Solid Waste Management

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Solid Waste Management

Why do we need solid waste management?

1. Unclean Surroundings

While people clean their homes and places of work, they litter
their surroundings, which affect the environment and the
community.

2. Impact on Public Health

Improper waste disposal can affect the health of the population

living nearby the polluted area or landfills.

3. Disease-causing Pests

Dumping of waste materials forces biodegradable materials to rot

and decompose under improper, unhygienic and uncontrolled
conditions.

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 Solid Waste Management
Why do we need solid waste management?

4. Environmental Problems

Solid wastes from industries are a source of toxic metals, hazardous wastes, and chemicals. When
released to the environment, the solid wastes can cause biological and physicochemical problems to
the environment that may affect or alter the productivity of the soils in that particular area

5. Impact on Land and Aquatic Animals

They suffer the effects of pollution caused by improperly disposed of wastes and rubbish.

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Solid Waste Management

Quantification of Solid waste

Urban India (about 377 million people) generates 62 million tonnes (MT) of municipal solid waste
(MSW) each year.

Of this about 43 million tonnes (70%) is collected and 11.9 million tonnes (20%) is treated. About
31 million tonnes (50%) is dumped in landfill sites.

With changing consumption patterns and rapid economic growth it is estimated that urban municipal
solid waste generation will increase to 165 million tonnes in 2030.

The quantity of domestic and MSW generated in some major cities if India is 300-600gm per
person per day.

Gujarat, with its huge chemical belt, contributes nearly 2.8 million MT of "hazardous" waste

In 2014 India inaugurated the Swachh Bharat Mission, a nationwide cleanup effort.
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Solid Waste Management

Objective of solid waste management

1. Reducing and eliminating adverse impacts of waste materials on human health and the
environment

2. To support economic development and superior quality of life.

3. To use efficinet technology to keep costs low and prevent waste buildup.

4. Recovery and recycling of some of the useful resources

5. Energy recovery by burning or reusing the recovered materials

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Solid Waste Management

Elements of solid waste management

1. Waste generation

2. Onsite handling, storage, and processing

3. Waste collection

4. Waste transfer and transport

5. Waste processing and recovery

6.Disposal

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Solid Waste Management
Common waste treatment and disposal methods
1. Sanitary Landfill

A sanitary landfill is a land disposal site that employs

the principle of spreading solid wastes in thin layers,
compressed and covered with soil or plastic foam.

The bottom of the landfill is covered with an impervious liner, which is usually made of several
layers of thick plastic and sand. This liner protects the groundwater from being contaminated
because of leaching or percolation.

When the landfill is full, it is covered with layers of sand, clay, topsoil and gravel to prevent seepage
of water.

Advantage: If landfills are managed efficiently, it is an ensured sanitary waste disposal method.

Disadvantage : It requires a reasonably large area.

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 Common waste treatment and disposal methods

2. Incineration

This method involves controlled combustion of solid

wastes at high temperatures until the wastes are turned
into incombustible residue and gaseous products.

This method of solid waste management can be done by

individuals, municipalities and even institutions.

The good thing about this method is the fact that it

reduces the volume of waste up to 20 or 30% of the
original volume.

Advantage: It reduces the volume of waste up to 20 or

30% of the original volume.

Disadvantage: It can cause smoke or fire hazard and

also emits gaseous pollutants.

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Common waste treatment and disposal methods

3. Recycling and Reuse

Recycling and reuse of resources is the process of

taking useful but discarded items for the next use.

Resource recovery is a method of turning waste into resources by recovering useable products
both materials and energy.

The process aims at reducing energy loss, consumption of new recycled material and
reduction of landfills.

Plastic, Rubber, Paper, Tin, Aluminum are often recycled and reused.

Advantage: Recycling is environmentally friendly. Volumes of waste is lowered.

Disadvantage: It is expensive to set up so economic constraints play a role. 10

Common waste treatment and disposal methods

4. Composting

Due to a lack of adequate space for landfills,

biodegradable yard waste is allowed to decompose in
a medium designed for the purpose. Only
biodegradable waste materials are used in
composting.

It is a biological process in which micro-organisms,

specifically fungi and bacteria, convert degradable
organic waste into substances like humus.

Advantage: Composting is environmentally friendly

as well as beneficial for crops.

Disadvantage: It requires intensive management

and experienced personnel for large scale operation.

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Common waste treatment and disposal methods

5. Pyrolysis

This is a method of solid waste management whereby solid

wastes are chemically decomposed by heat without the
presence of oxygen.

It usually occurs under pressure and at temperatures of up to

430°C.
The solid wastes are changed into gasses, solid residue of
carbon and ash and small quantities of liquid.

Advantage: This will keep the environment clean and reduce

health and settlement problems.

Disadvantage: The systems that destroy chlorinated organic

molecules by heat may create incomplete combustion
products, including dioxins and furans. These compounds are
highly toxic and the residue it generates may be hazardous
wastes, requiring proper treatment, storage, and disposal.
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