Solid waste management

Introduction
What is solid waste? Due to rapid increase in the production
and consumption processes, societies generate as well as reject
solid materials regularly from various sectors domestic,
agricultural, commercial, industrial and institutional. Therefore,
the solid wastes are the wastes arising from human and
animal activities that are normally solid and are discarded as
useless or unwanted.
Why study solid waste? The huge amount of waste generated
places an enormous strain on natural resources and seriously
undermines efficient and sustainable development. One of the
ways to control the situation is through efficient management of
solid wastes.
The solid waste management topic deals with mostly the
municipal solid waste (MSW).

Problem of open dumping

Open dumping may involve minimum effort
and expense, but this practice :
Is not sustainable
Is unsanitary, smelly and unsightly
Attracts flies, pests and stray animals that
spreads diseases
Contaminates soil, water and air
Creates fire hazard
Clogs drainage systems

Sources and types of solid waste

Sources of solid wastes in a community are:

Residential
Commercial
Institutional
Construction and Demolition
Municipal Services
Treatment Plant Sites
Industrial

Agricultural

MSW includes all the community waste with the exception of industrial
process waste and agriculture wastes

Sources and types of solid waste

Source

Typical facilities,
activities, locations
where wastes are
generated

Types of solid wastes

Residential

Single and multifamily

dwellings

Food wastes, paper, cardboard,

plastics, textiles, leather, yard
wastes, wood, glass, metals, ashes,
special wastes (e.g., bulky items,
consumer electronics, batteries, oil,
tires), and household hazardous
wastes

Industrial

Light and heavy

manufacturing,
fabrication, construction
sites, power and
chemical plants

Industrial process waste, scrap

materials, etc. Non - industrial
waste including food wastes,
construction and demolition wastes,
rubbish, ashes , hazardous wastes

Sources and types of solid waste

Source

Typical facilities,
activities, locations
where wastes are
generated

Types of solid wastes

Commercial

Stores, hotels,
restaurants, markets,
office buildings, etc.

Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood,

food wastes, glass, metals,
special wastes, hazardous wastes

Institutional

Schools, hospitals,
prisons, government
centers

Same as commercial

Construction and
Demolition

New construction sites, Wood, steel, concrete, dirt,

road repair, renovation broken pieces of bricks, etc.
sites, demolition of
buildings, broken
pavement

Sources and types of solid waste

Source

Typical facilities,
activities, locations
where wastes are
generated

Types of solid wastes

Municipal
Street cleaning,
Services (excluding landscaping, parks,
treatment facilities) beaches, other
recreational areas, water
and wastewater
treatment plants

Street sweepings; landscape and

tree trimmings; general wastes
from parks, beaches, and other
recreational areas; sludge

Agricultural

Spoiled food wastes, agricultural

wastes, rubbish, hazardous waste.

Field and row crops,

orchards, vineyards,
dairies, feeding place,
farms, etc.

Classification of MSW

Waste can be classified in several ways but the following list

represents a typical classification:

Biodegradable waste: food and kitchen waste, green waste, paper (can
also be recycled).
Recyclable material: paper, glass, bottles, cans, metals,
certain plastics, fabrics, clothes, batteries etc.
Inert waste: construction and demolition waste, dirt, rocks, debris.
Electrical and electronic waste - electrical appliances, TVs, computers,
screens, etc.
Composite wastes: waste clothing, Tetra Packs, waste plastics such as
toys.
Hazardous waste including most paints, chemicals, batteries
bulbs, fluorescent tubes, spray cans, fertilizer and containers
Toxic waste including pesticide, herbicides, fungicides
Medical waste

Components of solid waste

management
The key steps in management of MSW are

Storage
Sorting and separation
Collection
Transfer and transport
Disposal
Recycling
Reuse

Storage
Storage is the first essential step because collection of wastes
never takes place at the source or at the time of their
generation.
Storage can be done in separate containers for different types
of wastes, for example, recyclables (paper, glass, plastic),
food wastes, etc. Storage bins may be colour coded for easy
identification for their waste types.
Some of the options for storage are plastic containers,
conventional dustbins (of households), litter bins (use me
bins) at public places, used oil drums, large storage bins (for
institutions and commercial areas or servicing depots), etc.

Segregated storing
Developed countries have recycling system starting from
household premises to curbside collection system. Separate
colored collections bins are provided to deposit separate waste
material

Sorting and separation

The sorting or separation of MSW can be done at their source, at
curbside trash collection points and at the destination.
Separation of waste according to their types makes the subsequent
steps in waste management process like recycling, recovery and
disposal convenient.

Sorting and separation

In developed countries the sorting facilities are well organized and
materials are separated for further processing

Sorting and separation

In India this process is mostly done in a non-formal and
unorganized way through the Rag-pickers and kabbadiwalas.
About 9-15% of urban solid waste are recycled by Rag-pickers in
India

Collection
The next step after storage is waste collection. The wastes
generated in residential areas or at other sources must be
removed within a week due to shortage of storage space and
presence of biodegradable material. The collected MSW is then
transported to other facilities for separation and recycling.
Collection can be provided under various management
arrangements, like:
municipal services
under various forms of contracts
involvement of NGOs
Collection can be done door-to-door by hand carts, tricycles, or
by motorised vehicles.

Means of collection

Means of collection

Transfer and transport of MSW

Transportation of waste from the sources to a common facility is an

essential step for further processing of MSW. This can be done
through a variety of vehicles such as: hand drawn small carts,
bullock carts, tractors, trucks, etc.
This is the step is where maximum cost is involved. Therefore,
optimization of transportation system would considerably reduce the
MSW management cost. An efficient management of transportation
of MSW would depend upon the quantity of waste, travelling
distance, road conditions and the traffic.

If the distance to the final site is long then smaller vehicles should be
used to collect and transfer the waste to a temporary storage facility,
afterwards large vehicles should be used to transport to the final depot.
Collection and transport may be done early morning or late night to
avoid traffic problems and road congestion.

Recycling, reuse and recovery

The final step in management of MSW is safe
disposal of waste. Before disposing off the waste
several steps are taken to reduce the wastage and the
cost of disposal, and to make the system sustainable
by making a little profit from the management of
MSW. These steps are recycling, reuse and recovery
(of any material and/or energy).
There are many benefits of these steps that include:
reduction or prevention of green house gas emissions,
reduction in release of pollutants, conservation of the
resources, saving of energy and reducing the demand
for waste treatment technology and landfill space.

Recycling
Recycling: Processing of a waste item into usable forms
The sorted and separated recyclable waste materials are used
as the raw material to produce new objects.
Waste paper and cardboard can be used by paper industry
Glass components are taken for sterilization and reuse while
broken glass is taken for remelting and manufacturing new
glassware.
Cotton waste can be recycled to make new fabrics.
Plastic materials can also be recycled to new products.
Aerobic decomposition of biodegradable waste will generate
excellent quality manure.
For recycling to work, consumers must buy goods made from
recycled materials.

Waste minimization
An important step in waste management is the
waste minimization, which means the prevention
of waste being created.
This can be achieved through

reduction in waste production at the source

maximum reuse of the waste
training and educating public to participate
encouraging the public to choose reusable products
retailers making it mandatory for customers to take their
own reusable shopping bags

Reduction and reuse of waste

Source reduction, or preventing waste in the first place, is a better

option than disposal. This depends upon:

Optimum use of resources and materials

In domestic front, steps should be taken to prevent wastage of food material
Personal/consumer behavior:

Use fewer items

Buy less-packaged and longer-lived goods

Reuse items by repairs than buying new

Optimum use of consumer products

Buying second hand products

Donate reusable items to charity

Manufacturer behavior:

Make goods with less packaging

Making products that can be refilled and repaired
Make longer-lived goods
Adopt more-efficient production methods

Disposal
The ultimate step in the management of
MSW is safe disposal of the waste, which
cannot be recycled or reused, by:
Land filling
Incineration

Land filling

The disposal of waste by burying it in a site is called land filling. This remains a
common practice in most countries. Landfills are often established in abandoned or
unused quarries, mining voids or borrow pits away from the cities.
A properly designed and well-managed landfill can be a hygienic and relatively
inexpensive method of disposing of waste materials. However, poorly designed
landfills or open dumps can create a number of adverse environmental impacts and
health hazards.
The design of a modern landfill should include methods to contain the leachate by
clay or plastic lining material, otherwise it can contaminate the ground water. The
leachate should be properly treated before disposing.
The landfills generate gas due to biodegradation of waste. This gas (landfill gas)
can be extracted by installing gas extraction systems and be used to generate
electricity.
The landfill site can be reclaimed afterwards and be used as a park or play ground.

Incineration
Incineration is controlled combustion of solid waste in presence of
oxygen.
The advantages of this method are:
Reduces volume by 90%
Requires little of landfill site and transportation cost to landfill
site is very low
Generation of electricity from the combustion of waste.
The disadvantages are :
It can create new chemical compounds and emit toxic and
environmentally harmful gases from the stacks

Hazardous wastes
Hazardous wastes refer to wastes that may, or tend to, cause
adverse effects, either alone or in combination with other
materials, on public health or the environment.

The six basic characteristics of hazardous wastes as

recognised by Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF),
India, are:
Ignitability
Corrosivity
Reactivity
Toxicity
Acute toxicity
Infectious property

Characteristics
Ignitability: Ignitable (or flammable) wastes can create fires
under certain conditions, are spontaneously combustible, or
have a flash point less than 60 C (140 F). Examples: waste
oils and used solvents.
Corrosivity: Corrosive wastes are acids or bases (pH 2, or
12.5) and/or are capable of corroding metal containers, such
as storage tanks, drums, and barrels. Battery acid is an
example.
Reactivity
Toxicity
Acute toxicity
Infectious property

Characteristics
Ignitability

Segregating HW - Storage Facilities

Storage facilities for Hazardous Waste should be.

Safe and secure from unauthorised entry

Clearly signed as to the hazards of their contents
Suitably bunded for liquid containment
Designed to facilitate effective segregation
Designed to minimise the chance of accidents

Segregating HW - Suitable Containers

Suitable containers for Hazardous Waste should
be.
Original Containers where possible
For many substances the original containers are the
most suitable for storing them as waste

Robust and Sealable

For other wastes, clinical waste bags in lidded bins or
other strong sealable containers are suitable

Properly Labelled
Name, Description, Hazard Code(s) and EWC Code

Segregating HW - Management
Control
Managed control of Hazardous Waste should include
the following.
Active Inventory Control
Exceeding 23,000 litres of liquid or 50m of Hazardous
Waste on a Premises requires a licence

Dedicated Personnel
Trained personnel for undertaking the handling and
storage of Hazardous Waste

Audit Provision
Audit of your HW management system will be
necessary to satisfy EA Regulators

Information and training people

Inform and train employees.
Retain all training records.
Implement and enforce rules and standards.
Conduct internal inspections.
Request assistance from Safety Office when
needed!.

COMMON SOLUTIONS:

Proper Supervision
Daily Inspections
Continuous Training

Use Reference Materials

By lab P.I.
By Safety Office
MSDS
Safety Handbooks
Container labels
Knowledgeable Co-workers

Use Common Sense

Ask Questions
Be Aware
Safety First

10 RULES OF HAZARDOUS
WASTE MANAGEMENT:
Label all chemical
containers.
Add words hazardous
waste, start date, fill
date, name, phone#,
and dept. to container
labels.
Use secondary
containment for all
liquids.
Segregate containers by
hazard class.
Keep containers closed
at all times.

6. Fill out tags for waste

collection
7. DO NOT dispose of
hazardous waste in the
trash, down drains, or
evaporate in fume hoods.
8. Maintain emergency
equipment and know what
to do in the event of a spill,
fire, release or explosion.
9. Use pollution prevention
techniques to reduce
amounts of hazardous
waste.
10. Document all training.

Structure/Composition Of Municipal
Solid Waste

RECYCLABLE WASTES

PCB ballasts and capacitors

Batteries
Oil, oil filters, and antifreeze
Mercury
In thermometers (See our web page for mercury
thermometer replacement program)
In switches
In amalgam fillings

Circuit boards and color monitors

Fluorescent and HID lamps

Separation of Recyclable and Placing Separately

These Scavengers Collect the Recyclables and Separate in their

Own Premises

Recyclables collected from scavengers are

deposited in one place

About 9-15% of Urban Solid Waste

are recycled by Rag Pickers in India

WASTE MINIMISATION
Prevention of waste being created is known as waste
reduction which is an important method of waste
management.
The modern concepts based on the three Rs are:
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Methods of avoidance include reuse of second hand
products, designing products to be refillable or
reusable, repairing broken items instead of buying
new etc.

Waste to energy
Many incinerators now generate electricity from waste
combustion.
Waste to energy (WTE) facilities use heat from furnaces to
boil water. Steam turns turbines and generators.
WTE is efficient and effective, but income from power is low
and expense is high, so it takes many years to recoup the
investment.

Hazardous wastes
Hazardous wastes refer to wastes that may, or tend
to, cause adverse effects, either alone or in
combination with other materials, on public health or
the environment. These wastes pose, present or carry
potential risks to human health or living organisms,
due to the fact that they:
are non-degradable or persistent in nature
can be biologically magnified
are highly toxic and even lethal at very low
concentrations.
are highly corrosive, reactive and flammable