Noise Pollution

 

Noise is an unwanted sound without agreeable musical quality. Noise pollution may be defined as the state of discomfort and restlessness caused to humans by unwanted high intensity sound known as noise.


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Sources of noise pollution

Natural sources such as cloud thunder, high velocity, wind such as hurricanes, gales, thunderstorms; high intensity rainfall, hailstorms, waterfalls etc. Biological sources roars of lion, street dogs bark, jackals, etc. Artificial sources noise created by man through his activities and creations such as musical instruments, automobiles, aircrafts, factories etc. 1

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Effects of noise pollution



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Noise pollution or say exposure of human beings to noise of levels higher than recommended level causes a number of adverse effects ranging from mild annoyance to permanent hearing loss. The effects of noise pollution of humans are of four types General effects, Auditory effects Psychological effects Physiological effects.

Contd1. General effects of noise pollution on humans include speech interference, annoyance, sleep disorders, and related after effects and problems. 2. Auditory effects include the damages done to hearing mechanism in humans due to various types of noise. 3. Psychological effects high level noise causes many behavioral changes among humans as well as animals. Unwanted noise very often cause annoyance, irritation, and fatigue which result into low performance, low efficiency and frequent errors. 4. Physiological effects annoyance, irritation, anxiety, strains and stresses caused by noise pollution may cause changes in hormone content of blood which in turn may introduce changes in human bodies.

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE SOLID WASTE Solid waste arise from human and animal activities including garbage, food waste, paper, metal, glass etc. Rapid urbanisation in developing countries have led to the generation of enormous quantities of solid waste and environmental degradation. Estimated 7.6 million tonnes of solid waste is produced per day in developing countries. MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE Solid wastes are grouped into different categories such as Municipal solid waste (MSW). MSW contains food waste e.g. leftover food, vegetables etc. known as wet garbage, as well as paper, plastic, newspaper etc. known as dry garbage. MSW does not include wastes from industrial process, costruction debris, agricultural waste etc. 4

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Municipal solid waste management strategy consists of many components:  Segregation of waste.  Composting.  Recycling. SEGREGATION OF WASTE Segregation of waste means to separate the MSW into the groups of organic, inorganic, recyclable and hazardous waste. Waste can be segregated as: 1) Biodegradable waste: includes organic waste e.g. kitchen waste, vegetables, fruits, flowers, leaves from the garden etc. 2) Non-biodegradable waste: can be further segregated into: a) Recyclable waste: plastic, paper, glass, metal etc. b) Toxic waste: old medicines, paints, pesticides, shoe polish etc. c) Soiled: hospital waste.

Role of Rag Pickers in Segregation. Rag pickers are the people who play a special role in segregation of waste in India. They contribute a great deal to waste management as they scavenge the recyclable matter thereby saving the municipality the cost and time of collection and transportation. They are well coordinated in their method of working. They are the focal point of recycling of waste. Now-a-days a large number of NGOs are working in the field of Solid Waste Management e.g. Srishti, Vatavaran in Delhi.

COMPOSTING
Composting is a microbiological process of converting organic materials such as manure, leaves, paper and food wastes into a soil like material called compost. Composting can be both aerobic and anaerobic microbial process. It is a natural and safe method of taking care of organic waste. Using compost is the best method of naturally enriching the soil, since composting gives plants the required nutrients without harming either them or the animals or the humans feeding on them.

ContdBenefits of using compost:  Rejuvenation of poor soil by adding organic bulk increase aeration, microbial life in soil, natural fertilizers.  Prevents pollution by preventing the pollutants to run into the water resources or being absorbed by plants.  Recycling biologically the garden and kitchen waste and reduce the quantity of waste dumped daily at the roadside garbage bin.

RECYCLING

Recycling is reusing some components of waste that may have some economic value. There are two types of recycling for materials:  Primary recycling: in which waste discarded by consumers are recycled to produce new products of the same type e.g. newspapers into newspapers, aluminum cans into aluminum cans. It reduces pollution and saves energy.  Secondary recycling: waste materials are converted into different and and usually lower quality products.

ContdRecycling has readily visible benefits like conserving resources , reducing pollution level etc. Mining of new aluminum is expensive and hence recycled aluminum has a strong market , paper cycling also preserve forests etc. However it presents several problems which are either technical or economical. Since each type of plastic has a distinct chemical composition , different plastics cannot be recycled together. Thus, separation of different plastics before recycling is necessary. Similarly , in recycled paper, the fibers are weakened and it is difficult to control the colour of the recycled product. Further the recycled paper is banned for use in food containers to prevent contamination and very often the recycled paper is more expensive than the virgin paper.
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DISPOSAL METHODS
Disposal of solid waste is done commonly through landfills or incineration. LAND FILLS: means a waste disposal site for the deposit of residual waste in a facility designed with protective measures against polluting of ground water, surface water, bad odour etc. These are the vital components of any well designed MSWM system. Landfills range in types from uncontrolled open dumps to sanitary landfills. Municipal solid waste landfills standards include:  Location restrictionsensure that landfills are built in suitable geological areas away from faults, wetlands, flood plains, or other restricted areas.  Composite liners requirementsinclude a flexible membrane overlaying two feet of compacted clay soil lining the bottom and sides of the landfill, protect groundwater and the underlying soil from leachate releases.  Leachate collection and removal systemssit on top of the composite liner and removes leachate from the landfill for treatment and disposal.

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Operating practicesinclude compacting and covering waste frequently with several inches of soil help reduce odor; control litter, insects, and rodents; and protect public health. Groundwater monitoring requirementsrequires testing groundwater wells to determine whether waste materials have escaped from the landfill. Closure and postclosure care requirements include covering landfills and providing long-term care of closed landfills. Corrective action provisionscontrol and clean up landfill releases and achieves groundwater protection standards. Financial assuranceprovides funding for environmental protection during and after landfill closure (i.e., closure and postclosure care).
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ContdIt is essential to have a suitable bottom liners and lechate collection systems along with the intallations of monitoring systems to detect ground water pollution.The organic material in the buried solid waste will decompose due to the action of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisims producing methane which is poisonous and highly explosive.A venting system to collect the blocked gas and vent it to the surface , where it can be safely diluted and dispersed in the atmosphere.

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ContdIncineration: It is a chemical process of burning municipal solid waste in a properly designed furnace under suitable temperature and operating conditions. This chemical reaction, called oxidation, results in release of heat into the atmosphere. Incineration can reduce the municipal solid waste by about 90% in volume and 75%in weight. The risk of incineration involve air quality problems and toxicity and disposal of fly ash produced during the process. Extensive air pollution control equipment, high level technical supervision and skilled employees for proper operation and maintenance are required.
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HAZARDOUS WASTE
Hazardous waste is defined as a solid waste or a combination of a solid wastes, which because of its quantity,physical,chemical or infectious characteristics may i. Cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness, ii. Pose a potential hazard to human health or the environment, when improperly handled, treated, stored, transported or disposed off. CLASSIFICATION:  Toxic wastes: are poisonous in very small amounts and have immediate effect on human or animals causing death or violent death.  Reactive wastes: have a tendency to react vigorously with air or water e.g. Gun Powder.  Ignitable wastes: burn at relatively low temp. less than 60 Deg. and are capable of spontaneous combustion during storage, transport or disposal e.g. Alcohol, paint thinner etc  Corrosive wastes: destroy materials and living tissue by chemical reaction e.g. Acids  Infectious Wastes: human tissue from surgery, used bandages etc.  Radioactive wastes: is the outcome from the nuclear power plants.

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HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT In India the rules for the management of hazardous waste are specified by Hazardous Waste ( Management and Handling) Rules 1989, as amended in 2003. According to this the occupier and the operator of the facility shall be responsible for proper collection, reception, treatment, storage and disposal of Hazardous waste. The State Government, occupier, or any association of occupiers shall after impact assessment studies select an appropriate site for the hazardous waste disposal facility. The State Government after identification cause a public notice inviting objections and suggestions within thirty days. Hazardous waste may be processed by an appropriate methods such as incineration, chemical oxidation ,solidification etc. or it may be safely disposed in a secure landfills. The most common methods for disposing of hazardous waste are land disposal and incineration. 16

BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT

Bio-medical wastes are generated from health care activity like diagnosis, treatment, prevention of diseases and associated research at hospital, Laboratories, veterinary institutions, blood bank etc. Health effects of these wastes include the potential for AIDS, hepatitis B and C, respiratory infections, skin infections etc. Bio-medical waste shall not be mixed with other waste. It shall be segregated into containers at the point of generation . The containers shall be labelled and transported only in such vehicles as may be authorised for the purpose. The waste treatment options include incineration, chemical disinfection, shredding etc. and disposal could be done in municipal landfill or burying inside the premises of the waste generator. The criteria for selection of management options include prevailing regulations, quantities of generated waste, availability of qualified personnel, technologies available, available space , related cost etc.

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