Waste

• is anything that we get rid of, throw away or do not use.

Four Different Types of Waste Generated by Humans

• Liquid Waste. Commonly found both in households as well as in industries. This

waste includes dirty water, organic liquids, wash water, waste detergents and even
rainwater. Wastewater may also contain organic substances and nutrients that are of
value to agriculture or may be hazardous die to the chemicals or pathogens it contains
like liquid waste blood from hospitals.
• Solid Waste. Can include a variety of items found in your household along with
commercial and industrial locations.

✓ Plastic waste – This consists of bags, containers, jars, bottles, and many other
products that can be found in your household. Plastic is not biodegradable, but many
types of plastic can be recycled.

✓ Paper/card waste – This includes packaging materials, newspapers, cardboards and

other products.

✓ Tins and metals – appliances, product packaging, paint cans

✓ Ceramics and glass – figurines, jalousie, wine, or liquor bottles. Glass can be recycled
indefinitely.

• Organic Waste. All food waste such as raw peelings and stems, garden waste such as
grass clippings, branches, and leaves; manure and rotten meat are classified as
organic waste. Over time, organic waste is turned into manure by microorganisms.
However, this does not mean that you can dispose them anywhere. Organic waste in
landfills causes the release of greenhouse gases like methane, so it must never be
simply discarded with general waste.

• Hazardous Waste. These wastes CANNOT be disposed of in regular garbage. Any

product which is labeled WARNING, CAUTION, POISONOUS, TOXIC, FLAMMABLE,
CORROSIVE, REACTIVE or EXPLOSIVE should be considered hazardous. For example,
buried wastes can filter down through the soil and contaminate groundwater.
Plumbing systems can be damaged when corrosive chemicals are put down the drain.
Burning hazardous wastes simply distributes them over a larger area and releases
them into the air. Pouring hazardous liquids on the ground can poison soil, plants, and
water. Examples of theses wastes are batteries, fluorescent bulbs, electronics and
small appliances, oil, gasoline, and auto fluids.
Health impacts of Improper Waste Disposal

Modernization and progress have 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 centers from where it is collected by the
area municipalities to be further thrown into the landfills and dumps. However, either due
to less resources or inefficient practices, 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 excretions 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
odor. This leads to unhygienic conditions and thereby to a rise in the health problems.

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 also requires special attention since
this can create major health hazards. This waste generated from the hospitals, health care
centers, medical laboratories, and research centers such as discarded syringe needles,
bandages, swabs, plasters, and other types of infectious waste are often disposed with the
regular non-infectious waste.

Environmental impacts of Improper Waste Disposal

Methane – a big factor of Climate Change

A major environmental concern is gas release by decomposing garbage. Methane is a by-
product of the anaerobic respiration of bacteria, and these bacteria thrive on landfills with
high amounts of moisture. A second problem with these gases is their contribution to the
enhanced greenhouse gas effect and climate change. Methane comes from two main sources:
biological and geological. Biological methane can be released from decay of organic waste,
whereas geological sources include natural seeps from fossil fuels and leaks from natural gas
and coal mining operations.

Loss of Biodiversity
Demands for new landfill sites results in the clearing of large amounts of vegetation and
alterations to the natural environment. This can displace hundreds and thousands of species
which live in the surrounding habitat. Over time, excessive land clearing can result in
extinction of many species and a significant loss of biodiversity.

Pollution
If a landfill site is not properly managed, a toxic pollutant known as leachate can escape into
the surrounding groundwater, causing environmental problems for plants and animal living
nearby. Leachate is a liquid pollutant caused by waste breaking down that contains high
levels of heavy metals, chemical compounds, pesticides, and solvents which filter down into
the bottom of a landfill site. The growing level of waste generation can increase the risk of
leachate production.

How can we eliminate waste and help the environment?

We can help by learning about and practicing the three R’s of waste management: Reduce,
reuse, and recycle. Practicing all three of these activities every day is not only important for
a healthy environment, but it can also be fun too. Everyone can become a key player in
making our world a safe and healthy place.

REDUCE
Reducing waste is a matter of planning ahead. In the case of food, for example, there are
many ways to reduce waste.
• Only buy what you need
• Bring your water bottle to school/anywhere you go rather than buying water that
comes in plastic bottles.
• Bring your eco bag, lunch box, and food containers when buying food from
carenderias or restaurants.
• Start a compost pile in the backyard. That way, instead of heading to landfill where it
won’t decompose for hundreds of years, food gets a second life as a great fertilizer.
You can then use your garden to grow food, and avoid having to buy fruits and
vegetables that come in packaging.

REUSE
• Shop secondhand. It helps others make money off their unwanted items. At the same
time, it keeps old items out of the landfill and saves the resources and energy needed
to make new ones.
• Be creative. For example: turning unused mason jars into decorative ornaments at
home, sew some old jeans into an apron, etc.
• Turn used paper into art supplies or scrap paper for making shopping lists.

RECYCLE
Don’t just toss everything in the trash. Lots of things (like cans, bottles, paper, and
cardboard) can be remade into either the same kind of thing or new products. Making new
items from recycled ones also takes less energy and fewer resources than making products
from brand new materials. Here is a list of things you may be able to recycle
• Aluminum cans
• Cardboard
• Electronic equipment
• Glass (particularly bottles and jars)
• Magazines/Newspaper
• Metal
• Paper
• Plastic Bags & Bottles
• Steel Cans