WASTE MANAGEMENT

COMMON EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANT

A STEP TOWARDS BETTER

ENVIRONMENT

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 What is waste?

Waste is rubbish, trash, garbage, or junk is unwanted or undesired material. There are a
number of different types of waste. It can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas or as waste heat.
When released in the latter two states the wastes can be referred to as emissions. It is
usually strongly linked with pollution. Waste may also be intangible in the case of
wasted time or wasted opportunities. The term waste implies things, which have been
used inefficiently or inappropriately.

Some components of waste can be recycled once recovered from the waste stream, e.g.
plastic bottles, metals, glass or paper. The biodegradable component of wastes (e.g.
paper & food waste) can be composted or anaerobicly digested to produce soil
improvers and renewable fuels. If it is not dealt with sustainably in this manner
biodegradable waste can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and by implication
climate change.

There are two main definitions of waste. One view comes from the individual or
organization producing the material, the second is the view of Government, and is set
out in different acts of waste legislation. The two have to combine to ensure the safe and
legal disposal of the waste.

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 What is management?

The term "management" characterizes the process of and/or the personnel leading and
directing all or part of an organization (often a business) through the deployment and
manipulation of resources (human, financial, material, intellectual or intangible).

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "manage" comes from the Italian
maneggiare (to handle — especially a horse), which in turn derives from the Latin
manus (hand). The French word mesnagement (later ménagement) influenced the
development in meaning of the English word management in the 17th and 18th
centuries.

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 What is waste management?

Waste management is the collection, transport, processing (waste treatment), recycling

or disposal of waste materials, usually ones produced by human activity, in an effort to
reduce their effect on human health or local aesthetics or amenity. A sub focus in recent
decades has been to reduce waste materials' effect on the natural world and the
environment and to recover resources from them. Waste management can involve solid,
liquid or gaseous substances with different methods and fields of expertise for each.

Waste management practices differ for developed and developing nations, for urban and
rural areas, and for residential, industrial, and commercial producers. Waste
management for non-hazardous residential and institutional waste in metropolitan areas
is usually the responsibility of local government authorities, while management for non-
hazardous commercial and industrial waste is usually the responsibility of the generator.
The purpose of waste management is to:
1. Protect people who handle waste items from accidental injury.
2. Prevent the spread of infection to healthcare workers who handle the
waste.
3. Prevent the spread of infection to the local community.
4. Safely dispose of hazardous materials
5. Open piles of waste should be avoided because they are a risk to those who scavenge
and unknowingly reuses contaminate items.

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 Waste management concepts

There are a number of concepts about waste management, which vary in their usage
between countries or regions. This section presents some of the most general, widely-
used concepts.

Waste hierarchy

The waste hierarchy

The waste hierarchy refers to the "3 Rs" reduce, reuse and recycle, which classify
waste management strategies according to their desirability in terms of waste
minimization. The waste hierarchy remains the cornerstone of most waste
minimisation strategies. The aim of the waste hierarchy is to extract the maximum
practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste.

Some waste management experts have recently incorporated a 'fourth R': "Re-think",
with the implied meaning that the present system may have fundamental flaws, and
that a thoroughly effective system of waste management may need an entirely new way
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of looking at waste. Some "re-think" solutions may be counter-intuitive, such as cutting
fabric patterns with slightly more "waste material" left -- the now larger scraps are then
used for cutting small parts of the pattern, resulting in a decrease in net waste. This
type of solution is by no means limited to the clothing industry. Source reduction
involves efforts to reduce hazardous waste and other materials by modifying industrial
production. Source reduction methods involve changes in manufacturing technology,
raw material inputs, and product formulation. At times, the term "pollution prevention"
may refer to source reduction.

Another method of source reduction is to increase incentives for recycling. Many

communities in the United States are implementing variable rate pricing for waste
disposal (also known as Pay As You Throw - PAYT) which has been effective in
reducing the size of the municipal waste stream.

Source reduction is typically measured by efficiencies and cutbacks in waste. Toxics

use reduction is a more controversial approach to source reduction that targets and
measures reductions in the upstream use of toxic materials. Toxics use reduction
emphasizes the more preventive aspects of source reduction but, due to its emphasis on
toxic chemical inputs, has been opposed more vigorously by chemical manufacturers.
Toxics use reduction programs have been set up by legislation in some states .

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 WASTE COLLECTION METHODS

Collection methods vary widely between different countries and regions, and it would
be impossible to describe them all. Many areas, especially those in less developed
countries, do not have a formal waste-collection system in place.

For example, in Australia most urban domestic households have a 240-litre (63.4 U.S.
gallon) bin that is emptied weekly from the curb using side- or rear-loading compactor
trucks. In Europe and a few other places around the world, a few communities use a
proprietary collection system known as Envac, which conveys refuse via underground
conduits using a vacuum system. In Canadian urban centres curbside collection is the
most common method of disposal, whereby the city collects waste and/or recyclables
and/or organics on a scheduled basis. In rural areas people usually dispose of their
waste by hauling it to a transfer station. Waste collected is then transported to a
regional landfill.

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 WASTE DISPOSAL METHODS

Landfill Incineration Resource

recovery Recovery

Disposal methods for waste products vary widely, depending on the area and type of
waste material. For example, in Australia, the most common method of disposal
of solid household waste is in landfill sites, as it is a large country with a low-
density population. By contrast, in Japan it is more common for waste to be
incinerated, because the country is smaller and land is scarce. Other waste types
(such as liquid sewage) will be disposed of in different ways in both countries.

Recycling

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Recycling means to recover for other use a material that would otherwise be
considered waste. The popular meaning of ‘recycling’ in most developed countries has
come to refer to the widespread collection and reuse of various everyday waste
materials. They are collected and sorted into common groups, so that the raw materials
from these items can be used again (recycled).
In developed countries, the most common consumer items recycled include aluminium
beverage cans, steel, food and aerosol cans, HDPE and PET plastic bottles, glass
bottles and jars, paperboard cartons, newspapers, magazines, and cardboard. Other
types of plastic (PVC, LDPE, PP, and PS: see resin identification code) are also
recyclable, although not as commonly collected. These items are usually composed of
a single type of material, making them relatively easy to recycle into new products.The
recycling of obsolete computers and electronic equipment is important, but more costly
due to the separation and extraction problems. Much electronic waste is sent to Asia,
where recovery of the gold and copper can cause environmental problems (monitors
contain lead and various "heavy metals", such as selenium and cadmium; both are
commonly found in electronic items).
Recycled or used materials have to compete in the marketplace with new (virgin)
materials. The cost of collecting and sorting the materials often means that they are
equally or more expensive than virgin materials. This is most often the case in
developed countries where industries producing the raw materials are well-established.
Practices such as trash picking can reduce this value further, as choice items are
removed (such as aluminium cans). In some countries, recycling programs are
subsidised by deposits paid on beverage containers (see container deposit legislation).
The economics of recycling junked automobiles also depends on the scrap metal
market except where recycling is mandated by legislation (as in Germany).

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 Waste Disposal Methods
Advantages and Disadvantages
Ocean dumping
Advantages Disadvantages
 Convenient
 ocean overburdened
 inexpensive
 destruction of food sources
 source of material, shelter and  killing of plankton
breeding
 desalination
Sanitary landfill
Advantages Disadvantages

 volume can increase with  completed landfill areas

little can

addition of people/equipment and requires maintenance

 filled land can be reused  requires proper planning,

for
design and operation.
other community purposes.
Incineration
Advantages Disadvantages
 Inexpensive to build and
 requires minimum land
 can be operated in any operate
weather
 High energy requirement
 produces stable odor-
 Requires skilled personnel and
free
continuous maintenance
residue
 Unsightly-smell waste,vermin.
 refuse volume is

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 Types of solid waste

Household Industrial Biomedical

waste waste or hospital
waste

Health impacts of waste

Modernization and progress has had its share of disadvantages and one of the main
aspects of concern is the pollution it is causing to the earth – be it land, air, and water.
With increase in the global population and the rising demand for food and other
essentials, there has been a rise in the amount of waste being generated daily by each
household. This waste is ultimately thrown into municipal waste collection centres
from where it is collected by the area municipalities to be further thrown into the
landfills and dumps. However, either due to resource crunch or inefficient

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infrastructure, not all of this waste gets collected and transported to the final dumpsites.
If at this stage the management and disposal is improperly done, it can cause serious
impacts on health and problems to the surrounding environment.

Waste that is not properly managed, especially excreta and other liquid and solid
waste from households and the community, are a serious health hazard and lead to the
spread of infectious diseases. Unattended waste lying around attracts flies, rats, and
other creatures that in turn spread disease. Normally it is the wet waste that
decomposes and releases a bad odour. This leads to unhygienic conditions and thereby
to a rise in the health problems. The plague outbreak in Surat is a good example of a
city suffering due to the callous attitude of the local body in maintaining cleanliness in
the city. Plastic waste is another cause for ill health. Thus excessive solid waste that is
generated should be controlled by taking certain preventive measures.

Impacts of solid waste on health

The group at risk from the unscientific disposal of solid waste include – the population
in areas where there is no proper waste disposal method, especially the pre-school
children; waste workers; and workers in facilities producing toxic and infectious
material. Other high-risk group includes population living close to a waste dump and
those, whose water supply has become contaminated either due to waste dumping or
leakage from landfill sites. Uncollected solid waste also increases risk of injury, and
infection.

In particular, organic domestic waste poses a serious threat, since they ferment,
creating conditions favourable to the survival and growth of microbial pathogens.
Direct handling of solid waste can result in various types of infectious and chronic
diseases with the waste workers and the rag pickers being the most vulnerable.

Exposure to hazardous waste can affect human health, children being more vulnerable
to these pollutants. In fact, direct exposure can lead to diseases through chemical

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exposure as the release of chemical waste into the environment leads to chemical
poisoning. Many studies have been carried out
in various parts of the world to establish a
connection between health and hazardous
waste.

Waste from agriculture and industries can also

cause serious health risks. Other than this, co-
disposal of industrial hazardous waste with
municipal waste can expose people to chemical and radioactive hazards. Uncollected
solid waste can also obstruct storm water runoff, resulting in the forming of stagnant
water bodies that become the breeding ground of disease. Waste dumped near a water
source also causes contamination of the water body or the ground water source.

Direct dumping of untreated waste in rivers, seas, and lakes results in the accumulation
of toxic substances in the food chain through the plants and animals that feed on it.

Disposal of hospital and other medical waste requires special attention since this can
create major health hazards. This waste generated from the hospitals, health care
centres, medical laboratories, and research centres such as discarded syringe needles,
bandages, swabs, plasters, and other types of infectious waste are often disposed with
the regular non-infectious waste.
Waste treatment and disposal sites can also create health hazards for the
neighbourhood. Improperly operated incineration plants cause air pollution and
improperly managed and designed landfills attract all types of insects and rodents that
spread disease. Ideally these sites should be located at a safe distance from all human
settlement. Landfill sites should be well lined and walled to ensure that there is no
leakage into the nearby ground water sources.
Recycling too carries health risks if proper precautions are not taken. Workers working
with waste containing chemical and metals may experience toxic exposure. Disposal of

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health-care wastes require special attention since it can create major health hazards,
such as Hepatitis B and C, through wounds caused by discarded syringes. Rag pickers
and others who are involved in scavenging in the waste dumps for items that can be
recycled, may sustain injuries and come into direct contact with these infectious items.

Occupational hazards associated with waste handling

Infections

Skin and blood infections resulting from direct contact with waste, and from infected
wounds. Eye and respiratory infections resulting from exposure to infected dust,
especially during landfill operations.
Different diseases that results from the bites of animals feeding on the waste.
Intestinal infections that are transmitted by flies feeding on the waste.

Chronic diseases

Incineration operators are at risk of chronic respiratory diseases, including cancers

resulting from exposure to dust and hazardous compounds.

Accidents
Bone and muscle disorders resulting from the handling of heavy containers. Infecting
wounds resulting from contact with sharp objects.

Poisoning and chemical burns resulting from contact with small amounts of
hazardous chemical waste mixed with general waste.
Burns and other injuries resulting from occupational accidents at waste disposal sites
or from methane gas explosion at landfill sites.

Diseases

Certain chemicals if released untreated, e.g. cyanides, mercury, and polychlorinated

biphenyls are highly toxic and exposure can lead to disease or death. Some studies
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have detected excesses of cancer in residents exposed to hazardous waste. Many
studies have been carried out in various parts of the world to establish a connection
between health and hazardous waste.

The role of plastics

The unhygienic use and disposal of plastics and its effects on human health has become
a matter of concern. Coloured plastics are harmful as their pigment contains heavy
metals that are highly toxic. Some of the harmful metals found in plastics are copper,
lead, chromium, cobalt, selenium, and cadmium. In most industrialized countries,
colour plastics have been legally banned. In India, the Government of Himachal
Pradesh has banned the use of plastics and so has Ladakh district. Other states should
emulate their example.

Preventive measure

Proper methods of waste disposal have to be undertaken to ensure that it does not
affect the environment around the area or cause health hazards to the people living
there.

At the household-level proper segregation of waste has to be done and it should be

ensured that all organic matter is kept aside for composting, which is undoubtedly the
best method for the correct disposal of this segment of the waste. In fact, the organic
part of the waste that is generated decomposes more easily, attracts insects and causes
disease. Organic waste can be composted and then used as a fertilizer.

How we all contribute everyday?

All of us in our daily lives contribute our bit to this change in the climate. Give these
points a good, serious thought:
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-Electricity is the main source of power in urban areas. All our gadgets run on
electricity generated mainly from thermal power plants. These thermal power plants
are run on fossil fuels (mostly coal) and are responsible for the emission of huge
amounts of greenhouse gases and other pollutants
- Cars, buses, and trucks are the principal ways by which goods and people are
transported in most of our cities. These are run mainly on petrol or diesel both fossil
fuels. We generate large quantities of waste in the form of plastics that remain in the
environment for many years and cause damage
- We use a huge quantity of paper in our work at schools and in offices. Have we ever
thought about the number of trees that we use in a day?

- Timber is used in large quantities for construction of houses, which means that large
areas of forest have to be cut down.
- A growing population has meant more and more mouths to feed. Because the land
area available for agriculture is limited (and in fact, is actually shrinking as a result of
ecological degradation!), high-yielding varieties of crop are being grown to increase
the agricultural output from a given area of land. However, such high-yielding varieties
of crops require large quantities of fertilizers; and more fertilizer means more
emissions of nitrous oxide.

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 WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA

There is no Indian policy document, which examines waste as part of a cycle of

production-consumption-recovery or perceives the issue of waste through a prism of
overall sustainability. In fact, interventions have been fragmented and are often
contradictory. The new Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules 2000, which came
into effect from January 2004, fails even to manage waste in a cyclic process. Waste
management still is a linear system of collection and disposal, creating health and
environmental hazards.
Urban India is likely to face a massive waste disposal problem in the coming years. Till
now, the problem of waste has been seen as one of cleaning and disposing as rubbish.
But a closer look at the current and future scenario reveals that waste needs to be
treated holistically, recognizing its natural resource roots as well as health impacts.
Waste can be wealth; which has tremendous potential not only for generating
livelihoods for the urban poor but can also enrich the earth through composting and
recycling rather than spreading pollution as has been the case. Increasing urban
migration and a high density of population will make waste management a difficult
issue to handle in the near future, if a new paradigm for approaching it is not created.

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Developing countries, such as India, are undergoing a massive migration of their
population from rural to urban centres. New consumption patterns and social linkages
are emerging. India, will have more than 40 per cent, i.e. over 400 million people
clustered in cities over the next thirty years (UN, 1995). Modern urban living brings on
the problem of waste, which increases in quantity, and changes in composition with
each passing day. There is, however, an inadequate understanding of the problem, both
of infrastructure requirements as well as its social dimensions. Urban planners,
municipal agencies, environmental regulators, labour groups, citizens’ groups and non-
governmental organizations need to develop a variety of responses which are rooted in
local dynamics, rather than borrow non-contextual solutions from elsewhere.

There have been a variety of policy responses to the problem of urban solid waste in
India, especially over the past few years, yet sustainable solutions either of organic or
inorganic waste remains an untapped and unattended area. All policy documents as
well as legislation dealing with urban solid waste mention or acknowledge recycling as
one of the ways of diverting waste, but they do so in a piece meal manner and do not
address the framework needed to enable this to happen. Critical issues such as industry
responsibility, a critical paradigm to enable sustainable recycling and to catalyse waste
reduction through, say better packing, has not been touched upon.

This new paradigm should include a cradle-to-grave approach with responsibility being
shared by many stakeholders, including product manufacturers, consumers and
communities, the recycling industry, trade, municipalities and the urban poor.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference Material

Company (GESCSL) Booklet

Pamphlets

Newspapers

The Economic Times

Times of India

Websites

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www.gescsl.com
www.wikipedia.com

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