What is green waste? A guide to different types – Growing Family

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Are you confused about what constitutes green waste? In this article we’ll explain what it is, and outline the main types of green waste a home produces.

What is green waste?

Green waste is a biological waste. The term is often used to describe waste that originates from plants and gardens. Green waste is wholly organic, unlike everyday household waste such as plastics, metals, or other inorganic materials.

When green waste is processed correctly, it can be turned into compost. This compost can then be used to enrich garden soil and support plant growth.

Green waste can originate from the following common household materials:

• Grass cuttings
• Flowers
• Leaves
• Fruits & vegetables
• Coffee grounds
• Eggshells
• Newspapers

Types of green waste

Green waste is divided into three types:

1. Garden waste
2. Food waste
3. Wood waste

1. Garden waste

Garden waste is one of the most common types of green waste. It’s a product of regular maintenance and care of gardens and public parks. Components of garden waste include:

• Grass clippings: After mowing, grass clippings can be composted.
• Pruned branches: This is a deliberate form of cutting to ensure a plant flourishes, improve fruit or flower yield, or achieve a specific shape. Some branches are slow to break down, but these can be cut into small pieces and used as mulch. Pruning can result in a large amount of garden waste, especially if you’re working on large trees and shrubs. Click here if you want to get a service for the disposal of garden waste or all household waste.
• Plant Trimmings: Some plants need regular trimming to help them thrive. Trimming results in waste in the form of leaves, stems, and sometimes even flowers.
• Leaves: Fallen leaves can be composted to strengthen garden soil or turned into leaf mould.

Many people remove garden waste themselves, but some people are unable to do this. Those who can’t dispose of garden waste can hire companies such as oconnorswasteremoval.co.uk who provide cheap and regular services on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

2. Food waste

Some food waste can be classified as green waste. The types are usually defined as follows:

• Kitchen scraps: This includes vegetable peelings, fruit peelings, eggshells, and coffee grounds. They contain plenty of nutrients that are great for composting.
• Organic Matter: This includes other food waste such as cooked meat and dairy products. While these waste items might not always be suitable for direct composting due to potential pests, they can still be processed in special facilities, like biodigesters, to harness their energy.

3. Wood waste

Wood waste might seem distinct from the green waste generated by gardens and kitchens, but it also has organic origins. Energy and labour is required for wood waste disposal, but it can also be made usable in unique ways. Common sources of wood waste include:

• Lumber: While making furniture, other wood products, or installing wood in buildings, a lot of lumber is wasted. This waste can be used as fuel in the winter and converted into organic waste by landfilling.
• Wood chips: Large bushes and branches can be processed to produce wood chips. These are used to control weeds and as mulch around plants to control moisture. In addition wood chips can be used decoratively in outdoor spaces. Their biggest advantage is that they can be used in the production of bio energy.

Conclusion

Green waste includes garden waste, food waste, and wood waste. Before disposing of green waste, it’s important to understand the different types and safe disposal options. When the nature of the waste is known, it can be recycled, reused, or removed accordingly.