MT13117 (GROUP 1)

Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal, managing and monitoring
of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is
generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics. Waste
management is a distinct practice from resource recovery which focuses on delaying the rate of
consumption of natural resources. All waste materials, whether they
are solid, liquid, gaseous or radioactive fall within the remit of waste management.

Waste management practices can differ for developed and developing nations, for urban and rural
areas, and for residential and industrial producers. Management of non-hazardous waste residential and
institutional waste in metropolitan areas is usually the responsibility of government authorities, while
management for non-hazardous commercial and industrial waste is usually the responsibility of the
generator subject to local, national or international authorities.

Weve learned that management of waste can involve many things. It encompasses collecting waste
material and processing it in some way, or trying to recycle it. It can have both health and environmental
implications. Residents and companies are constantly looking for the best and least expensive ways to
handle the ever growing problem.
With so much concern recently about being greener and economically friendly, waste management has
become a very important topic. People and companies are starting to realize that the things they use,
and the way they dispose of them can make a big impact on our world.

Weve also learned that one of the world's most pressing problems is waste disposal. Every country on
earth seems to have difficulty dealing with their municipal solid waste. At an individual level, this
problem affects people everywhere, for everyone contributes their share of waste that ends up in
landfills, incinerators, waste-to-energy plants or the recycling bin. Each homeowner has several options
in disposing of waste. They range from simply throwing waste in the garbage to recycling to turning that
waste into energy.

The following 5 waste disposal systems are available to just about anyone given the
right tools and space.

1. Simply Throwing Garbage away
As common as throwing garbage away is, it is also highly problematic when it is taken as a whole. The
U.S. commonly throws away 250 million tons or more of garbage annually, consuming more than 3,500
acres of land in the process. There is something very passive about throwing garbage away: put it in the
basket and watch the truck haul it away. It is the 'don't ask, don't tell' solution to waste disposal.







2. Garbage Disposal Installation
Having a home garbage disposal reduces landfill waste by pulverizing food waste and washing it down
the drain. The food waste does not become liquid, but it is altered enough not to ruin sewer pipes. A
garbage disposal is a step in the right direction, but it solves less than half of the problem. Plenty of
waste gets thrown away even with a disposal. Not only that, but the material that can be put down a
garbage disposal would be better used in a compost pile.









3. Composting
Taking all of your organic food scraps, including coffee grounds and eggshells (excluding meat, bones,
skin and lard) and throwing it in layers on a compost pile eventually breaks it down and becomes
nutrient-rich fertilizer. You must keep the amounts in proportion and add grass clippings and other yard
debris as well, but when done right you are helping to complete the cycle of life. This is one of the best
ways to dispose of (food) waste.



4. Recycling
Instead of simply throwing everything away in trash, get in the habit of recycling what can be reused or
remade. Metal, paper products, certain plastics, motor oil, electronics, appliances, mattresses, wood,
rubber, glass and other things can all be recycled. In some cases you have to pay to have it hauled away.
Other things people will gladly remove from your recycling pile on the street. If everything that could be
recycled was recycled across the board, the aggregate trash amount would be drastically reduced every
year.








5. Incineration
While this method is mainly used at the industrial level, residential incinerators are available to dispose
of waste. There is the danger of releasing toxins from certain materials, though, so be sure you know the
potential hazards.
Rather than throwing everything away to go to the landfill, take the time to consider other waste
disposal methods. In doing so, you'll cut down on the amount of trash you make, and with composting
you may end up with something usable because of it.