The Garbage Area: How to Keep It Clean and Curb Disease Spread
A garbage collection and disposal area is a necessity in any establishment. It provides a specific place for the disposal of garbage. And when properly maintained it prevents the spread of germs, bacteria, and vermin.
However, if neglected, the garbage area can be a potential source of contamination.
In this article, we will take a look at the importance of hygiene in your garbage area. We will also look into the steps you can take to clean your disposal area, and bins. And how to select the right bins to suit your facility and your waste management needs.
How to Maintain a Sanitary Garbage Collection Area
Garbage refers to any material we no longer need and wish to dispose of. It can be anything, from kitchen refuse to plastic wrappers and used batteries.
A dirty garbage area breeds germs and vermin which can pose significant health risks. They also create unpleasant living conditions and increase the risk of disease transmission.
In spaces such as caravan parks, a clean garbage collection area is essential. It helps encourage proper waste disposal and goes a long way in ensuring ideal conditions for guests.
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Here are the measures you can take to ensure proper hygiene in the garbage area:
Have a Designated Garbage Disposal Location
The location of your garbage disposal area is critical. It should be close enough for easy access. But not so close that it imposes on your guests' ambience.
Additionally, it should minimize unpleasant odours, insects, and unwanted animals.
The area should also be big enough to cater to your waste volume. If too small, the waste will pile up and encourage pest activity.
Consider the following features when selecting an appropriate garbage disposal location:
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Space: Ensure the area has enough space for storage, collection, and recycling of waste.
The bins need to be at least 30cm from each other. There should also be a 50cm gap between the general rubbish and recycling bins.
- Access: Ensure the garbage area is easily accessible. Proper placement of your garbage area makes the waste collection process safe, easy, and fast.
- Amenity: Maintain a neat garbage area. This is important in caravan parks where guests might see, or access the garbage shed. You should also ensure proper hygiene to avoid offensive odours.
- Safety: Observe the appropriate safety practices when storing, handling, and collecting waste. These include measures to safeguard the health and wellbeing of your staff and guests.
For instance, do not place the bins within 5 feet of any combustible walls, roofs, or stairways.
Additionally, the designated garbage area should have handwashing sinks and a hose connection to make cleaning easier.
Separate Your Facility’s Garbage
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Some types of waste are hazardous. They can even spread diseases or contaminate the environment. To prevent this, there are regulations on how to dispose of such waste.
Part of proper waste disposal is to separate your garbage according to these regulations. But to do this, you first need to understand the different types of waste:
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Recyclable Waste: This consists of garbage that can be converted into reusable materials.Sort the garbage and separate recyclables and store them in the recycling bin. The most common recyclables include:
- Plastic waste
- Paper Waste
- Tins and Metals
- Ceramics and glass
- Organic waste: This is the most common type of garbage. It consists of food waste. Over time, microorganisms can turn this into manure. If possible, you should separate organic waste and compost it.
- Hazardous Waste: This refers to all rubbish that is flammable, toxic, reactive, or corrosive. These can be harmful to people and the environment needs proper disposal.
- Infectious Waste: This is waste that has the potential to carry microorganisms and transfer diseases. It includes anything contaminated with human and animal blood, waste, or bodily fluids.
For instance, any waste generated by a COVID positive person is Infectious Waste. Exercise proper handling and sanitation to protect contamination and infection.
Choose the Right Garbage Bin
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Waste bins play a critical role in maintaining safety, and cleanliness. Some of the factors to consider when selecting garbage bins include:
- Volume/Capacity: the right size bins are essential in maintaining a clean garbage area. If your bins are too small, the rubbish will overflow onto the ground. This, in turn, makes your garbage area unsanitary and favours pest activity.
- Ease of Handling: Go for bins with handles, wheels, and dollies, especially on larger containers. The bins can get quite heavy when full, and these will make handling a lot easier and more efficient.
- Pest and Odor Control: One of the primary functions of any bin is to keep the rubbish in and pests out. Opt for bins with adequate covers to help control pests and vermin, and reduce odours. There are even bins designs that are possum resistant.
- Material: Your garbage bins should be a long term investment. Opt for bins made from high-quality recyclable materials and user-friendly designs. These are usually made from sturdy plastic of galvanized steel.
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Garbage vs. Recycling Bins: Ensure you use the right bins for the specific. In Australia, the colour codes for waste and recycling bins are as follows:
- General Waste – Dark Green or Black with a Red lid
- Mixed (Commingles) Recycling – Dark Green or Black with a Yellow lid
- Organic Waste – Dark Green or black with a Lime Green lid
- Food Waste – Dark Green or Black with a Burgundy lid
- Paper Waste – Dark Green or Black with a Blue lid
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Deep Clean Your Garbage Bins
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Regular and thorough cleaning of your garbage bins is the most effective way to prevent diseases.
Here are the steps you should take when deep cleaning your caravan park garbage bins:
- Empty the bins. It’s easier to clean the bins when they are empty. It, therefore, makes sense to clean them when on trash day after they’ve been emptied.
- Hose down the inside of the bin to dislodge any left-over dirt and debris.
- Squirt some dishwashing soap or any other suitable detergent into the bin
- Fill the bin with a few inches of water to create some foam and soapy water.
- Thoroughly Scrub down the inside of the bin using a long-handle broom, scrub brush or mop.
- Rinse the bin and pour the soapy water down a utility drain
- Hose down the outside of the garbage bin and scrub down problem areas if need be.
- Air-dry the bin until completely dry.
- Disinfect the bin using a diluted bleach solution or disinfectant spray. This also eliminates any lingering odours if present.
Deep Clean Your Waste Storage Shed
Besides cleaning your bins, you also need to deep-clean your waste storage shed. And just as with the waste bins, you should do this when the shed is empty – like on collection day.
But unlike with the bins, cleaning the garbage shed is a little more involved.
To deep clean your waste storage shed, you need to:
- Put on all the appropriate personal protective equipment. These include; a mask, gloves, safety boots, and overalls.
- Prepare the required cleaning tools and chemicals. Some of the tools you will need include:
- A broom
- Disposable cloth
- A mop and a mop bucket
- Brushing machine
- Squeeze stick
- Cleaning chemicals.
- Once you have all your tools ready, you can then proceed to clean the shed. The garbage room cleaning process is:
- Sweep up the garbage shed to remove any loose rubbish and debris
- Wet the entire garbage area with water mixed cleaning solution
- Use the brushing machine to scrub down the shed thoroughly
- Dry the floor using the squeeze stick, or wet vacuum if available.
- Mop the floor to get rid of any excess moisture.
- Wipe down the walls and other surfaces with the cloth and disinfectant solution.
Proper hygiene and sanitation is essential in the garbage area. It plays a critical role in preventing the spread of diseases.
In caravan parks, it shows an attentiveness to the wellbeing of guests. And this helps foster positive association and goodwill towards your business.
Additionally, it creates a safe and efficient garbage handling for sanitation workers. This is especially important during the current Coronavirus pandemic.
Visit the ALS website for more tips and guides to clean your caravan park and prevent the spread of diseases.
Source: Vladislav Vasnetsov
