Waste Management
Description
Mastering Waste: Understanding, Managing, and
Transforming Our Environment
Description: Explore the world of waste management, from understanding what waste is to its classification and sources. Discover the impacts of waste accumulation and the methods used for effective management, including landfilling, incineration, and bioremediation. Dive into the article to uncover the key aspects of managing waste for a cleaner environment.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
What is waste?
According to the Environment protection act ,1990, waste is defined as : any substance which constitutes a scrap material, or an effluent or other unwanted surplus substance arising from application of any process
Classification of waste:
- Biodegradable waste: These can be degraded through microbial activity. eg: food residue, human excreta, etc.
- Non-Biodegradable waste: Petroleum, plastic, styrofoam, glasses, etc.
- Bio medical: Needle, syringe, body parts, etc.
- e-waste: Computer parts, batteries, CFL bulbs, etc.
Sources of Waste:
• Domestic waste: polythene, bottles, food, cotton, etc.
• Industrial waste.
• Food processing: Organic wastes, pathogens, etc.
• Paper: Chlorine, sulphur dioxide, methyl mercaptan, etc.
• Textile: From boiling and processing of fibre
• Petroleum: Inorganic sulphur, hydrocarbons ,organic acids, etc.
• Chemical: Phosphorus, fluorine, silica, etc.
• Metal: Copper, lead, chromium, cadmium.
• Cement: Particulate matter, dust.
• Nuclear reactor: Radioactive waste.
• Agricultural waste: Fertiliser, crop residue, pesticide (like DDT), fumigants.
• Radioactive waste: X-Ray machines, nuclear plants, laboratories etc.
• Municipal waste: Waste produced by public offices, parks, shops etc.
Impact of Waste Accumulation
• Spoilage of landscape: Open dumps and land fills
• Pollution: Toxic wastes pollute air ,water,soil.
• Health Hazards:
a) Effect on terrestrial life: lead and mercury poisoning, respiratory disease, decrease in photosynthesis, etc.
b) Effects on aquatic life: coral bleaching, algal bloom, death of marine animals.
What is Waste Management?
• Waste management is a collective activity involving segregation, collection, transportation, re-processing, recycling and disposal of various types of wastes.
Methods for Waste Management
A. Landfill:
This method involves burying off the waste in the vacant locations around the cities. The dumping site should be covered with soil to prevent contamination. Suitable trees should be planted to hold the soil (of shallow roots).
• Advantage of Landfills: If designed carefully they can serve as economical and quite sanitized method for waste dumping.
• Disadvantage: Mostly unplanned dumping in suburbs and slums causes serious environmental and health hazards. eg: release of poisonous gases, secretion of toxic liquid, destruction of vegetation.
B. Incineration:
• It is controlled high temperature oxidation (burning/thermal treatment) of primarily organic compounds, that produce thermal energy, CO2 and water.
• Advantages: Useful to deal with large quantities of organic hazardous waste and produces electricity.
• Disadvantages: The installation is expensive (high cost of equipment and skilled operators). Generates ash and toxic gases (HCL,CO,SO2).
C. Other Thermal Methods
• Pyrolysis: The solid is converted in to liquid state and liquid is converted in to gas. These products of treatment can then be used for the production of energy.
• Gasification: The material to be treated is directly converted in to SynGas (synthetic gas) which has hydrogen and carbon dioxide as its components.
D. Bioremediation
• Bioremediation is the use of living organisms, primarily microorganisms, to degrade environ-mental contaminants into less toxic forms. e.g.: Pseudonymous bacterium can decompose synthetic pesticide.
• Bioremediation techniques are more economical than traditional methods and pollutants can be treated on site, thus reducing exposure risks for personnel.
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