To manage waste wisely, either from households or the community, it is important to know the types of waste gathered. This is because each type of waste has its own method of processing. 

One type of waste that has certain processing methods is inorganic waste. Then, how do you do inorganic waste management properly? Read the information below!

Types of Inorganic Waste

Before talking about inorganic waste management, you should know the types of inorganic waste to make it easier to sort them. In brief, inorganic waste comes from non-biological materials, industrial technology process results, and non-renewable natural resources. The types of inorganic waste are as follows:

1. Plastic

The first type of inorganic waste is plastic waste. It is usually made of synthetic polymer from natural gas and petroleum. Some plastic waste is waterproof, chemical-proof, and flexible. Some examples of plastic waste are plastic bottles, trash bags, styrofoam, pipes, and many more. 

2. Paper

Paper waste typically comes from unused paper-based products, such as printed documents, magazines, newspapers, and boxes. Paper waste is made of wood or other plant fibers. 

3. Rubber

The next type of inorganic waste is rubber waste coming from rubber latex or synthetic rubber-based products. Examples of rubber waste are used tires, rubber bands, balloons, and used sandals.

4. Glass

Glass is a material made of silica with hard properties and is usually transparent. Examples of glass waste are glass, broken glass, window glass, and plates.

5. Cloth

Cloth waste usually comes from unusable cloth-based products like worn-out clothes. Cloth can be made of synthetic fibers, such as polyester, or natural fibers, like cotton. Examples of cloth waste are secondhand clothes and worn-out carpets. 

Read also: Waste in Indonesia: A Statistics Everyone Should Know!

Inorganic Waste Management Ideas

Inorganic waste management can be carried out through simple to advanced actions. Below are some inorganic waste management ideas you can do:

1. Reusing the Waste

The first method is reusing the waste. Some inorganic wastes have strong characteristics despite being unfunctional anymore. Therefore, you can reuse this kind of waste to be another product. 

For example, you can turn used glass syrup bottles into flower vases or cooking oil containers. Not only that, but you can also turn worn-out clothes into rugs and shopping bags into trash bags. 

2. Sorting Waste

The next way is to sort the waste. As previously explained, various types of inorganic waste can be found in the surrounding environment. In this regard, each type of waste has a different processing. Thus, sorting is needed first before finally being recycled. In fact, Indonesia Asri is also supporting this activity through Operasi Semut. 

#AksiAsri Operasi Semut is a program that educates people on the importance of sorting waste before it is thrown away. Now, Operasi Semut by Indonesia Asri has reached the 7th volume. 

3. Depositing Waste in the Waste Bank

After sorting the waste, you can deposit it in the waste bank. It is very easy because you only need to bring the sorted waste to the waste bank. Then, the waste bank will recycle it based on the types and even reward you with some money.

In Jakarta, you can find various waste banks ready to accommodate your waste, such as  Rebricks Indonesia, Rubah Kertas, and Kamibox. Additionally, the Government of Jakarta provides waste banks under Dinas Lingkungan Hidup DKI Jakarta that you can spot in several areas. 

4. Recycling the Inorganic Waste

The next inorganic waste management idea is recycling it into functional and economical products. For example, you can turn plastic bottles into piggy banks or soda cans into pencil cases. 

Recycling inorganic waste can range from as easy as making woven bags out of plastic bags to as advanced as Chandra Asri Group’s process of turning plastic waste into asphalt.

More than 120 kilometers of roads in Indonesia are covered with plastic asphalt developed by the Chandra Asri Group which has improved road stability by up to 40%.

5. Depositing Waste to the Sanitary Landfill

Sanitary landfills are used to dispose of inorganic waste that has undergone several procedures and is no longer suitable for recycling or energy production. Sanitary landfills are places to process and return waste to the environment using a safer method for humans and the ecosystem. 

To prevent contamination and odors, inorganic waste will eventually be buried in the landfill with soil or other materials.

6. Incineration   

Incineration is an inorganic waste management method typically done in developed countries like Japan. The process involves waste combustion in the incinerator. Generally, this method is used to process inorganic waste that is hard to recycle. 

The burned waste will be transformed into usable energy, including gas, ash, and heat energy. Even if the processing procedure involves burning the waste, it does not mean that regular people can burn the waste casually in their yards. 

This is because the incineration process is done tightly and responsibly to ensure that the residue does not pollute the surrounding environment. 

7. Bioremediation

The last inorganic waste management idea is bioremediation. This method is usually used to process organic waste because it involves microorganisms to decompose it. 

Nonetheless, some bacteria that have been carefully researched can also lessen the toxicity and volume of some inorganic waste, allowing bioremediation to be used for some inorganic waste types.

Those are the information about inorganic waste management ideas you must know. From the simplest to the most complex ones, inorganic waste can be processed wisely. Therefore, you can support the surrounding environmental sustainability. 

Aside from waste management, you must also know other information about the environment, like circular economy, to be able to contribute optimally to environmental sustainability. 

Regarding this, you can become Warga Asri by registering with Indonesia Asri! By becoming Warga Asri, you can get more information about sustainability and participate in programs like Operasi Semut and others. So, register yourself now, and let’s preserve the environment with Indonesia Asri!

Read also: Is Throwing Waste in the Bin Enough to Solve the Trash Problem?