It is no secret that London is going through a big problem when it comes to waste management. London is one of the biggest and most modern cities in the world, so it makes sense that their citizens produce a lot of waste. The Government of the UK has taken a lot of steps to deal with the rising problem of rubbish management and have devised ways to clear the streets. However, it seems that the initiative is not as effective as they are hoping it should be.
Things are not as dark as one would think. For example, the total amount of recycled garbage has been increased to 22% now compared to 5% in 1996. Nevertheless, in order to meet the goals set for 2026, London still needs to change its tactics and introduce strategies when it comes to improving waste management. At things are looking now, those goals are probably not going to be met.
One of the main reason for that is the lack of consistency in public services between London Boroughs. There is also a lot of confusion when it comes to effective ways of dealing with the given waste. All in all, the organization is a big problem. But there are still a lot of things that can be done to improve this.
A Lot of Waste Is Still Piling Up
What a lot of people don’t know is that a lot of recyclable waste is piling up and being kept in storage. Unfortunately, waste management and recycling is still considered as a global business. One of the reasons for not recycling so much currently is the fact that the price of waste has fallen dramatically. This comes as a side effect of China’s new restrictions, The problem for the UK that now a lot of paper and plastic recyclables are being kept in storage and are waiting for the price to go up.
According to the latest statements given based on the London Plan, the idea is for 100% of waste in London is supposed to be managed. Additionally, zero biodegradable and recyclable materials are going to end up on landfills. Based on the information given now, 42% of waste across London is being recycled. Unfortunately, some boroughs are still having problems adapting and they recycled somewhere between 18 to 22 percent. For this plan to work, these Boroughs need to up their game.
The Great Stink
For those of you who don’t know, the Great Stink refers to the waste crisis during the dark times of London. In 1858 the city was overrun by garbage sewage coming from the Thames. The city was even facing a very dangerous cholera epidemic during the time. This forced the city engineers to create a complicated sewage system that would run underneath London and take away all the garbage. Unfortunately, this was the last time that London’s waste management infrastructure was overhauled in such a big way.
Today, there are not innovations when it comes to making recycling easy for people. There are no blueprints nor any ideas that could make recycling easier for people. Waste management is still very much complex and is a business affected by the economy. If households had a better system for recycling they would probably have used it. Convince is not what is preventing households to recycle, it is the lack of ability to do it. If all the people had an easy and convenient way to put their recyclable garbage down a shoot, less of it would end up on landfills.
Are Waste Management Companies a Solution?
Something that many civil servants are disregarding is the existence of many waste management companies. There are a number of professional waste disposal companies that regularly clear the rubbish from people’s homes or businesses. More so, they are specifically equipped to collect all the recyclables and take them to designated recycling areas. Being green is a major motto of all these companies.
An idea that could resolve the problem that London is having with waste management is including all of the given companies in it. They are already doing their job so why not add them to the initiative and secure that all the waste ends up where it needs to go. Handy Rubbish, one of the London based waste clearing companies, have already started such an initiative and are offering their clients favorable ways to recycle their goods.
The city officials need to start thinking outside of the box. But in this case, one of the solutions is in front of their eyes. Employing professionals would bring to a cleaner tomorrow and will most certainly make the London Plan not seem a pipe dream anymore.
More Clever Ideas
In order to make the London Plan workable, more clever ideas are needed. We are in a digital age and the age of consumption. Changing the mindset of people and influencing the way they are spending and disposing of goods would be a nice way to start. Raising awareness is a great way to start. However, creating a recycling solution is a much more important step which can bridge the gap that we are facing now.
The way a society deals with its waste tells us a lot about its development. All great cultures of the past have devised ways to make their future more clean and convenient for them. Our problem is dealing with recycling and making it sustainable. This is a test that we need to pass and successfully dealing with it will determine our future.
