Garbage disposal (also called waste disposal) is installed under the kitchen sink and attached to the drain. Its purpose is to shred pieces of food small enough to pass through the plumbing sewer system. They run on electric power.
Garbage Disposals as Home-Based Waste Management
About half of US homes have a waste disposal unit that allows homeowners to participate in waste management efforts. One study from the Environmental Protection Agency found that food scraps can amount to 20 percent of household waste. Garbage disposals reduce scraps to the point where they become mostly water that is easily cleaned and treated in modern wastewater plants.
When households can reduce the amount of trash they put out, the number of trash pickups with those heavy-duty trucks can be cut. It also means less space is needed to store trash before it’s processed into landfills.
Garbage Disposal Benefits Include Fewer Clogged Sinks
On a more practical level, garbage disposals can prevent clogs in the kitchen sink since they grind up scraps. Even if just a little bit of food or crumbs fall down the drain, they will eventually build up into a clog that disposal will easily shred.
A garbage disposal unit isn’t an all-around food junk removal. It won’t be able to shred a few items including:
- Grease and oil
- Bones
- Potato peels
- Pits
- Celery
- Pasta
- Coffee grounds
With proper care, your garbage disposal unit will last for at least ten years.
Contact us with your questions about garbage disposals.
