SHIVA NIKETAN SCHOOL

BIOLOGY PROJECT
ON
BIOLOGICAL WASTE
MANAGEMENT
Submitted by

U. Kanish (XII – Science)

GUIDED BY: Mrs. KOKILAVANI P

Shiva Niketan School

CBSE Affiliation No: 1930615
Mangalam, Tirupur – 641663.

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 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that U. Kanish. Reg. No:

of class XII of Shiva Niketan School, Mangalam, Tirupur has

successfully completed his project report in Biology on the topic
“Biological Waste Management” for the partial fulfillment of
AISSCE as prescribed by the CBSE in the year 2022 – 2023.

Viva Voice held on:

Registration No:

Signature of the Guide Signature of the Principal

Signature of Internal Signature of External

Examiner Examiner

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At the outset, I express our gratitude to the Almighty Lord for the
divine guidance and wisdom showered on me to undertake this
project.

I owe my heartfelt thanks to our coordinators Mrs. Amirtha

Prabhakaran and Mrs. Kripaa Shetty for their support throughout
the project.

I am immensely grateful to my beloved Principal Mrs. V. M. Ganga,

for her involvement in this project by providing useful inputs and
timely suggestions.

I am also thankful to my +biology teacher Mrs. Kokilavani P, for her

guidance and help to make this project a success.

My Parents also played a key role in shaping up this project nicely

and I convey my special thanks to them as well.

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 INDEX

S.No Topic Page no.

1. Introduction 5

2. Overview 6

3. Types of waste 7

4. Biological management of solid 10

wastes
5. Biological wastewater treatment 14

6. Reed bed explained 15

7. Advantages of reed bed 18

8. Management of other wastes 19

9. Conclusion 21

10. Bibliography 22

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 INTRODUCTION

It has been around 200,000 years since we humans evolved and since
then, our population has skyrocketed to 8 billion. For all these years,
we have never had to ‘manage’ our waste. This is because we never
used substances that were dangerous to ecosystems or those that were
non-biodegradable. As we were living spread out around the land in
small populations, our organic waste could be easily managed by
biological methods, they decomposed on their own easily without any
significant impact on the ecosystem.

But today, our population has increased and we live in mega-cities,

and this arrangement surely requires proper management of waste,
biodegradable, or non-biodegradable. The plastics we use for every
trivial item also adds up a huge amount to the biologically non-
manageable waste.

This demands proper and ecologically responsible waste management

methods to minimize and curb the ill effects of pollution.

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 OVERVIEW

This project provides us with an overview of the major types of

wastes, the huge quantity of it, types of waste, and different biological
methods to manage the wastes.

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 TYPES OF WASTE
Keeping our environment clean is essential to living healthy and
comfortable lives. People, factories, processes and animals produce
waste every day, so it is an inevitable part of the society.

1. Liquid waste
Liquid waste refers to all grease, oil, sludges, wash water, waste
detergents and dirty water that have been thrown away. They are
hazardous and poisonous to our environment and are found in
industries as well as households. Wastewater, as it is often called, is
any waste that exists in liquid form.

There are two categories of liquid waste: non-point and point source
waste. Manufactured liquid wastes are called point source, and non-
point source wastes occur naturally in our environment.
How is liquid waste removed?
The three methods we can remove liquid wastes from wherever
they’re located include;
 Containment: This involves storing liquid waste in barrels or
tanks so that they can be removed from our surroundings.
Containing liquid waste prevents it from being dumped in our
environment.
 Treatment: All liquid wastes do not need to be thrown away.
You can treat and reuse them. For example, organic waste is
composted and used to produce fertilizers in various stations in
the UK.
 Disposal: If no treatment can be done on liquid waste, then it
should be disposed of.

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2. Solid Waste
Solid waste is any garbage, sludge, and refuse found in industrial and
commercial locations. The five major types of solid rubbish are;
 Glass and Ceramics: Numerous companies readily recycle
ceramics and glass. The catch here is that you have to dispose of
them correctly.
 Plastic waste: Plastic waste is any container, jar, bottle, and bag
that is found in companies and houses. Plastics are non-
biodegradable, and most of them cannot be recycled. Do not mix
plastic rubbish with regular waste. Instead, sort them out before
throwing them away.
 Paper rubbish: This refers to all newspapers, packaging
materials, cardboards, and other paper products. Paper is
recyclable.
 Metals and Tins: You can easily find tins and metals in homes
because food containers and household materials are made from
them. Most metals are recyclable, so take them to a scrap yard
or recycling depot after use.
3. Organic Waste
Organic waste refers to rotten meat, garden and food waste. This type
of rubbish is commonly found in homes. With time, they decompose
and turn into manure by the action of microorganisms on them. But be
careful; you should not dispose of them anywhere you like.
When decomposing, organic waste produces methane, so, it must not
be thrown away with regular waste. Instead, get a green bin and
dispose of this type of waste properly.
4. Recyclable Waste

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All discarded items like metals, furniture, organic waste that can be
recycled fall under this category. Not all items are recyclable, so you
have to be careful when putting things into the recycle bin. If you are
not sure whether an item is recyclable or not, then check the item’s
packaging.
5. Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste includes flammable, corrosive, toxic and reactive
materials. In a nutshell, they are wastes that pose a significant or
potential threat to our environment.

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 BIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF SOLID
WASTES
Solid wastes are some of the most common wastes produced in a city.
They consist of four major categories of wastes: Organic, Plastic,
Metal and Glass. The first step in solid waste management is to
separate wastes into the four categories for easy processing.
In a large scale, these wastes are separated from each other by sorting
machines which sort the items through weight, density, colour,
magnetism, or all of these.
We will see about the techniques to manage the biodegradable
category.
Small community level:
1. Pit composting:
Pit composting can be implemented in areas with lower rainfall
and the site for construction must be at a higher level to prevent
flooding of rainwater in the pit. In villages having constraints of
space at the household level, community-level pit composting
can be adopted.
The following process can be adopted for pit composting:
» Dig/construct an adequate number of pits of not more than 1m
(depth) x 1.5m (width) x 3m (length) dimension depending upon the
quantity of waste generated.
» Make a ridge with the help of soil at the periphery of the pit and
compact it by light ramming.
» Go on adding collected waste in the pits (only biodegradable
waste).

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» Wherever possible, it is advisable to add cow dung slurry to the
waste to enhance the composting process
» Spread a very thin layer of soil over it (once a week) to avoid odour
and fly nuisance.
» Continue to add waste every day.
» Follow the above procedure and repeat the layers till the pit is full.
It is recommended to fill the pit up to about 300 mm above ground
level.
» After 3–4 days, the waste above ground settles down. » Plaster it
with soil.
» Leave the pit as it is for 3–6 months for maturation and start other
pits sequentially.
» After 3–6 months, take out the compost and use it in the fields.
Limitations:
The prime limitation of this method is that the underground pit is not
suitable for areas with heavy rainfall and water logging issues. The
lining of the pit with soil if not done properly can cause fly infestation
and pollute the surrounding areas.
Operation and maintenance protocols:
» Choose an elevated area where water does not get collected.
Otherwise, make necessary provisions to prevent the entry of water
into the pit by constructing a small bund around the pits.
» Spread a layer of cow dung slurry or decomposed waste in the
bottom of the pit before dumping the waste.
» Spread the waste over the cow dung or decomposed waste layer. »
Bigger sizes of the waste are to be cut into small pieces for easy
decomposing.

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» A small layer of soil may be sprinkled over it daily to avoid a bad
smell from the pit.
» Repeat the procedure daily.
MANUAL: BIODEGRADABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT
» Once the pit is filled up fully, close the pit by spreading a layer of
15 cm of earth.
» Once the first pit is closed, use the other pit in the same way. » The
waste in the first pit becomes compost after a period of 4–6 months,
clear the pit and make it ready for further use. The compost can be
disposed of or used as manure.
» Protect the pit from rainwater, keep it covered using a tarpaulin or
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) roofing sheet.

Vermicomposting:
Vermicomposting is the process of using earthworms and
microorganisms to turn kitchen waste/ organic solid waste into
black and nutrient-rich humus. Vermicomposting involves the
stabilization of organic solid waste through earthworm
consumption, which converts the material into worm castings.
Vermicomposting is the result of the combined activity of
microorganisms and earthworms.
Microbial decomposition of biodegradable organic matter
occurs through extracellular enzymatic activities (primary
decomposition) whereas decomposition in earthworms occurs
in the elementary tract by microorganisms inhabiting the gut
(secondary decomposition).
Microbes such as fungi, actinomycetes and protozoa are
reported to inhibit the gut of earthworms. Ingested feed
substrates are subjected to grinding in the interior part of the

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 worm's gut (gizzard), resulting in particle size reduction.
Materials for the preparation of vermicompost:
Any type of biodegradable waste is suitable for vermicompost.
Kitchen wastes, animal/cow dung, and leafy biomass are more
suitable for vermicompost.
Earthworm species for vermicomposting:
The following species of earthworm commonly found in India
are used for vermicomposting:
1. Eisenia foetida
2. Eudrilus eugeniae
3. Amyanthes diffrigens
Advantages of vermicompost:
1. Rich in all essential plant nutrients.
2. Easy to apply, handle and store and does not have a bad
odour.
3. Improves soil structure, texture, aeration and water holding
capacity.
4. Contains an earthworm cocoon and increases the population
and activity of earthworm in the soil.
5. Free from pathogens, toxic elements and weed seeds.
6. Minimizes the incidence of pests and diseases.
These are the methods we can use to manage the biodegradable
wastes. There are biological methods that can be used to manage
plastic wastes.
One hint of hope has come from a group of organisms that
scientists call Plastivores. Like their name implies, these
creatures will gladly eat some of the most common plastics. So
far, researchers have discovered over 50 species of
microorganisms, mostly bacteria and fungi, that can turn plastics
into energy. And more recently, they've discovered several
insect species that thrive on eating polyethylene, the primary
plastic in single-use bags.

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 BIOLOGICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT

There are many techniques that can be used to treat wastewater. Large
scale techniques are very resource and energy intensive. Therefore,
the key for efficient waste water treatment is decentralized small-scale
treatment beds that require zero input and maintenance.
One such system is the reed bed system:

This system is very useful in developing countries where environment

is not always the first concern. Usage of this method in such places
can help in preventing pollution of water bodies with zero input.

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 REED BED EXPLAINED
A reed bed sewage system is a waste water treatment plant you can
install in your own backyard. To work as a sewage system, it needs to
be used together with a septic tank. For a reed bed sewage system to
work seamlessly, you need two reed beds: one to fill for a period of
time while the other drains; this process is then reversed.
A reed bed sewage system is created with reed beds used in
conjunction with a septic tank. Waste water from the house (from
toilets, sinks, kitchens and baths) is discharged into the septic tank
and is allowed to settle. It then passes on to the reeds which carry
oxygen to the soil, which in turn encourages microorganisms, algae,
bacteria and fungi in the soil to digest the waste contaminants to the
point where the waste water is clean enough to be emptied into a land
drain, soakaway or water course.
First, the very existence of root zone system creates channels for the
water to pass through.
Secondly, the roots introduce oxygen down into the body of soil and
provide an environment where aerobic bacteria can thrive. These
organisms are necessary for the breakdown of many types of
compounds in particular in the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate; this is
the first step in the biological breakdown of nitro compound. Thirdly,
the process of nitrification takes place i.e., the plants themselves take
up a certain amount of nutrient from the wastewater.
In the spring and summer about 15% of the treatment capacity for
sewage effluent occurs through this root zone treatment. Most
degradation of nutrients is however undertaken by the microbes.
The plants are also capable of accumulating certain heavy metals, an
area where there is currently a great
2

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deal of research. In essence Reed beds can help to achieve a better
standard of water quality through

High level of bacterial and viral removal

Decreased biological oxygen demand

Reduction of suspended solids

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 ADVANTAGES OF REED BED
•Operation does not require electricity or fuel supply. No mechanical
systems are involved.
•Reed beds do not breakdown. Set up is visually unobtrusive
(aesthetical good) and provides growth of microorganisms.
•The plants, especially the species that grow naturally and
under harsh environment conditions, offer a simple and economic
method of wastewater treatment.
•Root zone plants can also be effectively used for the treatment of
small volumes of municipal wastewater, particularly where
construction of sewage collection system to an adjacent waste water
treatment is needed.

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 MANAGEMENT OF OTHER WASTES
The remaining types of wastes we haven’t covered are:

Metal wastes:
Metal wastes can be sorted separately from the municipal solid
wastes. This metal waste can be magnetically sorted to extract ferrous
materials and chemically sorted further to separate pure forms of the
various metals.

Glass wastes:
Glass wastes can easily be separated using a density sorting machine.
The glass can be remelted and recycled into new glassware.

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Hazardous wastes:
Hazardous wastes are very costly to dispose. The best options are to
store them in such a way that prevents any form of leakage of
materials, or to convert it into other forms of energy through
incineration.

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 CONCLUSION

Every day, a great deal of effort and energy goes into the collection,
sorting and management of waste. Waste management is a significant
part of a community’s budget.
We, as responsible citizens must help the authorities.
Firstly, we must reduce the wastes we produce by refraining from
buying and disposing unnecessary items.
We must also make it a habit to segregate the categories of wastes in
our homes, to reduce the effort, energy and time that goes into
segregating the waste at a large scale. It wouldn’t cost us much time
or energy to sort our wastes in our home.
We must also try and implement small scale methods and deal with
biodegradable solid wastes, and wastewater by implementing systems
introduced and recommended in this project.
This decentralisation of waste management is the best approach to
deal with the majority of wastes we produce.
Setting up of a compost pit and reed bed will take us only a day’s time
and a small amount of money. Only around 8-10 square feet would be
required for a family of four to manage their own solid wastes and
wastewater.
We must all implement these systems in our homes and integrate this
into our daily lives to live as environmentally responsible people in
our society. This sense of responsibility in every person would
ultimately develop our country and society.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Swachh Bharat Mission
 www.dtmmix.co.uk
 whyy.org
 www.homesandgardens.com
 Wikipedia

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