Talking Trash: Indiana & Kentucky Generate a LOT of Garbage
Garbage - it's a term that's being thrown around the United States a lot lately. At a Trump rally over the weekend, the comic, Tony Hinchcliffe called US Territory Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean."
President Biden hit back during a virtual rally saying, "the only garbage I see floating out there are his (Trump) supporters." The White House later claimed that Biden was speaking directly about Hinchcliffe and not all supporters and Trump said that his speakers didn't necessarily reflect his views.
The Real Garbage Crisis in the USA
I often feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis because it seems like such a global issue. What can I, just one person in Kentuckiana, really do about it? Well, the first step is to arm myself with the facts.
Garbage in Indiana
According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Indiana generated about 9.4 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2021, as reported through their Re-TRAC, IDEM Solid Waste and Recycling Data Reporting Program. MSW includes a mix of garbage from residential, industrial, and food sources. They estimate that around 75% of this waste ends up in one of Indiana's 89 landfills, 21% is recycled, and about 4% is converted into energy.
You can not dump the following into Indiana landfills:
- Hazardous waste (except household hazardous waste and conditionally exempt small quantity waste)
- Certain polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste
- Untreated infectious waste
- Vegetative matter, unless from homes or properly bagged
- Whole waste tires
- Lead acid batteries and mercury switches
- Regulated asbestos-containing material not managed in accordance with Air rules 326 IAC 14-10 and 329 IAC 10-8.2-4
- Appliances or motor vehicle air conditioner containing a refrigerant or other Class I or Class II substance that has not been removed as required by 40 CFR 82.156
- Biosolids as defined in 327 IAC 6.1-2-7 that is not managed in accordance with 327 IAC 6.1-1-7
- Wastewater as defined in the 327 IAC 7.1-2-41 that is not managed in accordance with 327 IAC 7.1-7-1
Garbage in Kentucky
Kentucky wasn't as forthcoming with their refuse statistics. One site I found estimated that the amount of garbage was closer to 6 million tons which makes sense since Indiana has a population of about 2 million more people than Kentucky.
It’s pretty alarming when you look at the waste on a per-person basis. In Indiana, there is about 59.9 tons of waste created per person per year, while in Kentucky, it’s around 46.8 tons. Fun fact, according to the EPA, Indiana is the second highest while Kentucky is the 10th highest state with tons of waste per person. That’s a stark contrast to states like Connecticut, where the per-person figure is just 8.7 tons. It really makes you think about how we need to change our habits and start focusing on a more sustainable future. (Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/land-of-waste-american-landfills-by-state/)
You can't dump the following into Kentucky landfills:
- Car batteries
- Liquid waste
- Medical waste
- Motor oil
- Paint
- Tires
So, what can we do to combat waste?
According to earth.org, it takes having an earth-friendly mindset and a willingness to give up some conveniences.
- Stop using single-use plastic items. I can start with the plastic forks that I use at lunch or go with a recyclable option.
- Opt for eco-friendly packaging
- Compost
- Use greener cleaning agents like vinegar
- Reuse reuse reuse!
- Make it a point to create less waste
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Gallery Credit: Travis Sams
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Gallery Credit: Dave Spencer