problem plaguing certain portions of the city was becoming unbearable and people were dying because of it.
  • In 1897, rubbish collection moved a step up with the construction and putting into operation of the first ever recycling centre in NYC.
  • A year later in 1898, NYC’s Street Cleaning Commissioner, establishes the country’s first rubbish sorting plant in order to separate different types of waste after rubbish collection and make recycling more efficient.
  • In 1899, official acts by the US Government, ban waste dumping in all rivers, especially navigable ones as rubbish floating in rivers is hazardous to vessels on the river.
  • In 1900, All American cities begin record keeping of amounts of waste processed after rubbish removal.
  • Also in 1900, legislation made rubbish removal in US the job of local public authorities, prior to that health authorities were in charge of rubbish collection and disposal.
  • In 1900, many settlements in North America had their own piggeries – special farms where pigs were fed waste, a weird but effective way to follow up on rubbish collection practices. It was estimated that one healthy pig can eat up to a ton of waste per year.
  • In 1902, A Massachusetts based survey indicated that 80% of all towns and cities in the state had a proper rubbish collection system and provided regular amounts of refuse.
  • In 1904-5, large to medium scale recycling operations are popping up over Chicago and Cleveland.
  • In 1905, NYC council decides to use the energy created by the city’s waste incinerator to illuminate the Williamsburg Bridge – a good reason to keep the city’s rubbish removal system working properly.
  • Unfortunately in 1909, many of North America’s waste incinerators were closed down as they were inadequately built and poorly run. In result, the continent’s vast land supply and scarce population provided a solution, although not a good one – dumping and landfills.
  • In 1910 were established the first neighbourhood based sanitation organisations which observed rubbish removal and kept suburbs clean. Their efforts were collectively known as city beautification programs.
  • In 1917, WWI is in full swing and the US government introduces a mass scale recycling program where after rubbish removal, waste is recycled for wartime purposes.
  • 1932 saw the introduction of the first compactor rubbish removal trucks.

If you want to give your contribution to making the world a better place, it is much easier than it sounds. We have a responsibility towards the environment, because people are actually the only living beings on this planet that do something to harm nature. So, for everything we take, we are supposed to give back. Fortunately, it is nearly as scary or demanding as it looks like when you actually say it.

Everything that you have to do is follow several simple strategies in your life that are going to help in the fight for saving the environment, like:

  • Saving energy. If you think about it, you use much more energy than you actually need – whether it is for heating, light or using the electronic gadgets that have infested our lives in the past several years alone. Saving energy is however pretty easy. There are for example timers for lamps available in most hardware stores around London that are going to turn off the lights in your home at a precise hour every day. You can also make a habit out of turning off lights and any electrical appliances every time that you leave a certain room in your home.
  • Unplug devices that you do not use. No matter whether we are talking about a toaster or a laptop, leaving the device plugged in the electrical system after you are done using it eats up a considerable amount of energy. Power strips are actually pretty useful here, because you can plug all the devices in one particular area into them and when you are done using them, you just plug out one cable.
  • Energy Saving MethondsElectrical companies today offer energy from renewable sources. This is really trendy in the United States right now but the trend is coming to the UK too. Contact your local energy provider and ask about if they use renewable energy sources. There are ways to encourage such environment friendly policies in your district too by appealing to your Parliament representatives too.
  • The dryer is definitely a handy machine but you cannot imagine how much energy it consumes. And when you come to think of it, you do not need a dryer that much in your life. Before the device has been invented everyone used simple clothes line, and many people continue to do so even now. So why don’t you simply forget about the dryer and join the above-mentioned. It is a small step, and despite the slight discomfort, it will be your contribution to making the world a better place. For the same reason you can reduce the use of the air-conditioner.
  • Proper waste management. Pick up the rubbish removal company in your area that has the most environment friendly policies. Rubbish removal contractors today more and more often offer to recycle your rubbish for you, which is a great way to deal with the problem without having to spare additional time and energy on the job.

PlayroomEvery child should have its own playroom, a safe playroom where he/she can play in full comfort. So if you haven’t yet child-proofed your kid’s playroom, keep reading as we will present to you several tips on how to convert the playroom into a safe room.

  1. Cover the sockets – Children tend to stick their fingers everywhere and this is why electrocution is one of the most common safety issues when it comes to kids. In order to protect your children you must simply replace your current wall sockets with new ones that have covers. The covers are child-proof which means that you children cannot open them on their own. By placing such sockets not only in the playroom but the entire house you will have the peace of mind that your children are protected from any potential electrocutions.
  2. Latch the windows – Children adore sunlight so not having windows in the playroom isn’t an option. However not placing sliding windows and maintaining the windows closed with a specialized locking mechanism is an option that you should immediately implement into the playroom. By placing such windows you will ensure the necessary amount of nature light into the room without having to worry that you children may hurt its fingers and fall from one of the windows.
  3. No sharp objects – A children’s playroom should contain sharp objects and edges. So when you are choosing the furnishings for the room avoid choosing furnishings that have sharp edges. Also instead of placing traditional chairs which lead to accident opt for bean bag chairs. These chairs have literally no edges and are so soft that you children will enjoy sitting and lie on them.
  4. Lock the bathroom – The playroom will most likely have an attached bathroom where your children can go when they are in need. On the other hand if your kids are too small to go to the bathroom on their own you should keep it locked and have your kids come to you when they need to go. This way your small ones won’t go to the bathroom unattended which will give you the comfort of mind that your children are playing in a safe environment.
  5. No synthetic carpets –    Synthetic carpets tend to accumulate a lot of hazardous particles such as germs, bacteria, allergens, dust and dirt. So under any circumstances don’t consider placing a synthetic carpet in the playroom. Instead opt for a rubber tiles or a nylon carpet which don’t harbor any of the aforementioned harmful particles.

Once that you have child-proofed the playroom, don’t waste more time and energy clearing the waste that has accumulated. Instead call a professional rubbish removal company and have it collect the waste. Also don’t worry that rubbish removal services may be too expensive because nowadays most waste collection companies work with highly affordable prices.

When the trash is removed and the room has been cleaned, invite your children to the room and explain to them that this is there room where they can play, study and have fun all the time.

You are tired of your homes atmosphere and you have decided to remodel your house in order to make it more up to date. If that is your case keep reading because we have listed several high tech gadgets that you will want to have in your new contemporary home.

  1. Transparent television – The transparent TV was designed by prominent designer Michael Friebe. The television is described by many technology experts and interior designers as a technology masterpiece as it combines perfectly the conventional LCD technology with the latest TOLED display technology. By placing a transparent television in your living room you will automatically give to the room a more futuristic touch. Even more when your TV is off you won’t be steering at a large plastic box but at a transparent window that will reveal to you and your guest what is behind it.
  2. Door handle with self-sterilization system – By replacing your current door handles with this handle you won’t ever have to worry but something with dirty hands has been touching your handles. These handles have a built-in UV light that continuously sterilizes the handle when it is not being used. The light turns off automatically when somebody touches and handle to open the door and when turns back on to remove all germs and bacteria from the handle. Once again the only downside of this remodeling solution is that you will require professional rubbish removal services once you have replaced all your handles.
  3. The Floor Plan Light Switch – Are you tired go running after your children and turning the light off? If you are then the Floor Plan Light Switch is a must have feature. This light switch will allow you to know which areas are illuminated and which are not and therefore light or turn off the lights remotely. By installing this amazing piece of technology in your home you won’t only give a more techy feeling to your home but you will also save a lot of money as you will be able to reduce your household’s consummation of electricity.
  4. Dimensional wall panels – Place these 3D panels in your home instead of replacing the wallpapering or repaint your walls. By mounting 3D panels in your home you will create interesting shapes and shadows in your home which will give a more playful mood to your home. The only downside of this remodeling option is that you will require professional rubbish removal services once the panel mounting is over.
  5. Sony-EclipseSony Eclipse – This amazing device is a music player that you mount on one your windows. The player has photovoltaic cells on its back and is powered by sunlight. This means that you will not only be able to listen to your favorite tracks within using electricity but that you will also never face the problem of having a low battery on your music player.

As you see there are numerous high tech gadgets on the market that can give your home a more futuristic and up to date feeling. So now the choice is yours which gadgets will use and which you won’t.

Gloomy predictions and scenarios on how the planet runs out of energy resources may not be as farfetched as they initially seemed. Although alternative energy sources are in the making (and likely some of them are ready) people need to get in that specific mind frame and understand that rubbish removal and disposal are just the tip of the iceberg.

Separating glass from plastics and papers and so forth is indeed a great way to make rubbish removal and disposal more efficient and recycling easier, but the bottom line is people need to stop wasting and start preserving. Sustainable living doesn’t necessarily mean being a hermit in the remote bush, but sustainable living needs thoughtful and responsible existence on a daily basis.

Let’s bring up the almighty soft drink can example (there is something so logical about rubbish removal and recycling and using tin cans as example). Soft drink cans account for mere one percent of the solid waste stream in North America, which is good news because this one percent shows that most of the cans are in fact recycled. Even so, the energy required to replace the cans wasted in the now-distant two thousand one will add up to sixteen million barrels of crude oil. This amount of crude oil is enough to power all the homes, for one year, in the cities of Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, San Francisco and Seattle.

Recycling ProcessSince entering the digital age, e-waste or electronic equipment waste has been growing steadily year after year. Electronic products are made using different plastics and metals (some of them precious). Your rubbish removal people won’t mind tossing out your old computer, but the environment will as plastics, metals and glass components are non-degradable (although they don’t necessarily become toxic after time). Since the moment e-waste has entered the scene, more than eighty five percent of all redundant or damaged electronics go un-recycled i.e. they simply end up in landfills. In kilos – three million tons of electronics rubbish enter the waste stream every year.

Plastic bags are another plague for the environment and also create a lot of hassle for rubbish removal and disposal authorities. Problem with plastic bags is that everyone around the world seems to love using them for whatever necessary, even though everyone knows the damage plastic bags do. In North America, the average residential rubbish bin (on a weekly basis) will contain about twelve percent plastic waste. The average plastic bag will take about one thousand years to dissolve in the environment. In North America, each year people throw out two hundred million plastic bags, on a worldwide scale humans toss out four billion plastic bags annually.

Rubbish removal, disposal and recycling also focus on glass waste. Generally glass is a hard to manufacture, energy intensive material, which is also more expensive than plastic. Making glass products from recycled materials is good news for the environment as this reduces the need for raw materials like soda ash, limestone, sand, etc. – all necessary for making glass. In North America, only about twenty two percent of all glass waste is actually recycled.

Autumn is a beautiful season. Yes, the temperatures are dropping, but everything is so colorful and there are promises of the upcoming holidays in the air. Not to mention how beautiful the large parks in London are during this time of year – Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, Victoria Park and Richmond Park among many others are covered in yellow, brown and red, creating a real fairy-tale atmosphere.

When it comes to your own open space in the back yard however, autumn may turn out to be a real pain, because all those otherwise beautiful fallen leaves are quite troublesome to clean, and if you decide to skip getting rid of them, it will create further problems in the maintenance of your garden.

So, you are required to make an effort in order to clean up your garden from fallen leaves. No matter whether you choose to do that by yourself, or you hire a rubbish removal company that also offers garden maintenance services – most contractors in the field today do that – it would be a good idea instead of just treating the leaves as junk disposal material, to put them in good use. This is where leaf moulds come to play.

Leaf MouldA leaf mould is basically a compost exclusively for leaves. You gather all the material in one place and leave it there to decompose until it forms black matter that is perfect for enriching your soil, thus helping you improve the health and the quality of the plants in your garden.

In order to build a leaf mould, you are going to need very few materials. There are the leaves to be collected in one huge pile, of course – as we have said, you can either do that on your own, or hire a rubbish removal company for the job. Do that in a specifically designated place, marked with four wooden posts hammered to the ground in a way that they form a square one meter from one another. The place thus marked should be wrapped with chicken net, so that a kind of a basket in which you are going to pile the leaves is formed. If you want to make the decaying process as fast and efficient as possible, all that you have to do is ensure that there is a little moisture in the whole mixture, because it makes the whole process faster.

You should also have in mind that this form of heaps attracts a lot of wildlife, predominantly bugs. With them however will come the birds that feed on the bugs and little beetles. And in some cases you can even invite hedgehogs in your garden. They are cute animals that you would be glad to have at your place, so keep your fingers crossed.

As you can see it is not hard at all to have a leaf mould built at your place – all you need is some effort and dedication to the job, so just get down to work next weekend.

Composting is one of the simplest yet effective ways to process organic household waste without actually engaging any specialised rubbish removal methods. Although composting seems to be a rather rudimentary waste to process organic waste, the method also helps reduce negative climate change through limiting greenhouse emissions.

Composting has a positive effect on climate change as it allows for more carbon to re-enter soil. Carbon rich soils are fertile and help water cycling in nature. More so, composting creates a natural organic fertiliser which helps reduce greenhouse emissions in arable soil. Organic fertilisers also make soil more workable through better water retention, and reduce soil’s tendency to emit nitrous oxide.

The most effective type of compost is made by creating a mix of nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and water. These are the essentials which make the environment for correct decomposition of organic matter. For best results however, it is important to carefully choose the type of organic matter used for making compost.

CompositingAs mentioned composting is an effective alternative to organic waste removal, and in order to create the best compost, use the following:

Kitchen scraps – organic waste from the kitchen usually contains a variety of nutrients which help composting bacteria to thrive by generating sugar and heat. Suitable kitchen scraps include fruit and veggie peels, egg shells, coffee grounds etc. which all contain high levels of nitrogen.

There are two main composting methods – active and passive. Active composting also known as hot composting, relies on ideal conditions in order to make compost and works at over fifty five degrees Celsius. The passive method works at about thirty degrees centigrade but takes much longer to create compost. Both however will make good compost eventually which means saving time and effort off specialised rubbish removal.

Passive composting methods usually create a lot of greenhouse gases which emit foul odours. In order to reduce bad smells coming out of the compost bin, the mixture inside should be blended with garden waste like twigs, leaves, bark etc. which all help reduce gases and odours. Choosing which of the two composting methods to use (either passive or active) depends on people’s daily lifestyle and how much effort they wish to invest in composting altogether.

Effective composting also depends on the particular type of bin used in the process. In domestic conditions, composting is usually done in slate-sided or closed containers. In cases where available space is limited, it is recommended to use cylindrical bins. Usually, local waste removal authorities will be able to provide either of the two composting containers to residents who wish to do this at a very small cost or even for free. In order to speed up the composting process it is important to create good layering inside the bin, layering will improve air circulation through the compost mixture.

There is also composting on industrial level. Industrial scale composting is an effective waste removal and management alternative to conventional methods as it reduces the use of landfills and incinerators. Industrial composting systems use the active method.

  • Around 1000 BC people first realised the necessity and importance of effective rubbish removal and waste collection as human settlements grew larger and more populous.
  • Around 400 BC Athens, Greece established the first ever garbage dump available for public use.
  • Around 200 AC, Rome had a specially organised rubbish collection force, made up of two men teams which went around the streets collecting garbage then tossing it in a special high-walled, covered wagon.
  • In 1388, the English Parliament passed a law and outlawed the dumping of all waste in ditches and public waterways.
  • In 1657, the settlement of New Amsterdam (now Manhattan, NYC) passes a law against tossing rubbish in the street, no organised rubbish collection system was in place at the time though.
  • In 1690, Rittenhouse Mill was the first ever paper recycling plant in America, the facility made paper recycled cotton, linen and used paper obtained through rubbish removal from the public.
  • Garbage CanIn 1710, pioneers and colonists in Virginia, began burying their waste in pits, when the pit was full, they colonists covered it with solid waste like animal bones, crockery, glass etc. as well as suits of armour sent over from England and Europe.
  • It could be said, that the first ever metal recycling exercise in America took place in 1776, when a group of patriots in NYC, melted down a statue of King George III in order to make bullets for the independence struggle.
  • In 1792, rubbish removal in Philadelphia was under management of Benjamin Franklin, he used slaves to transport waste away from the city.
  • In 1800, a number of US cities used pigs and ran them through city streets, although the pigs did eat much of the garbage they left behind some serious bio waste of their own – it was a matter of time before this rubbish collection practice was abolished.
  • In 1800, people who visited NYC for the first time, described the place as a ‘nasal disaster’. The overall opinion was that city streets smelled like ‘bad eggs dissolved in ammonia’.
  • In 1810, the first ever rubbish bin was patented in London – proper rubbish collection was beginning to take shape.
  • In 1834, West Virginia made rubbish removal ecofriendly and sustainable – vultures were protected from hunters as the birds ate up a decent portion of a city’s garbage.
  • In 1860, most North American newspapers were printed on recycled paper i.e. wood pulps, not recycled rags – rubbish collection and recycling concepts were setting on.
  • In the same year 1860, residents of Washington DC dump waste in streets and alleys, this leads to an ecological catastrophe full of roaming hogs, rat infestations and disease spreading. Rats actually infested the White House too.
  • Six years later, in 1866, NYC council banned the disposal of any kind of waste in streets and alleys, however a properly organised rubbish collection service was not put in place.
  • In 1872, NYC officially stops dumping of garbage from a platform over the East River.
  • In 1874, Nottingham in England introduced proper rubbish collection system, as well as organised incineration of collected waste.

What is the use of having a backyard if you aren’t going to transform it into your own personal outdoor heaven? This is why we have decided to write down an article with interesting backyard landscaping ideas which you can use to convert your backyard into a pleasant and cozy garden in which you can relax after an exhausting day at work.

Geometrical patterns – If you haven’t planted any bushes and flowers in your backyard this is the ideal landscaping project for you. Simple purchase some bush and flowers seeds and plant them in groups in geometric patterns. You can arrange the groups either in rows, diagonally or randomly. Regardless of the arrangement that you chose when the plants grown they will form different geometric figures throughout your garden and will give a very stylish ambiance to your backyard. To enhance even more the appearance of your backyard you can arrange a garden pavilion in the middle of your garden with a fire pit. This way you will be able to enjoy your backyard even during the cold nights. Just a small piece of advice, once you are done planting the seeds don’t try dealing with the garden waste on your own as you will be too tired. Instead call and book the services of a professional rubbish removal company.

Backyard DesignVibrant flower carpet – Compliment the green grass of your backyard with numerous bright coloured flowers such as daffodils, tulips, sunflowers, daisies, roses and etc. The more colorful your flowers are the better. The goal is to create a carpet of vibrant flowers in your backyard so that you can give a more playful and energetic feeling to your garden. To make your garden even more welcoming you can arrange randomly several white benches and install an artificial water pond. The benches and pond will give you and your guest the feeling that you are sitting or wandering through a flower field in Holland.

Focal pathway – If you are much into gardening and you aren’t feeling like planting and taking care of bushes and plant you can simply create an interesting pathway in your garden that leads from your house to the outdoor sitting area. For instance you can lay small stones and compliment the stones with wooden planks that are in the opposite tone of the rocks. If you like this simple and yet amazing garden landscaping idea, know that you will have to use rubbish removal services once you are done, as there will be a lot of waste to be cleared.

All white – If you house is white, you can consider planting only white coloured flowers. The white will stand-out from the green of the grass and bushes and will highlight your house. Also if you have an old and strong three in your backyard you can hang a white home made swing to it. This will instantly give a more rustic mood to your backyard.

Now that we have turned your attention on several garden landscaping ideas, you don’t have any excuses not to convert your backyard into an amazing outdoor space which you and your family will greatly enjoy.

Dealing with rubbish is part of life, whether running a household or business, people are faced with having to dispose of residential and commercial waste on a regular basis. In many cases this is easier said than done and sometimes removing waste becomes a laborious issue. If looking for tips and clever tricks on how to minimise waste in the workplace or home, or perhaps make dealing with waste more efficient and affordable then by all means check out the Free Advice section of our official company website. There our readers will find a large number of articles and content on waste management, innovations and developments in waste processing technology, as well as information on kerbside collection, local and national waste management regulations and much more. If looking to reduce and reuse in order to minimise the waste your household or business generates watch out for the ‘green living and efficient working’ articles our writers compile. Tips on how to reduce energy consumption at home or at work can also be found in the Free Advice section of our website. If you would like to see a specific topic or particular issue discussed and researched by our contributors feel free to let us know.