The Green Recycle Bin

In our previous articles, we highlighted the importance of recycling as well as reasons why it shouldn't be done without proper methods which birthed the use of colour codes for recycling bins.

The use of these colour codes is simply for the purpose of sorting and it makes the entire process of recycling less tedious. Last week, we gave addressed what the blue recycling bin is for. 

Today, we'll discuss the Green Recycling bin. This is the bin used for the popular and most prevalent waste item we all know.

You guessed right. Plastics.

Plastics are chemical products that are non-biodegradable. Because the materials are non-biodegradable they last for long in the environment without decaying. For instance, a plastic bottle can last for over 450 years before breaking down.

And even when it does, it doesn't completely break down, instead becoming forms of microplastic which are just plastics in baby forms.

If you doubt the magnitude of this problem, you must realise that, according to the World Economic Forum, Nigeria generates about 2.5 million tonnes of waste per year.

Imagine the amount we generate as a planet and only about 5% of these plastic waste ever gets recycled.

Plastic pollution is one of the common problems facing everybody. It is alarming that research says that if current plastic waste generation continues by 2050 there will be more plastics than fish in our oceans. 

By now we should be past the conversation of burning Plastics as a method of disposal. Burning plastics not only causes air pollution which is harmful to health, but it also leads to the release of toxic chemicals, including elements like Carbon. Simply put, you are causing more harm to the environment that way.

You bet we will always find a way to remind you of the Rs of Sustainability, of which Recycling is one. While we work on proper recycling methods, remember that to "Refuse" is the most effective practice. Refuse the plastics you don't need. 

And when you do use plastics, dispose of them properly in your green bins, making it easier for them to be handled by the waste collectors/recycling companies in your area.

It should be noted that the colours of these recycling bins may vary, so you may have to check to be sure which waste should be put in them.

And here is a tip for you, if you don't get the colours, you can just add a label to the bins to identify them based on the type of waste.

We hope this will help your recycling methods.

Rooting for you as you keep up the sustainability.

— Joy Adeyemi