Disposal of household garbage for regular trash pickup in Vancouver may be something that’s being done routinely by most homeowners. There are even some people who honestly don’t have time to segregate non-biodegradable trash from biodegradable ones – let alone recycle them.
The thing is, every homeowner must spend some time in properly throwing their trash for pickup in Vancouver, not only to save the planet but because doing otherwise may be punishable by laws of the local government.
Don’t worry, you don’t necessarily have to personally recycle or reuse every item you want to get rid of; but it is important too, at the very least, be aware of the common household garbage that you should never throw in your regular trash or mix with the other scraps from your home.
Among the most common household items usually being thrown away by people unaware of the dangers of doing so are the everyday cleaning substances such as detergents, or bleach. Empty spray cans such as antiperspirant spray cans, aerosol spray cans, and disinfectant spray cans, when disposed of improperly, could pose a threat to humans, animals, as well as the environment. If you have leftover detergents, bleach, pesticides or insecticides, aerosol spray and disinfectant spray, you could give them to individuals who could use them. Similarly, latex paint cans or latex paint themselves could be dangerous if mixed with other garbage to end up in the landfills. Leftover latex paint can be dried before disposal. One way to make the paint dry faster is by mixing shredded paper or cat litter with the leftover paint.
Another kind of trash that should be disposed of the right way is unused medication. While it may seem much easier to simply flush the drug down the toilet, this is not safe at all. Once the chemical gets mixed in the water systems it could contaminate the waters and possibly endanger aquatic life.
Used batteries, whether rechargeable, single-use or even cell phone batteries – contain hazardous chemicals and should be properly disposed of.
There are innumerable household items that one must not throw away in the trash casually. Fortunately, the government has created the special drop-off depots where you may deposit such items. There are also programs by the government designed to take back unused or expired medications so you would not have to throw them in the trash. Being responsible for managing your household waste would be a great deal of help in saving the environment.