Module 1 (Lecture 1)
Module 1 (Lecture 1)
Solid waste comprises of all the wastes arising from human and animal activities that are typically solid and that are
discarded as useless or unwanted. It is all-inclusive of the heterogeneous mass from the urban community as well
as more homogeneous accumulation of agriculture and industrial wastes.
Secondary
manufacturing
Waste materials
Processing &
recovery
waste
Materials Flow And Waste Generation (contd.)
Chaffs mixed with plastic to produce headlight covers used in car parts
Coffee chaffs
Waste materials
Roasted beans
Coffee powder
waste
Why solid waste: A consequence of life
The relationship between public health and improper storage, collection and disposal of solid waste is quite clear.
The consequences of improper disposal of solid waste can be very well highlighted with the following examples.
Improper disposal causes plague Improper landfilling of solid Improper landfilling of solid waste
because of breeding of rats, flies and waste attributes to water attributes to air pollution by release
other disease vectors. pollution. of greenhouse gases. In Fig:
Kolkata’s permanently burning
Image source: google images landfill.
Plastic dumped in ocean causes harm to marine species, threatens food safety and quality, human health,
coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change.
The effects of technological advances: Increasing use of plastics, packaging of goods, use of frozen foods.
How solid waste affected us in recent year
Cloudburst in Mumbai (2005) clogged the sewage line due to large no. of plastic bags.
The area of the dump yard in Chennai has doubled over the last decade and clogging of the drains due to
indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and construction debris is another major reason for floods (2015).
Blast in the Bhushan Steel factory at Noida, caused due to imported scrap from Iran.
Stray animals dying on streets and farmland due to consumption of plastic bags, which blocks the food movement in
their stomach.
Since Vedic time, the prime motto of Indian social life was to live in harmony with nature and in an hygienic environment.
Vedas, Upanishads, Smiritis and Dharmashastras preach in one way or another a worshipful attitude towards plants, trees,
mother earth, sky, vayumandal (sky), water and animals (all living creatures).
Manusmiriti—first systematic treatment of Hindu Law, also prohibited the throwing of garbage, dust, rubbish, pieces
of meat etc. on the highway and in water bodies and made it punishable.
Kautilya in his Arthshastra has mentioned that maintaining sanitation of habitat was essential and inviable.
Ayurveda also emphasized on the wholesomeness of water and pure air as the pollution of both causes many type of
diseases.
Management of MSW in new India