WASTE MANAGEMENT Waste management involves the regular collection, transportation as well as proper processing, efficient disposal, recycling and monitoring of different types of waste materials, This ensures that the environment remains clean as there is less contamination and pollution. The quality of air, water and soil is good and hence the population remains healthy. Need for Waste Management Unsustainable patterns of production and consumption regenerating age quantis of waste at unprecedented Inside the Chapter rates. Their adverse impacts have already been + Nod fr west Managers Cian he previ ptr, Te wen il ep Siren ees increasing if elective waste management at seGrgchon BUNpIe ere onetaing | ae not incorporated in our lifestyle, production and ‘+ Need and Methods for Reducing, consumption patterns. Saye Eee ee ‘The modern waste management industry has come a long way. Methods of waste management have tvolvelthigughout human history. In ancent Ses, the amount of waste generated had little impact simply because population was very low and in the absence Of industri, housdhold waste consbtuted «major part of the wane generated, Natural resources were consumed in limited amount, resulting in mostly ash and human waste. These by-products were quickly and safely disposed back into the ecosystem. As per records, solid wastes were dumped on the outskirts of cities in stunned pis, marshes or unpreductve land or buried in large holes dug in the ground. Others were thrown in the rivers. With the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and the growth of towns and cities, the land use pattern changed. Population figures shot up excessively; cities soon became crowded and accumulation of waste became a menace. With no waste disposal rules in place, the streets became choked with refuse. Abandoned sites, 267were difficult to acquire due to the increased Pressure on land. Moreover, rivers failed t0 Manage the increased amount of waste load and turned into drains. Health and quality of life Were in jeopardy. Waste management became the need of the hour. It primarily aimed to achieve the following goals: ‘+ Improve the air quality that was getting poorer with the increase in vehicular and industrial pollution. * Reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that would help to retard the process of global warming and climate change. + Reduce emission of ozone | depleting substances and contribute towards mending of the ozone hole. * Cleaning up of the oceans, which were increasingly polluted as untreated waste water and refuse were being dumped into them, thereby affecting vast number of marine species. + Clean up the major rivers like the Ganges, by reducing contamination due to dumping cof municipal wastes as well as effluents from factories. + Conservation of non-renewable resources like minerals and fossil fuels by means of recycling and reusing waste products ‘+ Bring improvement in the general health conditions of the population by reducing pollution levels in air, water, ground water and soil. ‘+ Ensure safe disposal of hazardous wastes like radioactive materials so as to protect the vulnerable population from serious health hazards. —_ rmpted the need fOr @ sYslematc ms ro dure ya ef ato place in every ation, especialy the verpopulated countries in developing world. This can be dealt broadly through two ways 1. Systemal efficient transportation ment of waste—This involves suitably to reduce their tic disposal of waste~This involves collection, segregation ang of wastes. , Proper treat > ones of waste harmful impact. [At present times, strategies for waste prevention, ai imisation and reutilisation have come in the Timelight, based on national and international ies. However, to achieve success, they jideline Five to be followed by constant monitoring programmes. METHODS OF SAFE DISPOSAL AND TREATMENT OF WASTE Several methods may be applied for managing waste as no single method can be effective in efficiently cleaning the environment. Because fof the phenomenal increase in population, changing patterns of land use and stringent health and safety requirements, land disposal hhas become a costly affair. Therefore, it is necessary to minimise waste generation and encourage onsite waste treatment along with reuse and recycle of waste. ‘The following chart gives us an overview of the techniques of waste disposal and management commonly adopted in present times.Posal a i wie ind Treatment of Solid 1. Segregation of waste Separation of waste is the management. Its from landfills an water and air poll first step to waste nd goal is to reduce waste 'd_ eventually prevent land, ution, Wastes may be seg, = nay be segregated according to their 4) Solid and liquid waste: Solid w. food, paper, Tubble, electronics s, wood, metal scrap, glass, plastic, old tyres, furniture, toys etc. Municipal solid waste, commonly Known as trash or garbage, is a waste type Specifically consisting of everyday. items including food waste that is discarded by individuals or households, ste includes Liquid waste includes sewage, chemicals, soap or detergent water, wastewater, fats, oils or grease, sludge, etc., discharged from both domestic and industrial sectors, ii) Dry and wet waste: Dry wastes are usually meant for recycle and reuse. So, wastes like Plastic, paper, wood, glass and metals are sent to recycle plants to be made into new products. Wet wastes typically imply organic wastes which are heavy due to their dampness. They include biodegradable kitchen wastes like fruit and vegetable peels, tea leaves, egg shells, meat and bones, food scraps along with vegetative wastes like leaves and flowers. They are usually meant for composting and hence sent to landfills or compost pits. Fr Biodegradable and _non-biodegradable waste: Biodegradable wastes are those that originate from organic matter, both plants and animal sources that can be decomposed easily by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi as well as by means of elements of nature like air, sunshine and water. These biotic and abiotic factors together break 7 wastes down to simpler forms that are easily absorbed by the soil. Hence, they do 7 cause any pollution, Biodegradable eos include kitchen waste, paper, human waste, waste from slaughterhouse, sludge etc Nombiodegradable wastes are those that cannot be decomposed or broken down by microorganisms or by elements of weather. Plastic, metals and glass are examples of this that remain in the ecosystem type of waste : years and cause immens for thousands of y pollution. ‘Wale shouldbe segregated in our homes and disposed of for better waste management. 2. Dumping or Land Filling Dumping or land filling is a very common and easy method of disposing off solid wastes especially biodegradable municipal refuse. In this process, the wastes are discarded and collected in low lying areas in the outskirts of cities and towns, Bacterial action in the ‘An excavator working ina landfillOpen environment considerably decreases the volume of the refuse which then gets gradually converted into humus. These sites Where the wastes are isolated to degenerate naturally are known as landfills. ‘The main objective of landfills is to prevent dispersal of refuse. Site selection plays a very important role because contamination with groundwater must be avoided by all means. Deep, dense clayey soils and water table at great depth are some of the necessities of site selection. A sanitary landfill is slightly different from an ordinary landfill as it uses @ clay liner backed by a plastic liner to avoid seepage and to isolate the trash from the environment. It involves well-designed engineering methods to protect the soil and underground water from contamination by solid or liquid wastes. Trash is buried in layers in a pit with a protected bottom and compressed to make it more solid. After layers of waste is deposited, compacted by a bulldozer and covered with a soil layer. The soil material is obtained offsite, transported to the landfill and spread over the waste. The alternative layering of soil and garbage aids in hastening the process of decomposition. The cover helps prevent the interaction between the waste and the air, reducing foul odour, contamination and spread of vector borne diseases making waste disposal a safe affair. Soil cover also reduces wind induced littering of waste. The waste gradually decomposes and later on the area may be developed as nature parks and gardens. Composting Composting is a process of decomposition of organic biodegradable wastes that are the main constituent of municipal garbage In most cases, bacteria grow during the decomposition process. Different types of 1a need different amounts of oxygen baths, this is called an aerobic process, Fruits and vegetable peels, coffee filters, teq hells, paper, hay, leaves, grass, hells, wood, saw dust and such jen and farmyard wastes can yy to the compost bins bacteri bags, nut s! twigs, 88 organic Kitch make their wa Composting reduces the volume of the waste sind the end product is used as manure for 2a fertility. Thus, it plays an effective role in replenishment of soil naturally. 1 helps to reduce dependance on harmful chemical fertilisers. It also helps in retaining soi moisture and to suppress plant diseases and_ pests from landfills an‘ Composting i of recyeling organic waste. It reduces methane emissions .d lowers carbon footprint. is thus an eco-friendly method ‘Acompost bin ina garden Vermicomposting is also a type of aerobic composting that involves decomposition of organic wastes using various species of worms like red wigglers, white worms and other earthworms. The worms convert organic wastes into a humus-like material known as vermin-compost. Anaerobic composting, or composting in the absence of oxygen, is typically done in big trenches or pits. A large hole is dug into which the organic materials are collected and then covered with soil. Composting anaerobically takes more time than aerobic. However, thisa Process generates renew, 3s biogas made mostly dioxide and other gase used directly able energy known of methane, carbon s. This biogas can as fuel. eatin be Waste Management in Our Households—Points to Ponder ee bean w ith we can segregate household isposal becomes easy. Recyclable wastes comprising. glass, tins, cans, other metals and plastics may be colt Separately and handed over to the collector every morning. Old newspapers wrapping or making packets. Similarly, out §rown clothes may be distributed to others or reused for household purposes. This will help in minimising waste production. + Biodegradable organic households can be treated by composting Wastes like leaves, flowers, twigs may be composted rather than incinerated which might create air pollution. The compost will act as a cheap manure for plants. These dry leaves and twigs may be collected in a pit over a long time to form manure. Waste may be thus reduced by recycling, * Toxic waste—old medicines, paints, chemicals, bulbs, spray cans, fertiliser and pesticides containers, batteries, shoe polish need to be disposed of separately as they can potentially harm the environment. wastes from * Biomedical wastes are those that are generated in hospitals and pathological clinics during diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings or animals, or in research activities. They include syringes, cloth soiled with blood and other body fluids, body organs, etc., that have potential to spread pathogens and transmit diseases. Hence, they require efficient and safe methods of disposal. + (E-wastes are a growing menace. Growth IT and communication sectors hos cured the usage of the electronic equipment exponentially. Upgradation electronic product is forcing consumers to discard old electronic products like mobile phones and computers frequently, which in turn adds to e-waste. The growing problem calls for greater emphasis 1g e-waste and better e-waste ‘of e-waste fon recyclin management.) E-waste dumped on a site very home must be facilitated by a good network of sewerage and drainage system. This will keep the surroundings clean and avoid spreading of diseases and germs.) Sewage drains must be cleaned regularly by municipal authorities to avoid choking or leaking. Sewer lines should never contaminate drinking water pipelines (in case of leakages). Hence, there should be different levels in the subsoil for laying these pipelines. ‘Waste wator and sewage treatment plant+ Several laws are in force eT got oP . (Conse onsuersn js the need of the hour) Very often, we mindlessly purchase products when we could meet our needs Py reusing products we already have. When we reuse glass jars, containers, clothes, plastic bags, and other items, not only are we saving money, but also conserving our finite resources and reducing pollution that are an integral part of industrial production fer should be + (Similarly, electricity or pows ‘used judiciously as most of our power plants produce thermal electricity by burning fossil fuel, especially coal. This not only uses up this non-renewable fossil fuel, but also causes immense pollution) Every household should thus try to minimise wastage of electricity so as to contribute towards sustainable development. As students, you too can think of ways in tricity which you can reduce your home elec consumption, . (Getta traffic is rising phenomenally ‘hereby, increasing vehicular pollution. Use of school bus or car poolswill enable many passengers to travel together and thereby, reduce congestion and pollution beinitiatedatall 3 the perils of hods ion + (Awareness programs should levels to make people aware of uncontrolled waste generation and me of safe waste disposal) Without cooper of the people, no institution or governmental ‘machinery can effectively handle this huge responsibilty of efficient waste disposal Television, radio, social media and other media can be used to spread messages on this issue. to ensure a safe and habitable environment. These legal guidelines should be strictly abided by Gommon people as well as industrial houses. with conscious and law-abiding people, 4 ration shall be able to maintain a clean and pollution free environment. Role of the Government «indian government assigned the role ang responsibilities of some ministries, boards vind local authorities in waste management in India. Ministry of Environment and Forests is responsible for general aspects of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management, It will draw up, direct the policy and legislation regarding waste management. «Government of India has given the responsibility to the Ministry of Urban Development to prepare the Municipal Solid Waste Management Manual for Urban Local Body for easy and the environmental friendly municipal solid waste management. «The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) jin coordination with the State Pollution joard SPCB) provides the necessary Control Bi training to the technical assistance and personnel. They have to plan and implement programs for prevention and control of air and water pollution authorities like the Municipal Corporation that operate in each state and district are responsible for providing services pertaining to municipal solid waste management. That includes waste collection from generation sources, transportation, treatment and disposal of municipal solid waste at the local level, and to operate cecycling or composting facilities. jemicals and Fertilisers, the Ministry of Power Renewable Energy + Local disposal, 1 + The Ministry of Che Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of New and Sources are some of the other departments of the government that collaborate to bring about desirable changes that will enhance the quality of life of the Indian citizensviding people, a tain clean ant the role and tries, boars management rnment and aspects of inagement olicy and ven the Urban unicipa Urban mental ‘ment. PCB) stion sary the ent The | “Swachna oy Be ger Boteectat oo J Ouober 2014 oo [me 4 bute to Mahatma Gandhi or hs birth aniversary. The goat eee te county clean ant ensure tint hee of open defecation gets totaly termes ae 2 October 205.1 aise sine nated By percent scenic management of gaat Tita waste by 2008; THE THREE RS: METHODS FOR REDUCING REUSING AND RECYCLING WASTE 1. Minimizing or reducing waste: + Ce concept tec hat pednd and what is consumed is essential to waste management, The logic behind itis, if there les waste thrthee oe lee products to reeycle or reuse. Reducing waste can be achieved by adopting new. age technology and at the same time ‘making use of traditional techniques, #0 optimise the use of raw materials) Also, by refusing to buy items that we’ don't need and reusing items more than once, we can contribute towards a healthier planet. (Discuss some ways in which ‘modern technology can help reduce waste generation in our daily life). + Segregation of waste is another way of reducing waste as it helps in bringing down the volume of waste that gets transferred to landfills and thus indirectly helps to reduce water, air and soil pollution. Segregation of waste in different bins makes various processes like composting, recycling and incineration easy. For example, bio-degradable wastes, that include all the organic wastes like kitchen waste, vegetables, fruits, flowers, leaves, food collected in the a separate fe can be sent for scraps, can be lable waste Sin and the ei waste a composting. sila, re ike ponte, paper, lass mca can be collected separately, hazecdous wastes Inet medicines, pains, chemicals tuts spray cans teres diapers use Cotton Fool and so'on can be segregated imaseparat bin altogether, (Find out the ferent colour used in bins for different types of waste). + Avoid singe biodegradable products such fs those made of plastic. Our earth cannot digest plastics and ft Inilions of birds, whales, sharks, seals dolphins and turtles die every single year ibecnuse of plastic pollution. Plastics take around 500 to 1000 years to degrade and it can destroy marine life completely Cloth or jute bags, paper cups, steel Utensils, glass bottles etc can help us tminimize the use of plastics and save sur environment from drowning in toxic garbage 2. Recycle products + Recycling is the process of collecting scraps and reprocessing the material into useful products. Glass, paper, plastic, along with metals like aluminium and steel are commonly recycled estimated that ‘The materials recovered from trash and used in the processes of recycling, serve as substitutes for raw materials that are obtained from the diminishing natural resource reserves, Thus, recycling helps to conserve resources like forests, minerals and water and aids in sustainable development.* Recycling also helps to lower waste n and thus reduces air, water and soil pollution. 3. Reuse of commodities: + Reuse implies making good use of previously used items, but not reprocessing them. It helps save time, money, energy and natural resources + Reuse prevents objects or materials from becoming waste, and thus helps to reduce environmental degradation due to pollution. + We discard many articles at home as waste. Articles such as glass bottles, tin and metal cans, rubber items and paper products can be reused. We can create useful items from waste. The Nek Chand’s Rock Garden at Chandigarh is an exemplary case in point, which was created from waste such as bottles, glasses, bangles, tiles, ceramic pots, sinks, electrical waste and broken pipes. Think ‘of ways in which you too can reuse things at home. WASTING WASTE: SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS The recurring problem of increasing waste accumulation in India is a cause of serious concern. It is estimated that around 14 lakh tonnes of waste is generated in India daily. It mostly comprises dry waste, wet waste and plastic waste. While desperate measures are being undertaken to tackle India’s raging waste problem, by introducing waste segregation at source, composting, reusing and recycling, plenty remains to be done in terms of efficient waste segregation and treatment, In the midst of it all, safe management of hazardous wastes remains one of the biggest problems in India. approximately 10 in India is Forest Recent study states. that . to 15 per cent of industrial waste 1 hazardous, The Ministry of Environment, Pures and Climate Change defines hazardous wast 3s any waste which due to its physical chemi e biological composition is likely to harm Healt orenvironment. Various industries Gimes as petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, chemicals a edu hazardous wastes in alarming quantities. The COVID-I9 pandemic has burdened India’s already stressed waste management system. According tothe data shared by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India generated over 18,000 tonnes of COVID-19 related biomedical waste between June and ‘September 2020. ‘Masks and gloves are biomedical wastes. THE WAY AHEAD The key to efficient waste management is to censure proper segregation of waste at source and to ensure that the waste goes through different streams of recycling and resource recovery. Thus, every individual has an important role to play in ensuring that wastes are handled properly Our collective effort and alertness will go a long, way in managing waste effectively, so that they do not degrade our quality of life.15. a7, 18. 10. sees) 12, Why are toxic 1e? Why i: B. uu 16. 2. Explain how the sign! Industrial Revolution. = 3. Enumerate some of the benefits of was ee 4k Explain segregation of W25- what basi followin! 5. owes a ‘examples of © i 0 yas mene a lid waste ye ie te d. Non-biodegradable waste ‘e We wast & Hazardous waste 7 ties 6, a. State two devices used to remove i ‘Name two diseases associated with air pollution i” busy cities and towns. ily handled in ro way’ piscuss- ‘a cleaner em" the use of PI with’ ii) Ment iterials that can jit) State how recycling hel sful? fuced by the Pr a two examples in the modern tion some mal ips in resource mana wing menace I” rent of India Explain giving examples. vrinimize of rece 2 reducing waste generation. be effectively recycled: \gement. monly segregated? acess of composting: world? for efficient and safe and contribute iste generation.1» i 9.) What do we mean by reuse of products? 1) Wheat are some of the benefits associated with reuse. 20. How has the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the waste seal B. Give reasons to explain each of the Mowing: 1 Minimisation of waste seneration is an important step towards efficient waste m Segregation of waste is the first step towards successful waste management, Biodegradable waste is less harmful for the environment. Nom biodegradable wastes should never be dumped in the landfil, * Chances of groundwater contamination isles in sanitary lanl. - Sewage drains must be kept well-maintained in every household. ~ Conscious consumerism is the need of the hour. Social media plays an important role in waste management. Composting shoul be encouraged to reduce the use of toxic chemical fertilisers. A banana peel and a plastic bottle should never be discarded in the same waste Explain the following terms: ‘A. Incineration . Bioremediation Effluents Sludge 10, c Refuse Carbon footprint Contamination ‘Vermicomposting Sanitary landfill 10. Manure 2 2. 4 5. 4 Ts 8 9. D. Distinguish between each of the following: Dry and wet waste Solid and liquid waste Biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste Abiotic and biotic factors Anaerobic and aerobic decomposition Sewage and sewerage Recycling and reuse of products