Biodegradable and Non-biodegradable Waste

We will discuss here about the biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. Waste or rubbish in the streets is bad for all of us. We buy several things, including food, in packages, tins and jars. These are thrown away as rubbish. The more things we get, the more rubbish we make. The rubbish often collects in dirty piles on the street before it is removed to rubbish dumps. Animals and insects gather around these rubbish dumps and spread germs.

Harmful substances in the rubbish are washed into the soil by the rain. Then they get into the underground water and pollute our drinking water. Burning the rubbish pollutes the air and if the rubbish does not get burnt then the rubbish stinks. So, to remain healthy we have to do something about our rubbish.

Some kinds of rubbish are biodegradable. This means it will rot and mix with the soil. All food waste, leaves, grass, flowers, paper and pencil shavings are biodegradable. The dung of animals and humans are also biodegradable. Other kinds of rubbish are non-biodegradable and they will not rot. These include plastics, metal and glass. These two kinds of rubbish are different from each other. Biodegradable rubbish can be used to help the environment. If we have a garden, make a compost heap to dispose garbage. Dig a deep pit and fill it with the biodegradable waste. Cover it with soil and let the biodegradable waste rot for a few months. The garbage will decay in the pit. It can then be used as manure to make the soil better.

We can also spread the animal dung on the soil. In villages, animal dung is also used to make gobar-gas. The gas is used as fuel in homes.

Old paper can be sold for recycling. Recycling the waste means using waste to make new things. Recycled paper is made of used paper. It is cut up, coloured white, and made into clean new sheets. If we recycle paper, we don’t need to cut down so many trees and then there will be less rubbish around which is good for the environment.

Even a lot of non-biodegradable rubbish can be reused or recycled. Glass bottles can be melted down to make new ones. Aluminium cans also be melted to make new cans.

But there are some things which do not rot, and which you cannot recycle or reuse. Let us take the example of a broken plastic mug. This will just go to the garbage dump.

We should avoid buying food in plastic bags or boxes. Have them weighed and buy them loose. Carry a cloth bag when we go for shopping. Do not take a plastic bag from the shop. Reuse the bags and do not waste packaging. As far as possible, do not waste anything. Mend and use whatever we can.

Fourth Grade

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