When we say waste, it can be defined as

material for which no use or reuse is intended.

So how does human affect the environment?
One way of affecting the environment is the
generation of waste and if not managed properly,
these wastes will pollute and affect the
environment
The throwaway culture of humans has resulted

to the accumulation of wastes and pollution in

the environment which made our planet

unhealthy.
There are different types of waste from various
materials and resources in our everyday life:

Solid waste, liquid waste, and gaseous

waste
 Solid waste

This waste is generally made up of discarded materials

that are accumulated on the site where they are
produced.
Various types of solid waste
1. Municipal waste includes materials that people

in the community no longer used because they

are broken or damaged. This type of waste comes

from household, commercial establishment,

institutions, and some industrial sources.

2. Agricultural waste is a common form of
waste from farming and poultry. Almost all
agricultural waste are organic and used for soil-
enhancing activities. But too much agricultural
waste in the form of fertilizers, runoff of
groundwater contamination due to infiltration
occurs.
3. Mining waste comes in three ways. First, in most mining
operations, a large number of rock and soil are removed to
extract the valuable ores, and what is left is the waste material
at the surface of the mining site. Second, in milling operations,
grinding and sorting of materials produce solid waste called
tailings, and this tailings are dumped and stored in ponds near
the milling site. Lastly, the water pumped from mines flows from
stock of waste rock containing hazardous materials.
4. Industrial solid waste comes from industrial sources
other than mining, including materials such as
demolition waste, scraps from manufacturing processes
and also ash from combustion. If this waste are
considered hazardous, discarding of this waste needs
special landfill.
Methods of Waste Disposal
There are five basic techniques used in waste
disposal
1. Landfill
The cheapest and most convenient method of disposing
waste. A solid waste landfill is built above a clay layer that is
lined with an impermeable membrane. Deposit of fresh
garbage everyday is covered with a layer of soil to prevent it
from blowing around. Though this method is cheap, it could
contaminate surface water and groundwater.
2. Incineration
Disposal of waste is burned in a control manner using an
incinerator. Incineration with high temperature waste
treatments are identified as thermal treatments. During the
process, the waste material is treated and is converted into
gas, particles, and heat, and these products are used to
generate electricity. The gases are treated again to clean
up pollutants before going in to atmosphere.
3. Mulch and Compost
One of the simplest methods of disposing waste at
homes, mulching is when organic material is used to
cover soil. Composting is the method of allowing the
natural process of decomposition to transform organic
materials into humus like material. Compost from
mulching and composting is good for plants.
4. Source Reduction

A method of designing, manufacturing,

purchasing, using, and reusing materials so

the amount of toxicity is reduced.

5. Recycling

A method of collecting and processing

throwaway materials and turning them into

useful products.
 Liquid Waste
Liquid wastes are the liquid part of the waste material. It
includes liquid waste materials from industries, fertilizers,
and pesticides from agricultural fields, urban runoff of
untreated waste water and garbage, mining waste, etc. It
may contain toxic organic substances or nontoxic
inorganic substances.
Methods of Liquid Waste Management
1. Sewage treatment
The process of sewage treatment involves the following
methodology:
a. Dilution
In this method, the sewage is subjected to dilution so that the
dissolved oxygen in water decomposes the organic wastes
completely.
b. Mechanical treatment
The sewage is filtered to eliminate the suspended particles, and
then the sewage is subjected to grinding and is treated chemically.
c. Biological treatment

In this method, the sewage is passed through filters when

aerobic bacteria degrade the sewage as it penetrates through
large vat beds filled with stones covered with bacterial growth.

d. Chemical treatment

After the mechanical or biological treatments, the sewage

acquired is subjected to specific chemical treatment followed
by physical operation; such as precipitation, absorption,
osmosis, and chemical oxidation.
2. Removal of ammonia

The treatment of industrial effluents involves chemical

treatment by means of neutralization, sedimentation,
coagulation, and precipitation, followed by secondary
treatment (by activated sludge and trickling filter method),
and tertiary treatment (by methods of ion exchange, reverse
osmosis, and chemical oxidation)
 Gaseous Waste
Gaseous wastes are waste products in gas form coming from
various human activities like manufacturing, processing,
material consumption, biological processes, etc. Gaseous
wastes include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4),
chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon
monoxide (CO), oxides of Sulphur (SOx), etc. These wastes
can cause serious environmental hazards, usually produced
by factories and trash. It is important to take necessary steps
for the proper management and control of gaseous wastes in
the environment.
The following are some of the
control measures
1. The gaseous pollutant like SO2, H2S, NH3, etc.
can be removed by absorption in (using appropriate
liquid) wet scrubbers.

2. The industries should use precipitators, scrubbers

and filters to check production of particulate matter.
3. There should be large scale of plantation which will
reduce CO2 level and increase O2 level of atmosphere.

4. Air cleaning devices like gravity settlers, cyclone

separators, wet collectors, electrostatic precipitators, etc.
should be used for the cleaning of air before their discharge
into atmosphere.
5. Public awareness should be created

regarding hazards of air pollutant

accumulation in environment.
Different types of wastes that affect people’s
health and environment

Improper removal and disposal of waste on any

scale can create health and environmental

problems and even economic concerns.

Solid Waste
There are potential risks to human health and to the
environments from improper handling of solid wastes. With
the increase of global population and high demand for food
and other essentials, there is also a rise in the amount of
waste being generated daily by each household.
Solid waste from household and the community if not

properly managed would result to a serious health

hazard and lead to the spread of infectious diseases,

skin irritation, respiratory problems, and even

reproductive issues.
Impacts of solid waste on environment is another problem. A
major environmental concern is gas released by
decomposing garbage. Methane is a by-product of the
anaerobic respiration of bacteria and these bacteria grow in
landfills with high amount of moisture. These gases
contributed to the enhanced greenhouse gas effect and
climate change.
Liquid Waste
Liquid wastes is one of the biggest challenges of urban
sanitation and is very important category of waste
management because it is so difficult to deal with. Inadequate
management of liquid wastes can lead to health and
environmental problems. The main source of liquid waste are
animals and human being, as natural excretion of waste is
flushed into sewage and waste lines.
Unlike solid waste, liquid wastes cannot be easily removed
from an environment. It is easily spread out and pollute other
sources of liquid if brought into contact. These type of waste
can soak into objects such as soil and groundwater. The
wastes is then carried over to pollute the plants that we eat,
the animals in the ecosystem, as well as the humans with in
the area of the pollution. It can lead to water borne disease
like typhoid fever and cholera.
Gaseous Waste

The way we dispose waste is troubling and humans have

become more careless as to proper waste disposal. We

have to put into action the ideas we believe will help us

adapt to climate change.

One hazardous practice is burning of large piles of trash in

different parts of the world. It emits dangerous level of CO2,

a greenhouse gas that is heating up our planet, posing huge

risks to both our atmosphere and to the people who live near

the burning sites.

As we keep producing large amount of trash, human health
is at risk through our action and in the end that will be our
downfall as it is for the environment we all share. The more
emissions that we produce because of the trash that we
generate, the more it will affect us in long term. We will be
prone to diseases such as asthma, birth defects,
cardiovascular disease, COPD, etc.
Ways of reducing the production of waste at
home, in school, and around the community
At Home:
Recycling: Set up a recycling station for paper,
cardboard, plastic, glass, and aluminum. Make sure
everyone in the household knows what can be recycled.
Composting: Start a compost bin for food scraps and
yard waste. Composting reduces landfill waste and
creates nutrient-rich soil for your garden.
Reduce Single-Use Plastics: Replace single-use
plastics with reusable alternatives like water bottles,
shopping bags, and food containers.

Buy in Bulk: Purchase items like grains, pasta, and

cleaning supplies in bulk to reduce packaging waste.
Meal Planning: Plan meals to reduce food waste. Freeze or
preserve leftovers, and use up ingredients before they expire.

Repair and Reuse: Repair broken items instead of throwing

them away, and repurpose items for new uses.

Donate: Give away or donate items you no longer need instead

of throwing them away.
At School:
Paperless Options: Encourage teachers and students to use
digital resources whenever possible to reduce paper usage.

Recycling Program: Implement a school-wide recycling

program with clearly marked bins for different materials.
Reusable Lunch Containers: Encourage students to
bring reusable lunch containers and utensils instead of
disposable ones.

Textbook Sharing: Use a textbook-sharing system to

reduce the need for new textbooks every year.
Art Supplies: Encourage the use of refillable markers
and paints, and recycle or repurpose art materials.

Green Initiatives: Start or support green clubs and

initiatives in schools to raise awareness and promote
sustainable practices.
In the Community:
Community Recycling Centers: Promote or support
community recycling centers where residents can drop off
recyclables that may not be collected curbside.

Clean-Up Events: Organize or participate in community

clean-up events to remove litter and waste from public areas.
Community Gardens: Establish community gardens
to reduce food waste and promote local, sustainable
food production.

Educational Programs: Offer workshops and

educational programs on waste reduction and
recycling to raise awareness and teach sustainable
practices.
Swap and Share Programs: Create programs where
community members can swap or share items like books,
clothes, and tools, reducing the need for new purchases.

Buy Local: Support local businesses and farmers to reduce

the environmental impact of transporting goods long
distances.
E-waste Collection: Organize e-waste collection
drives to properly dispose of and recycle electronic
waste.

Composting Initiatives: Encourage backyard

composting and community composting programs to
divert organic waste from landfills.
By implementing these waste reduction strategies at

home, in school, and in the community, you can

contribute to a more sustainable and

environmentally friendly lifestyle.