Waste ManagemenT

NEED FOR WASTE

MANAGEMENT
 Unsustainable patterns of production and consumption are
generating huge quantities of persistent wastes at
unprecedented rates.
 Oceans also got affected as more and more untreated water
was dumped ; air quality became poorer with the increase in
vehicular and industrial pollution.
 The waste problem is particularly severe in the rapidly growing
informal settlements of the developing countries where
awareness of waste related diseases are less.
 OBJECTIVES OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
 To improve the quality of air.
 Reduce the emission of green house gases to check global
warming and climate change.
 Reduce emission of Ozone depleting gases.

 Cleaning up the oceans to protect marine life.

 To clean up major rivers like Ganga, Godavari etc.

 To dispose the hazardous waste including radioactive waste.

 DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTES.
1 ) Segregation of waste:
Separation of waste according to methods of treatment is the first
step to waste management. Its objective is to reduce waste from
landfills and control land, water and air pollution.
Wastes may be segregated according to their types.
1. Solid & Liquid waste- Solid waste includes food, paper,
rubble,electronics, wood, metal ,scrap, glass, plastic,
Municipal solid waste etc.
Liquid waste includes sewage, chemicals, detergent water,
oils discharged from domestic or industrial sources.
2-Dry & Wet waste- These are usually meant for recycle and
reuse.Wastes like plastic, paper,wood, glass and metals are
sent to recycle plants to create new products. Wet waste
means organic wastes which are heavy due to dampness.
They include biodegradable kitchen wastes like fruits &
vegetable peels,tea leaves, egg shells, meat and bones, leaves,
flowers etc.
They are meant for composting
3. Biodegradable & Non-biodegradable waste-
The waste which can be degraded by micro-organism is called
bio-degradable waste. It consists of plant and animal
matter.After degradation it is easily absorbed by soil. Hence
it does not cause pollution.It includes kitchen waste, paper,
human waste, waste from slaughterhouse etc.
Non-biodegradable wastes are those which cannot be
decomposed by microorganisms.
Ex. Plastic, Metals & Glass. They remain in the ecosystem for
thousands of years and cause immense pollution.
 2.DUMPING ( Land filling)-
 In this process the wastes are discarded and collected in low
lying areas away from cities and towns. Bacterial action
decomposes and converts it into humus.
 The main objective of landfills is to prevent dispersal of
refuse.While selecting dumping site contamination by
groundwater needs to be avoided.
 A sanitary landfill is made by a clay liner backed by a plastic
liner to avoid seepage.
 Trash is buried in layers in a pit with a protected bottom and
compressed to make it more solid.
 After layers of waste is deposited it is compacted by a bulldozer
and covered with soil layer.
 The alternate layers of soils and garbage speeds up the process of
decomposition.
3)COMPOSTING :
 Nature of waste –Municipal and biodegradable
wastes.
 Method of treatment – Composting.

 Composting is the process of decomposition of

organic wastes. The end product is used as manure for
soil fertility replenishments.
During decomposition process, different types of bacteria
decompose organic material through aerobic process.
Composting reduces the volume of the waste and forms
manure.It also helps to retain moisture in the soil.
Vermicomposting is another method involving decomposition of
organic waste using red wigglers, white worms and other
earthworms.
Anaerobic composting is done by covering organic matter with
soil. It helps in biogas generation.
 THE THREE RS: NEED & METHODS FOR REDUCING,
REUSING & RECYCLING WASTE.
 1. REDUCING WASTE: If there is less waste, then there are
less products to reuse or recycle. Reducing waste can
happen by adopting new technologies coupled with
tradtional techniques to optimise the use of raw materials.
Moreover we refuse to buy new items & contribute
towards a healthier planet.
 Segragation is another way of reducing waste that helps in
bringing down the volume of waste and preventing the
pollution. Different bins should be used for composting,
recycling and incineration.
 Avoid using non-biodegradable products since they take
years to get decomposed and make our planet polluted.
2-RECYCLE- It’s a process of collecting scraps and
reprocessing it into useful products. Glass, paper, plastic,
aluminium and steel are commonly recycled.
The materials recovered from trash are used as substitutes for
natural resources for recycling which helps in the
conservation of natural resources.
Recycling also helps to lower waste generation and reduces air,
water and soil pollution.
 REUSE- Reuse means making good use of previously used
items without reprocessing or recycling them. It helps save
time, money, energy and natural resources.
 Reusing also prevents the objects turning innto waste or
pollutants.
 Articles such as glass bottles, tin and metal cans, rubber items
and paper products can be reused.
 The Rock garden of Chandigarh was created from
waste such as bottles,glasses, bangles, tiles, ceramic
pots,sinks, electrical waste and broken pipes.