Did you know that on average, each household in the United States disposes of approximately one ton of food waste and scraps per year? No matter how you dispose of this waste, have you ever wondered where it goes and how it can affect you, your family, and the environment? What if we were to tell you that by disposing your food waste through your garbage disposer unit not only might save you money but is also a huge help to our environment; would you listen? Well, it’s true! If you’re thinking of throwing last week’s leftover lasagna in the trash, you might just want to reconsider.
Every day, leftover, and waste food scraps are thrown into the garbage and sent to landfills all around the world. These scraps decompose and release a relatively potent greenhouse gas called methane. Methane is a gas that contains an extremely high global warming potential. When considering each household in the US, and the amount of food waste and scraps that each household disposes per year, this is a recipe for long-term disaster. There is a way, however, to not only stop this gas from being released into the environment but to harness it to produce energy for local communities.
Since most food scraps are composed of approximately seventy percent (70%) water, it is extremely easy for home garbage disposer units to grind them up. This ground waste is then sent through your home plumbing and sewer system to your local waste-water treatment center instead of a local landfill where it can become hazardous to the environment. Instead, at these local waste-water treatment centers, these food scraps are then harnessed to create renewable energy, water, and even soil or fertilizer! Thereby reducing the potential for global warming and helping the environment!
In the past, garbage disposer units were never considered a “green” product, since they still require water and energy to operate. However, in a study conducted by PE International, a leader when it comes to the topic of sustainability, garbage disposers do utilize water and energy, but only use less than one percent (1%) of a household’s total intake, which totals on average, less than fifty (50) cents a year!
The bottom line is garbage disposer units are a much more efficient and much more sanitary way of disposing food scraps. By using these disposer units you are not only helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and helping to save the environment, but you are also saving your local city and/or community money. Hence, a money-saving for taxpayers as well, which is you! So get on board with this new wave of green technology and use your garbage disposer today!