IMPACT OF SOLID WASTE

ON HEALTH AND THE

ENVIRONMENT
By
FUNMILAYO AKINBODE
WALDEN UNIVERSITY
PUBH-6165-4 Environmental Health
INSTRUCTOR: DR STEPHEN ARNOLD
 INTRODUCTION
• The purpose of this presentation is to elaborate and
increase readers awareness on the potential solid
waste (hazardous, non hazardous and mixed
waste) disposal poses to human health and the
environment.
• Characteristics of waste and types of solid waste
• Causal of increase in solid waste
• Waste treatment and disposal
• Health and environment impacts of solid wastes
based on reports from studies
• Preventive measures
 Learning outcomes
• Increase knowledge in characteristics,
treatment and disposal of solid waste
• Identify points of contact and sources of
exposure to solid waste
• Understand the impact of solid waste on
health and environment
• Knowledge on preventive measures in
reducing volume of wastes and waste
management.
 What is solid waste
• Solid waste is defined as any garbage,
refuse, sludge from waste treatment plant,
water supply treatment plant, or air pollution
control facility and other materials, including
solid, liquid, semisolid, contained gaseous
resulting from industrials, commercials,
mining and agricultural operations from
community activities ( Moeller, 2005).
•
 Characteristics of wastes
• Corrosive: these are wastes that include acids or
bases that are capable of corroding mental
containers, e.g. tanks
• Ignitability: this is waste that can create fires
under certain condition, e.g. waste oils and
solvents
• Reactive: these are unstable in nature, they
cause explosions, toxic fumes when heated.
• Toxicity: waste which are harmful or fatal when
ingested or absorb.
 Types of waste
• Non Hazardous waste: refuse, garbage,
sludge, municipal trash.
• Hazardous waste: solvents acid, heavy
metals, pesticides, and chemical sludges
• Radioactive: high and low-level radioactive
waste
• Mixed waste: Radioactive organic liquids,
radio active heavy metals. ” ( Moeller, 2005).
 Waste treatment and disposal
Waste treatment Waste disposal
• Incineration • Landfills
• Solidification • Underground injection
• Heat treatment: wells
• Chemical treatment • Waste piles
• land treatment
• In less developed
countries flowing rivers
• Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental Health (3rd ed.).
Cambridge, MA:Harvard University Press
 Waste treatments
• Incineration:
• Solidification: solid waste are melted or
evaporated to produce a sand like residue.
• Heat treatment: Heat applied at moderate
temperature, is used in treating volatile
solvents.
• Chemical treatment: is the application of
chemical treatment in the treatment of
corrosive solid.
 Waste Disposal
• Landfills: waste is placed into or onto the
land in disposal facilities.
• Underground injection wells: waste are
injected under pressure into a steel and
concrete-encased shafts placed deep in the
earth.
• Waste piles: is accumulations of insoluble
solid, non flowing hazard waste. Piles serves
as temporary or final disposal.
 Waste Disposal
• land treatment: is a process in which solid
waste, such as sludge from wastes is
applied onto or incorporated into the soil
surface.
• Waste are disposed in flowing rivers in
less developed countries.

Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental Health (3rd ed.). Cambridge, MA:Harvard University Press
• Landfill site and Incineration site
 Causal of increase in solid waste
• Population growth
• Increase in industrials manufacturing
• Urbanization
• Modernization
Modernization, technological advancement and
increase in global population created rising in
demand for food and other essentials. This has
resulted to rise in the amount of waste being
generated daily by each household. 158 million tons
of municipal solid waste is produced annually in U.S
 Groups at risks due to solid waste

The groups at risk from the unscientific

waste disposal include:
• Populations in areas where there is no
proper waste treatment method.
• children
• Waste workers
• Populations living close to waste dump
• Animals
 SOURCES OF HUMAN
EXPOSURES
Exposures occurs through
• Ingestion of contaminated water or food
• Contact with disease vectors
• Inhalation
• Dermal
 Points of contact
• Soil adsorption, storage and biodegrading
• Plant uptake
• Ventilation
• Runoff
• Leaching
• Insects, birds, rats, flies and animals
• Direct dumping of untreated waste in seas,
rivers and lakes results in the plants and animals
that feed on it
Impacts of solid waste on health

Chemical poisoning through chemical

inhalation
Uncollected waste can obstruct the storm
water runoff resulting in flood
Low birth weight
Cancer
Congenital malformations
Neurological disease
Impacts of solid waste on health
• Nausea and vomiting
• Increase in hospitalization of diabetic
residents living near hazard waste sites.
• Mercury toxicity from eating fish with high
levels of mercury.
Goorah, S., Esmyot, M., Boojhawon, R. (2009). The Health Impact of Nonhazardous Solid Waste
Disposal in a Community: The case of the Mare Chicose Landfill in Mauritius. Journal of
Environment Health, 72(1) 48-54
Kouznetsova, M., Hauang, X., Ma, J., Lessner, L. & Carpenter, D. (2007). Increased Rate of
Hospitalization for Diabetes and Residential Proximity of Hazardous waste Sites. Environmental
Health Perspectives, 115(1)75-75
Barlaz, M., Kaplan, P., Ranjithan, S. & Rynk, R. (2003) Evaluating Environmental Impacts of solid
Waste Management Alternatives. BioCycle, 52-56.
 Effects of Solid Waste on
Animals and Aquatics life
• Increase in mercury level in fish due to
disposal of mercury in the rivers.
• Plastic found in oceans ingested by birds
• Resulted in high algal population in rivers
and sea.
• Degrades water and soil quality
 Impacts of solid waste on
Environment.
• Waste breaks down in landfills to form
methane, a potent greenhouse gas
• Change in climate and destruction of ozone
layer due to waste biodegradable
• Littering, due to waste pollutions, illegal
dumping, Leaching: is a process by which
solid waste enter soil and ground water and
contaminating them.
• U.S. Environment Protection Agency (2009)
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES
• Proper management of solid waste
• Involving public in plans for waste treatment
and disposal
• Provide the public accurate, useful
information about the whole projects,
including the risks and maintain formal
communication with public
• Educate people on different ways of handling
waste.
 PREVENTIVE MEASURES
Waste Minimization is a process of reducing waste produce by
individuals, communities and companies, which reduces the
impact of chemical wastes on the environment to the
greatest extent.
Household level of proper segregation of waste, recycling and
reuse.
Process and product substitution e.g. use paper bag instead of
plastic bags.
Moeller,2005
 Recommended Reading
• U.S Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/index.htm
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/index.htm

Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental Health (3rd

ed.). Cambridge, MA:Harvard University Press
 References

• Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental

Health (3rd ed.). Cambridge, MA:Harvard
University Press.
• Centers for Disease and Control. (2009).
Solid Waste. Retrieved July 16, from
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/NALBOH/NA
LBOH-4.pdf
 References

• U.S. Environment Protection Agency (2009).

Proposed Revision to Definition of solid waste-
frequent Questions. Retrieved July17, 2009 from
http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/index.h
tm
• Goorah, S., Esmyot, M., Boojhawon, R. (2009).
The Health Impact of Nonhazardous Solid Waste
Disposal in a Community: The case of the Mare
Chicose Landfill in Mauritius. Journal of
Environment Health, 72(1) 48-54
 References

• Kouznetsova, M., Hauang, X., Ma, J., Lessner, L.

& Carpenter, D. (2007). Increased Rate of
Hospitalization for Diabetes and Residential
Proximity of Hazardous waste Sites.
Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(1)75-75
• Barlaz, M., Kaplan, P., Ranjithan, S. & Rynk, R.
(2003) Evaluating Environmental Impacts of solid
Waste Management Alternatives. BioCycle, 52-
56.
•