Health Risks Associated With Poor Rubbish Management

Rubbish management in homes and businesses is an important process that is often overlooked. Indeed, it would be unthinkable to imagine your premises with no garbage bins or dumpsters where you can safely dispose of waste items. In addition to maintaining a neat and organised environment, rubbish management is important in ensuring public health.

If trash were to be dumped anywhere without regards to proper disposal standards, people would be at risk of many different health conditions. Garbage contains bacteria, viruses and even heavy metals that can affect you if not properly handled.

Harmful bacteria

Garbage may contain food items or other types of waste that can harbour disease-causing bacteria. For example, rotten fruits, faeces, and dirty water may contain bacteria (such as Salmonella typhi) that cause diseases.

With poor rubbish management, people can come in contact with such bacteria and become sick. In addition, there are organisms that can spread diseases after coming in contact with bacteria. For example, rats, cockroaches and ticks can easily access garbage material and spread bacteria in your home.

Water contamination

Poor rubbish management can also end up contaminating your water supply. If garbage is not disposed of correctly, water ponds, springs and lakes can become contaminated with harmful chemicals from nearby waste.

These chemicals can eventually make their way into your municipal water supply and result in diseases such as lead or fluoride poisoning. Contaminated drinking water can also cause conditions such as diarrhoea, typhoid and cholera.

Soil pollution

When rubbish is not disposed of through the right channels, it can result in the pollution of soil. This is particularly concerning if you have a garden where you grow crops for consumption. Waste from your home or nearby locations can penetrate into the soil and pollute your plants.

In turn, the plants will harbour disease-causing bacteria that may affect you and your family upon consumption. There is also the risk of soil contamination from heavy metals such as mercury and lead.

Cuts and bruises from broken glass

With poor waste management, hazardous items such as broken glass will not be handled correctly. This increases the risk of people obtaining cuts and bruises from such sharp waste. The cuts and bruises are not the worst part, as sharp items such as needles and syringes (that harbour viruses) can also infect you. If your skin is pierced by sharp waste, any viruses that are present on the item may infect your blood.

Therefore, it is important to practice proper rubbish management in the home and business. Make sure you work with a rubbish removal company for the best results.