SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT: SOURCES & EFFECTS

 

Solid Waste is defined as “ any garbage, refused materials, sludge from a waste treatment plant and other discarded material including solids, semisolids etc resulting from industrial, commercial, mining, agricultural operations etc.”

Solid Waste Management has become very important role in order to minimize the adverse effects of solid wastes. Solid waste ( other than liquid or gaseous ) can be classified as Municipal Solid Waste ( MSW ); Industrial Solid Waste; Hazardous Solid Waste; Agriculture Solid Waste; Mining Waste, Sewage Sludge Waste etc..

Solid wastes are being produced since the beginning of civilization. The disposal of Solid Waste has been increased due to the rapid developments in industrialization and urbanization. High population density, intensive land use for residential, commercial and industrial activities led to generation of more solid waste.

Sources of Solid Wastes:

1. Municipal Solid Waste is commonly known as garbage consists of packing materials, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, home appliances; paints, batteries etc. Municipal solid wastes are arise from residential quarters, commercial (markets, hotels, garages); institutions; public places, open areas/streets, parks, play grounds etc. MSW also include the following wastes:

Food Wastes usually generate from domestic houses, hotels, markets and consist of fruits, vegetable residues resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and eating of foods.

Rubbish waste consists of combustible wastes (papers; cardboards, torn clothes, plastics, wood etc) and non – combustible waste (glass, crockery, aluminum tins, ferrous metals; construction wastes).

Demolition & Construction wastes result from the construction, remodeling and repairing of residential, commercial buildings and industrial factories. These wastes include dust, stones, concrete, bricks, steel pieces etc.

Special Wastes include street sweepings, road side litter, drainage debris; dead animals and abandoned vehicle parts.

2. Industrial Waste arise from industrial activities such as chemical industries; metal and mineral processing industries. Radio Active wastes are generated by Nuclear Power Plants. Thermal Power Plants produce fly ash in large quantities. Fly ash is a fine solid particles result from the burning of wood, coal and other combustible wastes.

3. Hazardous Solid Waste is any solid waste or combination of wastes that posses a substantial danger, now or in future to human beings and plant / animal life and cannot be handled or disposed. The following is a list of types of hazardous wastes:

1.       Wastes from specific and non-specific sources. Ex: Disposable synergies from hospitals are a specific source identified as hazardous solid waste.

2.      Ignitable materials (easily inflammable below 60oC)

3.      Corrosive materials (iron rods / pieces)

4.       Reactive materials (undergoes rapid reaction with water or other substances and releases toxic gases. Ex: limestone / marble).

5.      Toxic materials which consists of Pb, Cl (Toxic to human beings)

Effects of Solid Waste: 

The improper handling and transfer of the solid wastes results in various health and environmental problems. The main impacts of waste accumulation are:

1.      Garbage dumping places are breeding places for diseases.

2.       Rats and pigs roam and feed on garbage and transmit diseases like brain fever from pigs to human beings and plague from Rats.

3.       Solid wastes may choke the drains and gully pits resulting in water logging which in turn results in breeding of mosquitoes and then cause for Malaria & dengue in human beings.

4.       Noxious fumes (harmful gas) may pollute air due to the burning of waste products especially plastic containers.

5.       Obnoxious (very unpleasant) odours pollute the air due to decomposition of organic solid wastes.

6.       Municipal solid wastes heap up on roads due to improper disposal system. Every year several tones of solid waste are dumped along the high-ways thereby spoiling the landscape (appearance of an area of land).

7.       Urban and industrial solid wastes often contain a variety of toxic chemicals which may enter into the food chain and affect both terrestrial and aquatic organisms.