WASTE MANAGEMENT Impact of Waste Accumulation Domestic Waste, Commercial Waste, Industrial Waste,Municipal Waste, Food Processing

Waste, Agricultural Waste  Eutrophication  Sanitary Landfills  Bio-magnification  Bio-accumulation

Key Terms
Key Terms
*Waste Disposal: Waste disposal is the management
of waste to prevent harm to the environment,
injury or long term progressive damage to health.
*Segregation of Waste: It means to segregate the
garbage various types of dustbins are used to
separate glass, paper, cloth, metal, wet and dry
food wastes, etc.
*Dumping of Waste Disposal: Waste materials are
dumped in open pits and become the breeding
ground for mosquitoes, flies, insects, etc.
*Sanitary Landfill: It is a system of disposing wastes,
is a biological method and is carried out with
minimal environmental damage.
*Composting: It is a form of waste disposal where

organic waste decomposes naturally under oxygen-

rich conditions.

Waste Concentration: In order to reduce discharge volumes, waste concentration systems are employed. By using scientific techniques such as precipitation
and evaporation the amount of liquid waste can be reduced.
Recycling: It is the process of changing the waste and non-usable materials into new potentially useful materials. This is done to reduce the use of raw
materials that would have been used.
Bagasse: It is a by-product of sugarcane, is used for manufacturing paper pulp, for making packaging material of dairy products.
Wasteland Management: Managing cultivable or non-cultivable lands for proper use or re-use them for different purposes.
Soil Pollution Acid rain can cause soil pollution. Soil pollution leads to reduction in mineralisation and decomposition. It also reduces soil fertility and soil
aeration. Further, it is important to check the accumulation of wastes and reduce soil pollution.

Waste Management It is thus required to effectively manage wastes. One of the easiest ways of managing wastes is following the 3-R system—reduction,
reuse and recycle. We should reduce the use of resources by not overusing and overexploiting them. Materials should also be used several times to conserve
resources. Materials such as glass and paper should be recycled to make new materials. This helps in protecting our environment.

Wastes are discarded materials after primary use by humans which is not only an environmental problem,but also an economic loss.There are three types of
wastes:(i) Solid Wastes(ii) Liquid Wastes(iii) Gaseous Wastes.

Solid Wastes are accumulated in different places like in the backyards of the houses, street corners, outside hospitals and schools, near water bodies, etc.
Some of these wastes are biodegradable and some of these are non-biodegradable in nature.
Some wastes are toxic ones and some are non-toxic.
Waste refers to any discarded material which no longer remains useful. According to the Environment Protection Act, 1990, waste is any substance which
constitutes a scrap material, or an effluent or an unwanted surplus which arises out of the application of any process. There are three types of wastes—solid,
liquid and gaseous wastes. Solid Wastes: It include garbage, food leftovers, decaying fruits and vegetables, cans, bottles and ashes. Liquid Wastes: It refers
to sewage discharged from houses, hospitals, restaurants, offices and factories. Oil spill is also a liquid waste. Gaseous Wastes: It includes fuel exhausts
containing carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide etc. Smog is an example of gaseous waste.

Domestic Wastes Wastes generated as a result of domestic activities are known as domestic wastes. It includes polythene bags, toilet sewage, batteries,
expired medicines and scrap metals.

Wastes originate from different sources, such as:(i) Domestic waste(ii) Commercial waste(iii) Industrial waste(iv) Municipal waste(v) Food processing
waste(vi) Agricultural waste

Industrial Wastes Wastes emanating from various large and small-scale industries are known as industrial wastes.
Industrial wastes can be categorised into the following groups depending on the nature of industry:
Mining: Wastes generated during mining activities are known as mining wastes. Many chemicals and liquids get discharged leading to the deterioration of
land and water resources.
Cement Industry: These industries discharge fine dust particles which can cause serious health hazards.
Oil Refineries: These industries cause serious environment problems. They generate wastes such as organic sulphur compounds, hydrocarbons and organic
acids.
Construction Sites: The wastes include bricks, plastics, pipes, roofing and insulating materials.
Paper Industry: The effluents of the industry include sulphur dioxide and chlorine which can endanger the lives of aquatic organisms.
Textile Industry: Its wastes include effluents resulting from boiling and processing of fibres.
Chemical Industries: These industries include manufacturing industries and fertiliser and pesticide industries.
Metal industries: These industries produce wastes containing copper, lead, acids, chromium and zinc which can affect the life of aquatic animals.
Municipal Wastes Waste generated in a municipality or a local area is known as municipal waste. It is discharged by shops, offices, banks, hospitals and
schools. It can be divided into the following categories:
Sewage: It is a liquid waste which is discharged from kitchens, bathrooms, lavatories, laundries and laboratories. It includes mineral and organic matter,
wastewater and human excreta. As municipal sewage contains large quantities of nitrogen and organic matter, it can affect the ecosystem if it is not treated.
Degradable and Non-Degradable Wastes
Biodegradable Pollutants : Biodegradable wastes decompose into the soil. They do not pose a very serious challenge to the environment. Examples:
Paper, egg shells
Non-biodegradable pollutants take a fairly long time (or never) to decompose into the soil. These wastes pose a serious challenge to the environment
because they do not decompose into the soil. Non-biodegradable Pollutants Examples: Metal cans, plastic products
Impact of Waste Accumulation:
When these accumulated solid wastes are dumped and left unattended, they create following problems:
(i) The wastes starts decomposing which leads to the growth of a number of pathogenic bacteria, virus and fungi.
(ii) Mosquit, flies, rodents, insects, etc., also spread diseases due to the accumulation of wastes around the houses/nearby places.
(iii) The pathogenic bacteria are also carried to our water bodies during rains as the rainwater carries the decomposed waste along with pathogens.
(iv) The landscape is spoiled due to the accumulation of solid wastes that is dumped and left for decomposition.
(v) S & N2 gases are produced due to burning of coal, fuel wood or petroleum which when reacts with O 2 converts into SO2 and NO2
(vi) Sulphur-oxide react with water vapour present in the atmosphere to form acids like sulphuric acid and nitric acid. These acids mix with rain form acid rain.
Biodegradable wastes can be further classified into simple biodegradable wastes and complex biodegradable wastes. While biodegradable wastes can be
easily broken down by natural processes (Examples: Leaves, vegetable peels), non-biodegradable wastes cannot be easily decomposed (Examples: Leather
shoes, tin cans).

Biomedical Wastes Wastes which are generated during medical treatment, diagnoses and immunisation of humans and animals are known as biomedical
wastes. It also includes wastes generated during research and experiments conducted in laboratories. These wastes include needles, syringes, tissues, parts
of the body, chemicals used during pathological tests and polythene bags.
Nuclear Waste Radioactive wastes which are generated from nuclear reactors, nuclear power plants, trident submarines and X-ray machines are known as
nuclear wastes. They are the most hazardous of all as they emit radiation which can cause several diseases, cancer and genetic disorders. Medical X-rays
constitute about 18% of artificial radiations used in radiotherapy for diagnostic purposes.
Need for Management of Wastes It is important to dispose wastes safely and scientifically. This is because wastes can result in the spread of many
diseases. Waste on Lands There are dangers of spreading many diseases when wastes get accumulated on land and water bodies.

The following table shows the lists of common diseases spread by various insects and organisms:

Wastes in Water Industrialisation and urbanisation pollute water in the following ways:  Sewage has pathogenic agents. A pathogen is a microorganism
which can cause disease.  Effluents discharged by water include metal salts and complex organic chemicals.  Fertilisers and pesticides can pollute water
resources.  Radioactive substances can affect reproductive organs in humans and can cause several diseases, cancer and genetic disorders.

When the acid in Acid Rains falls on a building, a chemical reaction occurs that corrodes it causing damaging marks on the statues and buildings. Examples
of buildings and monuments affected by acid rain are the Taj Mahal of Agra, Houses of Parliament in London, Parthenon of Athens, etc.
Pollution may be described as the addition of any contaminant ( solid, liquid or gas) or any form of energy (such as heat, sound) into the environment
at a faster rate causing adverse change. There are mainly three types of pollution created by waste accumulation: Air/Water /Soil Poluution
Major causes of pollution burning of fossil fuels,like coal,oil,natural gas&petroleum. They are used to generate thermal electricity & power our vehicles.
When the accumulated waste decomposes, it produces large quantity of methane gas which is highly explosive, if not managed properly.
Waste dumped in water causes Eutrophication.
Eutrophication is an ecological problem caused by human actions which contributes to extensive mats of floating plants in open water sources that results
from enrichment by phosphorus and nitrogen nutrients.
Algae, plankton and other micro-organisms use carbon dioxide, inorganic nitrogen and phosphate from the water as food.
When aquatic systems have an overabundance of nutrients, the entire system suffers from eutrophication and become unliveable and even causes death to
many aquatic organisms.
Unattended waste, domestic waste, dumped wastes ,spread diseases through contamination. ** Choking of drains and gully pits by the solid wastes
results in water logging which in turn gives birth to mosquitoes and ultimately spreads diseases like malaria and chikungunya.
Hazardous wastes are toxic substances like lead which can affect the development of a child’s brain.
Harmful toxins like Asbestos cause’s chest and lung cancer, mercury causes brain damage and death and arsenic causes cancer.
Radioactive waste produced by nuclear reactors and weapon factories causes serious environmental problems.
Accumulated wastes also affects the terrestrial life which includes human beings, plants and animals.
Effects of accumulated wastes on Human Beings:
(i) Accumulation of solid wastes looks filthy, smells bad and attracts insects and rodents that spread diseases.
(ii) Sanitary landfills are not fit for human settlements because harmful gases like methane and carbon dioxide starts coming out within one or two years.
Effects of Accumulated Wastes on Plants:
(i) Plants are affected either directly from deposition of harmful toxins from wastes or indirectly through soil.
(ii) Toxins cause different types of leaf injuries, premature leaf fall, reduces the rate of photosynthesis and transpiration, deposited dust on leaves block
the stomata and smoke produced due to burning of waste affects the length of the root and shoot, etc.
Effects of Accumulated Wastes on Animals and Birds:
(i) Stray animals and scavengers like dogs, pigs, cows and rats are affected directly from the wastes as they feed themselves from those wastes.
(ii) These animals sometimes eat toxic food from the wastes or non-degradable substances and die due to choking.
Waste accumulation also affects aquatic organisms both in fresh water and marine.
Pesticides and industrial and domestic wastes are the two categories of waste that causes harm to aquatic life.
BiomagnificationAccumulation of toxic chemicals by an organism from water and food within a food chain. Ex pres” of mercury within predatory fish.
bio-accumulation  The phenomenon of concentrated toxic deposition at the higher trophic level is known as bio-accumulation.
Methyl mercury can break the barrier between blood cells and nerve cells and reach the brain causing progressive irreversible damage. This was found
in the Minamata Bay where people consumed fish which had toxic methyl mercury and fell ill.
Mercury contamination also results from wastes of other industries like paper and pulp industry,chlorine industry, pesticide industry, etc.
Domestic waste: Wastes generated due to domestic activities are called domestic wastes. Fruits and vegetable peels, paper, polythene, discarded
clothes, etc., are the sources of domestic waste.
Industrial waste:  include any material that is rendered useless during a manufacturing process. Ex, metals, chemicals, gases.
Pathogenic: It is a medical term that describes viruses, bacteria and other types of germs that can cause some kind of disease.
Eutrophication:  Process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life usually
resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen.
Sanitary Landfills: These are the sites where waste is isolated from the environment until it is safe.
They are a method of waste disposal were the waste is buried underground or in large piles.
Toxins: It is an organic poison formed by bacteria.
Methyl Mercury: It is an organic form of mercury that is highly toxic and is the main culprit in mercury poisoning.

Need for Waste Management

Concepts Covered  Dermatophytosis  Global Warming  Greenhouse  Ozone Layer Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s)  Acid Rain

Waste is not only an environmental problem but also an economic loss. It causes different types of pollution.
The rotting garbage produces harmful gases and mixes with the air causing breathing problems to the people.
Transmission of diseases due to accumulation of wastes is a major threat to people and environment.
Due to waste accumulation on land and water bodies,diseases are spread through flies, mosquitoes, rodents,and pet animals.
Various diseases are spread by the following flies, rodents and pet animals:(i) Housefly: Typhoid, Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Cholera,etc.
(ii) Sandfly: Kala-azar, Sandfly fever, etc. / (iii) Tsetse fly: Sleeping sickness./ (iv) Mosquitoes: Malaria, Filarial, Chikungunya, Dengue,
Yellow fever, etc. / (v) Rodents: Plague, Salmonellosis, etc. / (vi) Dog: Rabies, etc. /(vii) Cat: Dermatophytosis, Anthrax, etc.
The water is polluted due to the industrialisation & urbanisation because:
(i) Sewage  organic matter that cannot be decomposed.(ii) Industrial & commercial waste has toxic agents.(iii) Fertilisers & pesticides produce pollutants.
(iv) All of these reach the water bodies either directly or indirectly.
*People are also affected by pollution because they drink contaminated water and also uses it for personal uses and recreation.
*Viral, bacterial, protozoan, helminthic are some of the common water-borne diseases.
*The Greenhouse Effect is a natural process that warms the Earth’s surface.
*When the sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by the GHGases.
*The warming up of the atmosphere is due to the greenhouse effect that retains terrestrial radiation.
This increase in Earth's temperature is called Global
Warming.
*There are five gases which are mainly responsible for Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming. These gases are known as Greenhouse Gases. They are:
(i) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) / (ii) Methane (CH4) / (iii) Nitrogen Oxide (Nitrous Oxide) / (iv) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) / (v) Water Vapour
*Global warming has many effects. They are:
(i) It is assumed that global temperature is likely to rise by 2°C to 5°C during the next century.
(ii) Because of the rise of temperature, there is a possibility of melting of ice caps at the poles of the Earth.
(iii) There will be changes widely in the climate in the wind and rain pattern due to increase in temp all over the surface of the earth.
(iv) Higher temperature will cause rise in transpiration which in turn will affect the groundwater table.
(v) Due to climatic changes, pathogenic diseases would increase and there will be rise in the insects and pests.
*Due to the emission of nitrogen oxide and CFCs, the layer of ozone gas has been depleting.
*The chemical reaction that is produced due to the contact of oxides of nitrogen with ozone destroys the ozone layer.
*Ozone layer is also called ozonosphere (90% occurs in stratosphere extending from 10-18 kms) containing high concentrations of ozone molecules (O3).
*The ozone layer absorbs the ultraviolet rays and infrared rays coming from the sun and protects the life on the Earth from its harmful effects.
*W/o having an ozone layer, the sun’s direct exposure of the UV rays that reaches the earth’s surface can cause many diseases like skin cancer and cataract.
The UV rays cause genetic disorders which affect the heredity. / These rays also disturb the ecological balance in marine ecosystem. Ex algae, fish, etc.
Ø The ultraviolet rays also damage the physical and chemical properties of any complex chemical substance.

Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming The Earth receives sunrays which keep it warm. The Earth does not absorb all the heat but emits a part of the heat
back into space. This helps in maintaining uniform temperature on the surface of the Earth. A greenhouse is a building made of glass in which plants are
grown. The building made of glass absorbs the heat of the Sun but does not allow it to go out. This increases the temperature inside the glass building.
Similarly, many greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere (such as carbon dioxide) absorb the Sun’s energy and do not reflect it into space, leading to the
increase in the temperature of the Earth. Four gases are mainly responsible for creating the greenhouse effect on the Earth. These gases are carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrogen oxide and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Many human activities such as burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have resulted in global
warming.

Effects of Global Warming  The temperature of the Earth is likely to increase by 2°C to 5°C in the next hundred years.  This increase in temperature will
result in the melting of snow in the polar regions of the Earth. This will result in the rise of the sea level leading to the submergence of coastal lands. 
Increase in temperature will result in changes in climatic conditions all over the world by influencing the wind and rain patterns.  Rise in temperature will
result in an increased rate of transpiration which will lead to the depletion of the groundwater table.

Depletion of the Ozone Layer The ozone layer lies in the stratosphere. It absorbs the ultraviolet rays of the Sun and protects the Earth from its harmful effects.
The ozone layer has been depleting because of the emission of nitrogen oxide and CFCs. Supersonic jets release nitrogen gas which depletes the ozone
layer. CFCs are used in many countries today. During the use of materials such as paints, foam and thermal insulating materials, CFCs escape into the
atmosphere and harm the ozone layer. A hole in the ozone layer has been discovered over Antarctica. Without the ozone layer, exposure to sunrays can
cause diseases such as skin cancer and cataract in humans. Ultraviolet rays can cause genetic disorders. It also disturbs the ecological balance in the marine
ecosystem.
Acid Rain Pollutants present in the air such as sulphuric acid and nitrogen oxides (released by burning of fossil fuels and industrial emissions) combine with
the droplets of water in the air and come down as rain; this is known as acid rain.

*Acid Rain:
(i) Rain that contains large amounts of harmful chemicals as a result of burning substances such as coal and oil.
(ii) The deposition of a mixture from wet (snow, fog, dew, sleet, etc.) & dry (acidifying particles and gases, etc.) acidic components.
(iii) It is caused by emissions of Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen oxide, which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids.
(iv) Effects of Acid Rain:
Effects of acid rain are  Affects the human nervous system by causing neurological diseases  Affects the lives of aquatic animals  Leads to the corrosion
of buildings, monuments and bridges  Increases acidity of soil, leading to reduced fertility

Acid rain has shown adverse effects on: (a) Forests. / (b) Fresh waters. / (c) Soils, killing insects as acid rain increases acidity inthe soil.
(d) Buildings, monuments and statutes, etc. (e) On human health like nervous system. (f) Aquatic species and growth of the plants.
(v) Due to acid rain and dry deposition of pollutants on the land surface, soil pollution occur.

*Polluted soils cause reduction in mineralisation& decomposition processes.*The toxic chemicals present in the soil destroy the earthworms, nematodes, etc.
*In order to protect the biosphere and prevent it from destruction, accumulation of waste needs to be checked.
*Waste management is a necessity because improperly stored refuse can cause health, safety and economic problems.
Waste management is collection, transportation and disposal of garbage, sewage and other waste products.
*Waste Management: Waste management is the activities and actions to manage waste from its inception to its disposal. This includes collection,
transportation and disposal of garbage, sewage and other waste products along with monitoring and regulation of waste management process.
*Dermatophytosis: It is a fungal infection of the skin, especially the feet.
*Ozone layer: It is a layer in the stratosphere that prevents dangerous radiation from the sun from reaching the surface of the Earth.
Ozone gas : absorbs ultraviolet and infrared rays.
*Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s): It is an organic compound that contains only carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as volatile derivative of
methane, ethane and propane.
*Acid Rain: Rain that contains large amounts of harmful chemicals as a result of burning substances such as coal & oil. When SO 2 and NO2 react with water
vapour present in the atmosphere to form acids like SO2 and NO2 acid then these acids mix with rain and form acid rain.

Topic-3 Safe Disposal of Waste

Concepts Covered  Segregation of Waste  Dumping of Waste  Composting of Waste

Waste management is required to manage waste from its inception to its disposal effectively.
Waste disposal is the most important step of management of waste. This step is a must to prevent harm to the environment, as well as to prevent injury
or long term progressive damage to health.
Waste disposal is the method that is employed to destroy or recycle unused, old or unwanted Domestic,Agricultural, Medical or Industrial waste.
There are different methods of safe disposal of wastes. They are: (i) Segregation of Waste (ii) Dumping of Waste (iii) Composting of Waste
(i) Segregation of Waste: It is the first and important step of safe disposal of waste for an effective waste management.
*To segregate the garbage like glass, paper, cloth, metal, wet and dry food wastes, etc., different colours of dustbins are used.
*Two types of dustbins with two separate colours are used to collect the wastes:
(i) Green-coloured dustbins for biodegradable wastes. / (ii) Blue coloured dustbins for non-biodegradable wastes.
*Biodegradable waste products are converted into useful products like compost or gobar gas. / *Non-biodegradable wastes can be recycled.
(ii) Dumping of Waste: After segregation, dumping of waste products is the next procedure.
*Waste materials are dumped in open low lands far from the city, though not environment friendly but it is the cheapest method.
*The dumping grounds are open pits and thus become the breeding ground for mosquitoes, flies, insects, etc.
*When these waste materials are burned, they pollute the air and give out foul odour.
*Sanitary landfill is another method by which the waste is dumped daily. *These are the sites where waste is isolated from the environment until it is safe. It
is considered safe when it has completely degraded biologically, chemically, and physically.
*The sanitary landfill system of disposing wastes is a biological method and is carried out with minimal environmental damage.
*Five phases are followed for the disposing of wastes-
(i) In the first phase, aerobic bacteria deplete the available oxygen which results in the increase of temperature.
(ii) In the second phase, anaerobic conditions become established and hydrogen and carbon dioxide are evolved.
(iii) In third phase, lots of bacteria and methanogenic activity, i.e., production of methane is established.
(iv) In the fourth phase, the methanogenic activity becomes stabilised.
(v) In the fifth phase, the organic matter depletes and the system returns to aerobic state.
*The sanitary landfills have many advantages over open dumping as given below:
(i) The waste products of landfills can be used as direct fuel for combustion. / (ii) The location of waste deposition in the landfills is monitored.
(iii) After the landfills are completed they can be used as parks or farming land. / (iv) Landfills are free from pollution and burning.
*The landfill sites are supposed to have vegetative cover by planting the non-edible perennial plants that are resistant to drought.
*The selected plants should be able to thrive on low nutrient soil. / *Municipal Waste Management: Municipal authorities take the following steps to manage
wastes. They are:
(i) Collection of municipal solid wastes / (ii) Storage of municipal solid wastes / (iii) Transportation of municipal solid wastes / (iv) Segregation of municipal
solid wastes / (iii) Composting of Waste: Composting is a form of waste / disposal where organic waste decomposes naturally under oxygen-rich conditions.
*A mixture of decayed or decaying organic matter is used to make the soil fertile. Compost is  made from leaves, grass, vegetable peels, etc. which is
allowed to decompose as a result of the action of aerobic bacteria, fungi and other Organisms .
*Advantages of Composting:
(i) Composting is a highly nutrient rich fertiliser source that will reduce the amount of synthetic fertilisers used in the farming fields.
(ii) Compost decreases the erosion potentiality on the fields and enhances the structural ability of soil.
(iii) It prevents plant diseases and also protects the spread of pathogen diseases.
(iv) The presence of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi,etc. aerate the soil which speeds up composting and convert nitrogen to a usable form.
(v) Compost increases the water content retention in sandy soil.
(vi) It prevents pollution by preventing pollutants in surface water run-off from draining into water resources.
(vii) Compost replenishes and revitalises exhausted farm soils by replacing trace minerals and organic material.
(viii) Composting is an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Topic-4 Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Waste
Concepts Covered  Waste Accumulation  Wasteland Management

*The three ‘Rs’- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle help to cut down on the amount of waste and manages the waste in a constructive way.
*The three ‘Rs’ are: (i) Reducing the waste (ii) Reusing the waste (iii) Recycling the waste
*The three ‘Rs’ are intended to classify waste management into three important factors relative to suitability in terms of waste reduction.
(i) Reducing the Waste: The wastes can be reduced by- (a) The Change of Process / (b) Waste Concentration / (c) Segregation of Waste
*Wastes can be reduced by the process of changing the waste and non-usable materials into potentially useful materials.
*Reducing the amount of waste produced is the best way to help the environment.
*Buying products with minimum packaging, borrowing things which are not used often, starting a compost bin, saving energy and water by turning them off
when not required are some ways of reducing wastes.
*By using scientific techniques such as precipitation & evaporation the amount of liquid waste can be reduced.
*Wastes are segregated by separating the hazardous waste from non-hazardous waste and then treating a small amount of hazardous waste.
*To reduce the env.damage caused by cars, increase use of carpooling with friends, walking, taking the bus or riding your bike instead of unnecessary driving.
(ii) Reusing the Waste: The wastes can be reused without discarding them or throwing away the articles.
*Many materials like glass, metal, plastics, cloths,paper, etc. that is used in our day to day life can be reused. For example, cloth bags can be used instead of
plastic bags by making bags out of old clothes,donating old clothes, toys and furniture, etc.
*Old tyres and leathers are reused for making chappals,shoes, water bags, etc.
*Many artisans and artists reuse old materials to create beautiful home decors, decorating gardenswith materials like tins, cans, bottles, brokencrockery
pieces, etc. For example, Rock Garden created by Nek Chand in Chandigarh.
*Some solid wastes from the industry can be utilised directly. For example, fly ash from power plant is used as a substitute for cement, for making roads
and filing up low lying areas.

(iii) Recycling the Waste:

*The process of changing the waste and non-usable materials into potentially useful materials is called recycling.
*It is the key component of modern waste reduction procedure.
*Recycling reduces the consumption of raw materials and energy usage and also reduces air and water pollution.
*Bagasse, a by-product of sugarcane, is used for manufacturing paper pulp, for making packaging material of dairy products which helps in saving the cutting
of trees which are normally used for making paper pulp.
*Plastic is non-biodegradable because the bonds of carbon in plastic are impossible to break down through a physical or chemical process.
*Waste plastic materials need to be incinerated, recycled or buried in landfills.
*The Environment Protection Act (1986) empowers the Central Government to coordinate actions of State Governments, plan and execute a nationwide
programme for the prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution.
*The Ministry of Env. and Forests of the Govt of India is taking initiatives, measures and making policies to protect env. throughvarious schemes.
*The Environmental Policy by the Government emphasises on the following:
(i) To check the degradation of land and water through wasteland management and restoration of river water quality programmes.
(ii) To conserve and survey flora, fauna, forests and wildlife.
(iii) To prevent and control pollution, afforestation and regeneration of degraded areas and protection of environment.
(iv) To monitor the dev. surveys, impact assessment, control of pollution, research to solve solutions, collection and dissemination of env.info& env.
awareness is being utilised for the implementation of various policies.
(v) To make laws, regulations, acts for environment protection and other policy mechanisms concerning environmental issues.
*The government plays a major role in environmental protection.
*It is the government’s duty to protect and conserve critical environmental resources, ensure judicious use and ensure equitable access to environmental
resources, minimise adverse environmental impacts on society, etc.

The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in Nagpur, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Cleaner Technology Centre in
New Delhi has applied cleaner technology concept for liquid waste management and gaseous and solid materials.
Gov. alone is not responsible for protecting environment. Each and every individual citizen need to participate in preventing and protecting env. crisis.
Society plays an important role in sustainable environmental management processes.
Through the following ways, society can play an important role for maintaining environmental standards:
(i) All individuals have to contribute substantially and take it as a responsibility to protect the environment from pollution.
(ii) The people together can organise themselves & take initiative in making the responsible agencies take actions if the air &and water resources are unfit
and do not meet the required standards.
(iii) Groups of individuals together can educate people by creating awareness about environmental protection.
(iv) The group housing societies can initiate steps for waste management by making provisions for segregating wastes and by making composting pits.
(v) Group of individuals can reduce the environment damage caused and by cars by increasing the use of carpooling with friends, walking or taking the bus.
(vi) Housing societies can make provisions for rain water harvesting to conserve rain water.
*Like society, individuals also play an important role in protecting the environment.
It is the responsibility of each individual to protect the earth & provide conducive env” for oneself and several other species that evolves on the earth.
Each individual should take the following steps for environmental protection:
(i) Each individual should carry cloth bag or paper bag instead of polythene bags. (ii) Should use eco-friendly products. (iii) Should avoid the use of
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as they destroy the ozone layer. (iv) Instead of CFCs, chemicals derived from peaches and plums can be used to clean the
computer chips and circuit boards. (v) Use CFC-free refrigerators. (vi) Should save electricity by switching off as and when not required.
(vii) Use of renewable energy resources should be adopted. Ex solar energy cooker. (viii) Must use rechargeable batteries which will help to reduce metal
pollution. (ix) Use of mass transport system. (x) Should reduce, reuse and recycle the wastes whenever possible.
(xi) Use biodegradable dish washing liquid, laundry detergent and shampoo. (xii) Use of organic manure should be encouraged instead of synthetic fertilisers.
(xiii) Each individual should take a vow to plant trees as much as possible which can help to purify the atmosphere.
(xiv) Should initiate paperless system by encouraging the use of computer storage system and should go for recycle used paper.