Denver Waste Management: What It Is, How It Works
The world is a strange place. Sometimes even the smallest details of life can seem almost alien. Take trash management in Denver, for example. It’s such a mundane practice that most people don’t even give it a second thought; after all, how much thought can there really be about garbage? In a city as large and bustling as Denver, waste management is one of those things that you only think about when you need it – and most of us go our entire lives without needing it.
However, even if we don’t think about it, it still has to get done somehow. And this is where the weirdness begins: There are people whose job description includes things like “maintain door control protocols” and “monitor landfill gas levels”. If you find yourself thinking that none of these things are what you expect a waste management expert to do, then you might be right.
The fact is that the principles involved in keeping any city clean aren’t what they used to be – they have just become far more complex thanks to modern technology and environmental standards.
What is Waste Management?
Waste management is the process of collecting, transporting, storing and disposing of waste – and it’s what Denver uses to keep its streets clean and its citizens safe. Waste management may sound like a really simple process, but it actually encompasses a whole lot of different jobs and duties.
The Denver Waste Management team is responsible for collecting all the household waste that you throw away, then transporting it to a transfer station (more on that later) where it will be sorted and sent to a waste processing facility. There, everything will be separated, recycled, composted or disposed of as necessary before being used to generate energy.
Why Does Denver Need Waste Management?
There are three main reasons why a city needs a waste management system.
- First, waste management helps to ensure that our environment is clean and free from pollution. This means that Denver citizens won’t have to worry about breathing in harmful fumes or seeing their city surrounded by smog.
- Second, waste management provides Denver citizens with a convenient way to dispose of their trash.This means that there will be no need to hire a dumpster truck or make multiple trips to the dump.
- Third, waste management provides Denver with a source of fuel. This can be used to generate electricity and heat the city, but it can also be sold to other cities that need it.
How Does Waste Management Work in Denver?
The first step in the waste management process is to collect waste from homes, businesses and public areas. There are two ways that this is done in Denver Waste Management.
- First, there are scheduled pick-ups. These pick-ups usually happen on a weekly basis and involve a truck stopping by your property to collect any waste you have accumulated. If you live in an apartment block or some other area that doesn’t have regular scheduled pick-ups, then you will need to make special arrangements to have your trash collected.
- Secondly, Denver also has a drop-off system. This allows people to take their trash to specific locations in Denver and have it disposed of without having to transport it themselves. The next step is transporting the collected waste to a transfer station. This is a sort of hub where all of Denver’s waste is collected and transported to be stored while the necessary processing takes place. Next, the waste is sorted and separated.
This means that everything collected is analyzed, and anything that can be recycled or composted is separated and sent to be processed. The remaining waste is then transported to a landfill where it is stored. Denver has several landfills that serve different purposes, but all of them are regulated and monitored regularly to ensure that waste is disposed of in as environmentally friendly a way as possible.
What is Solid Waste Management?
One aspect of waste management that can’t be ignored is the issue of solid waste – in other words, things that aren’t recyclable or compostable. These things aren’t harmful to the environment, but they definitely can’t be disposed of in the same way that organic waste can. The solution is to transport it to a special waste facility where it is turned into something useful.
This is what we call “solid waste management”, and it can be done in a number of different ways. The most common way is to “gasify” the waste. This is done by burning waste in a controlled atmosphere to produce a gas that can be used to generate electricity.
The waste can also be transformed into pellets that can then be used as fertilizer. Another option is to turn the waste into a “bio-crude” that can then be refined into usable fuel. Finally, waste can be turned into “salt-cake” that can later be used in road construction projects.
What is Recycled Material & Why Is It Important?
Recycling is the process of making new materials from old ones. In the context of waste management, this means taking discarded materials of no further use to their original owners and transforming them into new materials that can be used again. In the world of waste management, a huge variety of materials can be recycled, and each one has a different use. Paper, for example, can be turned into cardboard, fiberboard or newsprint.
Plastic can be transformed into polyester fiber or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Metals can be reused as scrap metal, while fabrics can be turned into yarn or rags. Recycling is important because it reduces the amount of waste that Denver needs to dispose of.
This means that there is less pressure on the landfills, and the amount of energy needed to process everything is reduced. This also means that Denver can produce more energy, which in turn means that it needs to transport less waste and spend less on transportation.
What is Towing and How Does it Relate to Solid Waste Management?
Towing is the process of taking away a vehicle that is parked illegally. This can be anything from a car parked in a no-parking zone to a vehicle blocking an entrance to a building. Towing is the responsibility of the waste management team, and Denver’s team does not take it lightly.
Recently, Denver’s waste management program has come under fire for aggressive towing practices, with many citizens claiming to have been towed unfairly. Whether or not these claims are true, however, the fact remains that towing is an important part of Denver’s waste management program.
Conclusion
Waste management is an important part of any modern city, but it is also one that is often overlooked. This is unfortunate, because a clean and safe environment is essential to a happy and healthy city. Fortunately, Denver is taking steps to improve its waste management program, which means that the city is likely to become even cleaner and healthier in the years and decades to come.
If you want to keep up with the latest in Denver Waste Management, sign up for newsletters from the company that manages Denver’s waste management program. This way, you’ll be sure to receive information about any changes in the program or any new additions that could affect you and your family.
References:
1-Comparative analysis of solid waste management in 20 cities
First Published March 8, 2012
https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X12437569
2-Course stability of a ship towing system in wind
Received 7 June 2012, Accepted 3 February 2013, Available online 3 April 2013.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2013.02.001