When you think of a dumpster rental, your first thought probably isn't of environmentally friendly projects and habits. After all, recycling and compost (and even reducing overall waste) are more strongly associated with eco-friendliness.
But dumpsters can serve a purpose in environmental efforts. For example, they play a crucial role in trash cleanup and keeping waste sequestered in landfills to avoid environmental contamination. Here are two ideas for environmentally friendly projects that could use a dumpster rental.
1. Cleanup Projects
Some environmentalists and other good citizens make a habit of picking up litter and trash in public areas (such as along the sides of the road) to dispose of it properly later. Although a small bag of trash picked up on a daily jog won't require a dumpster rental, a larger coordinated effort with more participants might.
For example, you could organize a neighborhood cleanup project. Or you could even expand your efforts to include everyone in town, encouraging people to pick up trash and place it in a rented dumpster in a designated location. Make sure you inform all participants about safe litter pick-up practices such as using gloves and picking items up with a grabber tool.
2. Green Construction or Remodels
Construction projects are another reason you may need a rented dumpster. Whether residential or commercial, both new construction and remodeling projects can have the potential to generate quite a bit of waste.
Even if the focus of your project is to make your home or business more eco-friendly, you may end up with waste materials that will have to go to the landfill. You should work with an expert (such as your construction contractor) to determine which types of waste are recyclable and which should go in the dumpster.
For example, if you're replacing an asphalt roof, the old roofing shingles may be recyclable. However, if you're removing or replacing a deck made of composite material, the old materials are likely not recyclable. Similarly, materials that are being replaced due to their poor condition (such as old plastic materials that are flaking into pieces) may no longer be recyclable.
As you can see, dumpsters can be a great tool to use when you have a large residential project that generates or collects waste, or a commercial or industrial-scale project of any size. Even if you try to recycle and reuse all the materials you can, some materials aren't recyclable and the most environmentally responsible disposal method is sending them to the landfill.
Dumpsters can come in different sizes as well, meaning that you can order a smaller dumpster to save money (and resources such as fuel used for transportation) if your project isn't a large one. For more information on dumpster rentals and other dumpster services, get in touch with your local dumpster service company today.