SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Gods own country is one of the most southern most state of India. It stretches
along the coast of Arabian Sea and is geographically separated by Western Ghats.
Kerala became a remarkable state because of its geographical features but also
peculiarities in the quality of life, literacy, high life expectancy, favourable sex ratio,
low infant mortality and death rate, improved health care, development in the field of
tourism etc. Kerala is one of the most popular tourist destination in India. Kerala
beaches, backwaters, mountains ranges and wildlife sanctuaries are the major
attractions for both domestic and international tourist.
Of course these all are the unique features of Kerala, but the state need to be
developed in other areas too. Unemployment, lack of ecological consideration and
social awareness, development of alternative energy sources etc. are some of the most
threatening challenged faced by Kerala. Among this ecological sustainability is
become an international matter of affairs. Environmental protection and conservation
globally is an issue to be addressed.
Keralites always shows a tendency to keep personal and family hygiene. But
they often forgets their surroundings to be clean. This is one of the major reason for
increasing the depth and width of waste generated in the state. Waste are any
substance which constitutes a scrap material or an efficient or other unwanted surplus
substance arising from the application of any process.
The rising pressure of population, together with the constantly changing
technologies, and development perspectives, contribute to the ever increasing
volumes of wastes in different forms. The solid and liquid wastes generated in the
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urban areas were considered a burden to the society, and hazardous to the
environment. The fact is that the growth of consumerist culture and aimless throwing
of refuse by the people created the outbreak of environmental pollution. Unhygienic
environment and solid waste accumulation coincided with mosquito breeding which
cases, the spread of most epidemics. The rationale behind most of the diseases is the
unhygienic pattern followed by the people both in rural and urban areas. As an
environmental package, the disposal of solid waste from different sources such as
house hold markets, commercial, agricultural, institutional, constructional, municipal,
residential wastes etc. Wastes which are originated from factories, public transport
service, provision of sewage service, postal or tele-communication are main industrial
wastes. Pollutant, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides etc. From the agricultural field
and unburned remaining of agriculture are termed as agricultural wastes. Over the last
few years, the consumer market has grown rapidly leading to products being packed
in cans, aluminium foils, plastics and other such non bio degradable items that cause
substantial harm to the environment belongs to the category of waste.
Not only the controlled waste means household, industrial and commercial
waste but also special waste which include the waste which has hazardous property.
Such properties may be flammable irritant, toxic, harmful, carcinogenic or corrosive.
Medical waste also include in this category, a list of chemical substances in the
Approved Guide to Classification and Labeling and the Approved Supply List
provided by the Health and Safety Commission. Surveys carried out by various
agencies show that the health care establishment in India are not giving due attention
to their waste management. After the notification of the Biomedical Waste (Handling
and Management) Rules 1998 these establishments are slowly streamling the process
of waste gegregation, collection, treatment and disposal. The municipal solid wastes
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(Management and Handling) Rules (2000) by the Central Pollution Control Board,
India defines solid waste as commercial and residential wastes generated either in
solid or semi solid form, excluding industrial hazardous wastes but including treated
biomedical wastes. The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of The Republic of
Philippines (2000) defines solid waste as all discarded household, commercial waste,
non hazardous institutional and industrial waste, street sweepings, construction debris,
agricultural waste and other non hazardous/non toxic solid waste.
Solid Waste Generation Scenario
According to the census of 2011 the world consist of nearly the 7 billion
population. Due to the increase in the population, urbanisation and consumption
pattern waste generation increases day by day. Today every single place in the world
faces the problem of waste. Driven by consumption of resources, high income
countries produce roughly 1.1 to 5.0 kg. Solid waste per capita for a day; middle
income countries generate between 0.52 and 1.0 kg solid waste per capita for a day
and low-income countries have generation rates of between 0.45 and 0.89kg per
capita for a day. Indias population is estimated to be 121 crores. Being the second
most populous country in the world, India continuously keeps on adding waste
material within its geographical boundaries.
India has about 16% of the world population and 2.5% of Worlds land area. In
an already densely populated country with even more densely packed urban centres,
land for proper waste treatment, disposal and overall management is scarce. India
produces around 42 million tones of solid waste annually. There is wide difference in
the waste generation rates in rural and urban areas. Even within the urban areas, the
composition includes more paper and inert material and less of organic and
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compostable material as the city population and size increases. The percapita
generation rate increases and the overall calorific value of the waste drops with
increase in the size of the city. This is according to a study conducted by National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). According to the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the average Indian generates about 490 grams of
waste per day. Although the percapita waste is low compared to western countries, the
volume is huge. The expected generation of waste in 2025 will therefore be around
700 grams percapita per day. Considering that the urban population of India is
expected to grow to 45 percent of from the prevailing 28 percent, the magnitude of the
problem is likely to grow even larger unless immediate steps are taken. Urban local
bodies spend about Rs. 500 to 1500 per ton on solid waste collection transportation,
treatment and disposal. The 11th Five Year Plan has envisaged an investment of Rs.
2212 crores for solid waste management. Kerala has an area of 38.863 sq km and with
a population of 333.88 lakh is one of the most consumption drawn states in India. The
waste problem in Kerala is a very threatening problem today. Now a days we can see
in the news channels and newspapers the problem caused by the over generation of
waste in Kerala. Main examples are Trivandrum (Villapushalla), Kochi etc.
Villapushalla waste dumping is a very controversial problem going on in the recent
days.
Economics of Solid waste in India
It was difficult to understand the empirical relationship between costs and the
benefits of MSW management policies. Rapid urbanization and population growth
increased solid waste generation in the past decade. Inadequate solid waste
management policy and the absence of appropriate guidelines led to serious health
and environmental problems all over India. The Municipal Solid Waste Management
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Handling Rules, 2000 indicated that all the municipal authorities should take the
responsibility of waste collection, transportation, disposal and segregation of solid
waste. But most municipality solid waste management practices proved to be highly
inefficient.
The environmental kuznets curve suggests that environmental pollution
would initially increase with percapita gross domestic product (GDP) and after a point
the per capita GDP and emission become delinked. Although to our knowledge, there
is no research or survey to validate the environmental Kuznets curve for solid waste
generation in India, a large number of studies had been carried out in the developed
countries Mazzanti and Zoboli (2009), in Italy, Johnstone and Laobnne (2004) in
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, and
yamamoto ad lchinoe (2009) in Japan. Most studies on India carried out only
preliminary analyse in relation to solid waste management. There are a large number
of issues such as the difficulties in decision-making and the problem of cost planning
in India. For example, data unavailability and the inaccessibility of areas were the
most common problems of solid waste management planners in India.
Today waste generation is a major problem in our society. Kerala is one of the most
waste generated state and Allappuzha district is one of the most highly densely
populated district in Kerala. So the district is high in generating household wastes.
Households are the prime source of waste generation and the largest contribution to
solid wastes in the municipality. Hence the key to effective municipal solid waste
management lies in improved and systematic waste management at the household
level.
Factor Analysis is used for the purpose of determining the
underlying factors from twenty-nine independent variables
describing the problems faced by the public due to improper Solid
Waste Management in different Municipalities of Kerala. Through
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Factor Analysis, seven factors are identified, namely, Environmental

Management Issues, Waste Collection Issues, Waste Disposal Issues,
Negative Impact of Waste Management, Limitations of Waste
Management, Support from Government and Private Participation
Solid Waste Management in the local area one of the major risk faced by the
local authorities. As the result of improper management municipal solid waste are
accumulated even in our public streets. This study throws light on one fact that in
addition to the existing system, an alternative system of waste management should be
developed. Most of the people are aware about the environmental problems caused
by the waste and they are willing to contribute sufficient for the proper disposal of
unwanted material. Government should initiate awareness programme and elicitate
response from the public how to deal with the wastes properly. The joint venture of
government and public can give the required it.
REFERENCE:

A study of the effectiveness of solid waste management and municipalities of

Kerala.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/wastemanagement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlappuzhaLocation

www.epu.gov/epaoswer/nonhw/municipl/index.htm