Concrete bins in public places are incredibly important landscaping elements. According to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), figures show that South Africans generate at least 122 million tons of waste per year and only 10% of it is recycled or recovered. Too much of our waste is scattered across the country, never seeing a landfill, which is why concrete bins are so important.
They provide a stable and reliable area to store public trash, allowing the Municipality to collect the gathered waste and either recycle or dispose of it. These bins are important for urban spaces due to the high volume of people who need to discard unwanted items regularly.
Bins need to be easily accessible to the public, made from high-quality materials and must be durable and suit the urban space it is placed in. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of recycling and how public bins play an important role in preserving the environment.
Recycling
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away in the trash. The materials are remanufactured to create a new product, thus recycling them for re-use in some form. Bins are often used to hold waste that can be recycled. About three to four bins are usually placed side-by-side and are labelled with the materials that are being divided to be recycled. The five major types of materials which can be recycled are:
• Paper such as newspapers, magazines, and mixed paper
• Cardboard (OCC)
• Glass bottles and jars
• Rigid plastic products
• Metal containers including tin, aluminium, and steel cans
Food waste can also be collected and recycled if the area has an organics collection program.
Recycling improves the economy by increasing economic security and tapping into a domestic source of materials. Energy is saved as recycling uses less energy than destroying waste and harvesting new materials. Recycling helps to conserve natural resources as waste is turned into valuable raw materials which can be reused, rather than extracting raw materials from nature.
By recycling paper, we conserve trees and forests, and by recycling plastic, we reduce the wastage and time needed for the solid waste to break down as it is being used for something else. Carbon emissions are reduced as methane- release from landfills is minimised. Overall, energy is saved as it takes less energy to make products out of recycled materials than from raw materials, for example by recycling one glass bottle, enough energy is saved to power a 100- watt light bulb for four hours.
Recycling helps to create jobs and support the country’s economy. Jobs such as sorters, drivers, mechanics, technicians, and much more are created. With South Africa’s current unemployment rate being 32,9% of the population, jobs are needed more than ever. By introducing recycling as a common practice, more recycling and waste-related businesses are likely to open, building a competitive manufacturing industry and adding to the economy.
Types Of Recycling
There are three types of recycling- mechanical, energy, and chemical. Mechanical recycling is the most globally used method and is mainly used for Polyolefin (PE and PP). It is used when recycling plastics, mechanically transforming the residues into new materials without changing their chemical structures.
Mechanical recycling is the process of making plastic wastes useful through processes of grinding, washing, separating, drying, re-granulating, and compounding. The polymers in the plastic stay unaffected in the process, allowing it to be reused again and again in the same or a similar product. Mechanically recycled plastics are used to create garbage bags, floors, hoses, car parts, and packages.
Energy recycling is used to convert plastics into thermal and electric energy. This process is done by leveraging, through incineration, and releasing the heat when it has reached the form of fuel. Space is optimised and the energy matrix is diversified as this recycling process requires little room.
However, energy recycling does require a heavy investment and public authority’s engagement as it is not financially sustainable. Energy recycling is commonly used in Japan and Europe as it is an environmentally friendly solution. Catalysers within the incineration plants are also able to withhold the emission of the energy recycling process, reducing wastage and pollution.
The final recycling method, known as chemical recycling, is the most complex method. The process entails reprocessing and modifying the chemical structures of plastics, resulting in a product being used as a raw material in other industries. The final product can also be used as a basic input in manufacturing new plastics.
This method of recycling is expensive and requires a large amount of available plastic, although it is still being developed and its potential has yet to be discovered. It proposes an alternative to energy and mechanical recycling methods.
Landfills
Once a garbage truck collects waste, it transports it to a Municipal waste landfill. Landfills are sites designed to contain household trash. It is a specialised structure that is sealed to reduce the contamination of surrounding soil or water. Modern landfill grounds are first lined with clay and then a thin, flexible plastic is placed on top.
The plastic allows for the collection of leachates; the liquid that passes through the landfill and draws out toxins from the trash. The leachate is collected through a draining system that passes the contaminated water through pipes and into a pool where it can be treated to remove the toxins before being released back into the environment.
As trash is laid down into the growing pile of waste, it is compacted into a tightly packed mound. Each day, a layer of soil is hauled into the landfill to cover the garbage, preventing odours and rodent problems. The landfill is, therefore, mostly made from compressed layers of trash and soil.
A completed landfill is laid with another layer of clay and thin plastic. It is then covered with several feet of earth and dirt so plants can grow on top of it. Landfills are designed to contain trash, however, some of the waste will decompose over time, producing methane. Methane is a toxic and flammable gas. It is collected in pipes so that it can be vented, burned, or used as an energy source.
Modern landfills are designed to keep toxic trash contained; however, leaks do happen. This means landfills are still dangerous to the environment and human health. The released methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Air pollutants that escape from the landfill can cause respiratory problems, making it dangerous for people and animals to live near the landfill.
A leak of leachate from landfills can bring toxins to nearby groundwater supplies. It is often those of low-income status who suffer the direct effects of landfills as studies have shown that landfills are most likely to be built in or near low-income neighbourhoods and communities. It is because of this injustice that these people are more likely to experience health risks associated with landfills.
Damage caused by landfills can be decreased simply by encouraging recycling, and composting to reduce the amount of waste that must be transported to landfills, saving energy and essentially, our environment.
The Bisasar Road Landfill Site
The largest landfill site and a leading CDM project pilot in South Africa are located on Bisasar Road, Durban, KwaZulu Natal. The dump was opened in 1980 by the apartheid regime and processes 3000 to 5000 tons of hazardous waste daily. The landfill methane project converts the dangerous methane emissions from the rotting waste into carbon dioxide and electricity.
The landfill was set up illegally because it fails the test of validity for raising international funding and has disincentivized the closure of the toxic dump site, despite 6000 members of the community pressurising to do so.
The landfill has also not been capturing the expected levels of methane and has managed to cause an increase in cancer rates in the surrounding community. Its visible environmental impacts are listed below:
• Air pollution
• Biodiversity loss
• Loss of landscape/ aesthetic degradation
• Soil contamination
• Waste overflow
The project is characterised by environmental racism, intracommunity conflict, municipal fraud, United Nations incompetence, and the failure of the methane extraction system even on its own terms. Although the World Bank removed its support for the project, the Bisasar Road Landfill site is still open and continues to generate carbon credits through biogas electricity generation.
Concrete Bins And StreetScape
Concrete bins come in a variety of styles and sizes. They are durable, sustainable, low maintenance, and can withstand almost any weather condition. They are also extremely heavy and therefore less likely to be vandalised or stolen. Concrete bins are best suited for outdoor use, providing a heavy-duty solution to keeping external areas clean and tidy. Concrete bins allow for:
• A reduction of waste in landfills
• The preservation of natural features
• Protection of the ecosystem
• Employment opportunities
• Income options- cash for recycling
StreetScape is a Cape Town-based landscaping element manufacturer. We produce landscaping elements to make South African urban spaces beautiful and functional, offering country-wide delivery services. Our products come in a range of colours, designs, and sizes, making it easy for you to find the perfect landscaping elements which are ideally suited to your style. We are a leading supplier of:
• Bins
• Bollards
• Seating
• Kerbing
• Signage
• Planters
• Aggregate Paving
• Steps
StreetScape ensures good quality products, longevity, and durability by using high-grade materials for our landscaping elements. Our concrete bins are considered an investment for your outdoor areas as the 97-kilogram structures will not need to be replaced anytime soon.
These bins have an exposed aggregate finish, creating a textual appeal. Our six types of concrete bins offered to come with various exposed aggregates of different sizes and colours, making it easy to find StreetScape concrete bins which will work in any urban space. The types of bins are suited to the various range of disposable items.
For example, our Pyramid Ash Concrete Bin is perfectly suited to any outdoor area, providing a safe space to throw away the butts of cigarettes or ash without having them wash away with the rain. The opening has enough space for cigarettes and is small enough to prevent other items such as plastic from being thrown into it.
If you are interested in bettering your urban space, then consider supplying concrete bins to the areas which don’t have them. The main cause of litter is often due to not having the facilities needed to discard unwanted items safely. It is important to educate people around you on why littering is bad, why recycling is important, and how concrete bins can make a difference.
Contact StreetScape via Whatsapp Messenger, telephone, or email to buy concrete bins and other landscaping elements for your urban area.