| Cities manage waste in different ways, the biggest | | | | drastic actions. |
| variation being that between first and third world | | | | Today cities still manage waist with these types of |
| countries. In the western world, waste is typically | | | | sewage systems but other types of waste such as |
| manage quite effectively with all waste being | | | | the source that we throw in are beings, is obviously |
| disposed of a and treated properly where applicable. | | | | dealt with in of rather different way. All of this is |
| However, the way waste is handled largely depends | | | | often sent into landfill sites. Landfill sites slowly |
| on its nature. That is to say, some waste is | | | | degrade over the decades but only so extent are |
| potentially dangerous and needs to be dealt with in a | | | | some things are not biodegradable. Landfill sites also |
| different way, separately from everything else. | | | | have the major disadvantage of taking up an |
| Today, all of the world's largest cities have complex | | | | enormous and ever growing amount of space. |
| sewage systems. However, in poorer countries, the | | | | However, things are changing with various other |
| sewage systems may well not reached the poorer | | | | methods of waste disposal coming in. When gathering |
| suburbs which have to deal with waste manually. | | | | all of the junk removal that you have accumulated, |
| Sewers have been around since ancient times and | | | | separate the items under the categories compost, |
| were indeed very famous in ancient Rome. During | | | | reuse, recycle. Incineration is also a popular alternative |
| classical times, Rome had a population of about a | | | | and can also convert waste materials into something |
| million inhabitants, by far the biggest city in the world | | | | useful such as electrical power or heat. |
| at the time. At that time, Rome also had one of the | | | | Recycling is also becoming very popular in some |
| most advanced sewerage systems ever seen. | | | | countries. Around half of the waste that we produce |
| In many European cities, waste management | | | | on a daily basis in our households is perfectly capable |
| dramatically declined and indeed it was only 150 years | | | | of being recycled. This includes any paper or |
| ago in cities like London for example, that proper | | | | cardboard based products, tins, aluminium or glass. |
| waste management actually started to take off. In | | | | Indeed, in some countries it has already become law |
| fact, the infamous period of 1858 in London known | | | | to recycle certain materials and place them in |
| as 'The Great Stink' was one of the driving forces | | | | separate bins for the rubbish collections. |
| behind the modern rise of proper waste | | | | As the population of the world continues to |
| management systems. | | | | skyrocket as does the population of the world's |
| During this period, it was a very hot summer and all | | | | cities, it becomes ever more essential to introduce |
| of the city's waste was disgorged into the Thames | | | | more effective forms of waste management and |
| and the whole of London became absolutely | | | | upgrade to more environmentally friendly alternatives. |
| unbearable. Shortly afterwards, it was decided that | | | | However, while progress is being made, demand |
| major work needed to be done to construct proper | | | | continues to grow at an alarming rate. |
| sewer systems and deal with the problem with | | | | |