Class 6 - Science - Chapter 16 - Garbage In Garbage Out

Garbage In Garbage Out

Introduction

The term Garbage means “Waste Product”. This means the product, which is no longer of any use. We all collect garbage in our house in dustbins. In dustbin we keep all type of garbage together like tea leaves, diapers, dry leaves, milk polythene, food waste etc. In this collection of garbage, there is some part of waste which can be reused. So, we have to segregate the waste. In this chapter we will study how to tackle this garbage so that it will not harm our environment. If it harms our environment it will directly affect us.

Source of Garbage:

• Domestic Waste

Examples: Kitchen waste, sewage, unnecessary things

• Industrial Waste

Examples: Ashes, coal, paper, rubber waste

• Community Waste

Examples: Hospital, offices, shops

• Agricultural Waste

Examples: Husk, straw, fibers

• Electronic Waste

Examples: broken computers, electronic goods

Classification of Waste:

We have classified the waste into two categories:

• Biodegradable waste
• Non Biodegradable Waste

Biodegradable waste:

Biodegradable waste means useful waste. This is the waste that can be reused or recycled.

• Biodegradable waste consists of useful part of waste like peels of fruits and vegetables, waste food, paper waste, dry leaves, tea leaves, dead plants etc.
• Biodegradable waste can be used in several ways. Like when tea leaves waste directly add into the plants it acts as a nutrient for plants.
• Paper waste can be reused in art and craft.
• Fruits and vegetable waste can be used as manure to plants.

Let’s have a look at some examples of biodegradable waste: Pencil waste, Paper waste, Kitchen waster, Dry Leaves

Non Biodegradable waste:

• Non biodegradable waste means non useful waste. This is the waste that can’t be reused.
• Non Biodegradable waste consists of non useful part of waste like polythene bags, broken toys, broken glass, aluminium foil paper, pieces of clothes etc.
• Plastic is the biggest example of non useful waste. We can use one plastic bottle several times but not every time. All the plastic waste can’t be reused.

Let’s have a look at the examples of Non Biodegradable waste: Aluminium foil, Poly bag, Broken toy, Broken glass

 It is advisable to collect the biodegradable and non biodegradable waste separately.

COMPOSTING:

Composting is a process to use the biodegradable waste by converting it into the manure. This waste contains some nutrients for plants which return back to the soil.

Manure: Manure helps the plants to grow by increasing soil fertility.

Let’s discuss the process of composting step by step:

1. Take a big container.
2. Put all the animal waste, food waste, dry wood chips, dry leaves etc in the container. Avoid meat, fish and dairy products as they attract animals and work of micro organism is interrupted.
3. Now, mix the ingredients properly.
4. Add some water to the waste in order to create some moisture.
5. Now, cover it with soil.
6. Then, take care of this compost pile.
7. Remember, keep mixing and adding the ingredients at regular intervals of time.
8. After some days you will notice the dark soil that smells like earth is your final product which is known as manure.
9. Now, you can mix it in the soil where you sow your plants.

This process of rotting and conversion of biodegradable waste into manure is called Composting.

VERMICOMPOSTING:

Vermicomposting is a process where decomposition of biodegradable waste is done by using earthworms. As this type of composting is done by worms so we create the environment which is suitable for earthworms for their survival.

Let’s discuss the process of vermicomposting step by step:

1. Take a big container.
2. Make sure temperature of the container should be moderate.
3. Add a layer of sand in order to create a home for earthworms.
4. Now, add little amount of water in sand to create some moisture.
5. Then, add vegetable waste, animal waste, dry leaves etc in the container. Avoid adding salt, oil, pickle, milk products etc in it as they can harm earthworms.
6. Add some earthworms.
7. Now, keep adding and mixing the ingredients at regular intervals.
8. Now, you will notice within a month earthworms will be doubled.
9. Then, place some vegetable waste in the corner of pit and as a result the entire earthworm will shift to the vegetable waste.
10. Remove the compost from the vacated corner.
11. Dark soil like vermicompost is ready to use.

LANDFILLS:

• Landfills are made to handle the non biodegradable waste. Sweeper collects the garbage from our house. Non biodegradable waste is separated from this garbage and thrown in low lying open area called Landfills
• Landfill is an open area built on the top of the ground to dispose the garbage. It is built in such a way that it should not affect our surrounding environment.  Once the landfill is full then cover it with a layer of soil. For the next 20-30 years no building is constructed on jt.

Reducing garbage, Recycle paper:

It is our prime duty to make our country garbage free. Here are certain steps that everyone can take in order to make city clean:

• Stop throwing unnecessary things.
• Reuse of old paper in fun activities.
• Change the refill of pen instead of throwing pen.
• Recycling of paper.

PLASTICS:

Plastic waste comes under the category of non biodegradable waste. It is very harmful for the environment. It cannot be recycled. It is very important to minimize the use of plastics. It is impossible to ban the use of plastics but we can minimize its use.

• Stop using plastic bags. Instead of it use paper bag. 

• Don’t throw unnecessary plastics. Throw only if it is needed. For example don’t change pen frequently rather change the refill.

• Plastic bags in garbage eaten by animals/birds can kill them. 

• Don’t store cooked food in plastic containers. As hot food when contaminate with plastic release harmful gas. This is the main cause of Cancer.

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse:

In order to save the environment, three R’s are extremely useful:

Reduce: 

By term reduce we mean one should reduce the unnecessary usage of natural resources. For example, unnecessary sharpening of pencils by kids just for fun.
Instead of using fresh paper to play, kids can use old newspaper or old paper to make the planes.

Recycle:

By the term recycle we mean to recycle and use the natural resources in different forms. For example, minimize the use of polybag and rather than using a fresh polybag every time we can use one polybag at number of times.

Reuse:

By the term reuse we mean use the same resources again and again. For example, reuse the jam, sauces, pickles etc containers that we get from market to store the things, instead of purchasing new containers for storage purpose.