The Bay Area’s Secret Trip: Where Does YOUR TRASH Actually Go?

We hear the thunk of the garbage vehicle leaving and think that's the end of our trash, but where does it actually go? When most people have this type of attitude, they overlook the ways that trash disposal can cause many different pollution problems for the environment around us in silent ways, and have huge negative effects. 

Imagine yourself as a trash bag filled with all sorts of disgusting things, and you just got put in the trash can (sorted hopefully). This bag will usually sit there until a garbage truck comes around and picks it up, which, after picking up the other ones ( your friends, yay), it will proceed to go to the Transfer Station, or in simpler terms, the “ trash airport “. The Bay Area’s main transfer station is Atlamont’s Landfill and Resource Recovery Center. Then you will be picked up in a much bigger truck with more friends to enjoy the journey with and head to the LANDFILL ( dun, dun dun.) Once you get there, you will be sorted into landfill, compost, or recycling. Things that happen there are such that recycling turns you back into something new, trash makes you still in a hole covered with some special material to avoid smell and trash flying away ( to mention: you will get squashed ). But, compost is unlike either; compost is stored in a greenhouse with special pipes and systems in place to collect the methane produced and turn it into power for the trucks that pick up the compost.

Although this system may seem good at the moment, it actually has many things that could be improved on, not by the people running it, but by YOU. Simply sorting your trash allows for the process to go smoother and less contamination to happen. Also, sorting your trash allows for the compost to be turned into more useful things like healthy soil for plants and gas for the trucks. More things that could be improved upon are the amount of trash and microplastics that go into the ocean, damaging the wildlife and ecosystem. 

Overall, the whole trip is much longer than you think, and it has its pros and cons. The thing YOU can do is make all the changes in the final numbers. You are now ready to spread your greenness across the world.