Waste Management
Introduction
Rapid urbanization and industrialization has contributed to the generation of plastic, biomedical, hazardous, and municipal waste. Improper disposal of these wastes has lead to the spread of diseases and the contamination of soil and water bodies. The impact of these wastes cannot be ignored and concern about their management has become the preoccupation of most societies. The problem of waste management affects communities both at the local and international level. This paper will define terms such as waste and waste management and go forth to discuss how waste can be managed.
Waste Management Defined
Waste is defined as any undesired or unwanted substance or material. Waste is also synonymous with terms such as trash, rubbish, and garbage. The waste substance can be solid, gaseous, liquid or radioactive. In a more refined way, waste can be defined as any matter, which is discharged or deposited into the environment and such deposition can lead to an alteration of the environment. Highly toxic wastes generated from industrial and commercial processes inflict the highest harm to the environment. These kinds of wastes are called prescribed wastes and their production and disposal is regulated by the Environmental Protection Regulation of 2009. The management of these wastes is of paramount importance. Waste management denotes the process of collection, control and disposal of different type of waste (Hoornweg, 1999).
Types of Waste
The categorization of waste is based on the nature or consistency of the waste substance in question. Therefore, waste can either be solid, liquid, or gaseous. Waste can also be grouped into organic, recyclable, and re-usable forms. Liquid waste comes in non-solid form. Some types of solid waste can be converted into liquid waste to facilitate their disposal. Liquid waste may include point source and non-point source discharges like wash water coming from homes, waste detergents, and liquids coming from cleaning of industries (Daniels, 1985).
Solid waste is generally any waste or garbage that is found in homes and offices. Industrial processes also produce a lot of solid waste. Examples of solid wastes include old newspaper, old car tires, food waste, broken furniture, paper waste and any other non liquid waste. Hazardous wastes include those that have the potential of threatening public health and the environment. These include wastes that are reactive, inflammable, corrosive, or toxic in nature. The potential harm in this type of waste has caused different governments to institute regulatory framework, which governs the production and disposal of hazardous wastes (Daniels, 1985).
Organic wastes originate from plant and animal sources. These may include fruits, food waste, flower trimmings, cow dung, animal carcasses, and fruits. This type of waste is biodegradable; and they can be broken down by microorganisms into simpler forms which can then be converted into manure. Organic wastes are beneficial in the sense that they can be turned into compost and used in gardening. Recyclable waste is the final category of wastes. These wastes can be recycled into new useful products. Plastics, aluminum products, paper products, glass products, and card boards fall under this category of waste (Daniels, 1985).
Sources of Wastes
There are many different sources of wastes. These include municipal sources, clinical sources, agricultural sources, industrial sources, demolition or construction sources, Electronic sources, and end-of-life automobiles. Municipal waste may include garbage and trash from schools, homes, marketplaces, restaurants, offices, and other public places. This garbage include food debris, soda cans, used plastic bags, grass, broken furniture and home appliances, old clothing, and product packaging and casing.
Clinical waste denotes the waste that is produced in clinics, hospitals, surgical theatres, labs, and veterinary hospitals. These are considered to be hazardous waste and may include wastes such as blood, pharmaceuticals, body parts, needles and syringes, and wound dressing materials. Agricultural waste results from agricultural activities. They may include fruit growing, horticulture, livestock breeding, seedling nurseries, and market gardens. The waste generated may include old silage wraps, pesticide containers, used tires, cocoa pods, surplus milk, and corn husks (Hoornweg, 1999).
The Workings of Waste Management
The process of waste management is dependent on the type of waste. Solid waste management uses the 3Rs of Reduce, Reuse or Recycle. Solid waste refers to useless or unwanted solid material that is generated from industries, homes, and offices. Solid waste can be categorized according to its contents, hazard potential, or origin. Management of this type of waste aims at eliminating or reducing the adverse impacts that the wastes have on human health and the environment. Solid waste management also aims at improving the quality of life and supporting economic development. The process of solid waste management may entail monitoring, collection, transportation, processing of the waste, waste recycling, and disposal (Syed, 2006).
Waste reduction and reuse are considered as preventive measures in waste management. These two methods eliminate the waste at the source of production ensuring that there is no need for large scale disposal and treatment facilities. Waste recycling entails the collection of recyclable waste materials, removing them from the waste stream and using them in the manufacture of new items or products. The process of waste recycling occurs in three stages: firstly, the waste is collected and sorted, the recyclables are used to produce raw materials, finally, and the raw materials are used to produce new products. The sorting may be done at the source of waste production or at a designated municipality recycle centre. Sorting the materials at designated municipality sorting points has been found to be more effective compared to sorting at the source of waste production (Syed, 2006).
Without public participation, the goals of waste prevention will never be achieved (Syed, 2006). In order to encourage public participation in waste prevention, the relevant authorities can embark on massive environment sensitization campaigns that may include mass education through the media and public onboard advertisements. Additionally, the regulatory authority might clump down on manufacturers and require them to use environment friendly packaging materials. The government can also make it mandatory for shoppers to carry reusable shopping bags.
Aside from the 3Rs, solid waste can also be disposed. Some of the waste cannot be prevented and as thus an alternative way of managing them is preferred. Solid waste disposal includes composting, landfills, energy recovery, and the use of transfer stations. Composting entails the collection of organic waste and storing them under conditions that will enable microorganisms to process them into manure. Landfills are huge pits dug into the ground to burry inorganic waste (Solid Waste Management, n.d.). All landfills have liners that prevent land and ground water pollution from the waste. Energy recovery entails the conversion of non-recyclable waste into materials that can be used as energy source or electricity. Transfer stations are temporary disposal sites where garbage trucks empty their waste prior to their transportation to the landfills. Some solid wastes can also be incinerated, but this must be done in a controlled environment to avoid further pollution (Sorg, 1972).
The Benefits of Waste Management to the Society and the Planet
Waste management plays a crucial role in ensuring that societies live in healthier environments. Waste management method like reuse ensures that useful raw materials are reused in the production of other products. This reduces the cost that would be associated with the purchase of these raw materials. Waste prevention ensures that the environment is cleaner and diseases associated with dirty environments are prevented. Recycling of waste eliminates huge volumes of solid waste that would otherwise have ended up polluting the environment. The use of landfills to burry inorganic waste removes the waste that would have otherwise accumulated to huge heaps (European Union, 2010).
Waste management has also helped in the formation of useful products like compost manure, which can be sold to farmers for a profit. The removal of organic waste from the waste stream takes away the stench and foul smell that is associated with this type of waste. Waste management also ensures that individuals live and work in cleaner places. All waste that is generated in industries, offices, and homes are collected by the municipalities and discarded away from human settlements. The planet is also benefitted by waste management efforts in the sense that the waste is disposed in environmental friendly ways preventing the emission of green house gases (European Union, 2010).
The Role Played by Waste Management Inc in Waste Management
Waste Management Inc is an example of companies that provide waste management solutions. This company is said to be the biggest waste management company in the world with its operations concentrated in North America. Waste Management Inc works closely with households, industries and commercial establishments in offering tailor made waste management solutions. The company has the largest networks of landfills, recycling plants and transfer stations. Waste Management Inc aims at helping organizations and communities achieve the green goals they have set. The company has also gained fame in its ability to offer tailored solutions for different types of clientele (About Us, n.d.).
Waste Management Inc is not just a waste management solutions provider, it also offers renewable energy. The firm uses its landfills as a source of naturally occurring gases which are then harnessed and used to generate electricity. This electricity is then supplied to households and industries. The company is also involved in research for better and more efficient ways of waste management.
Global News about Waste Management
This news article shows the disparity that exists in waste management between developed and developing countries. Developed countries are said to have well organized waste management strategies. Waste management in developing and underdeveloped countries is either minimal or non-existent all together. The article calls for volunteers to participate in waste management around the globe. Islands such as Maldive and Belize face a probable catastrophe if no solid waste management plan is designed. The article calls for volunteers to visit these islands and educate the locals on the importance of waste management. Additionally, the article paints a grim waste management problem in Ghana. In this West African Country, the government seems to be doing its part in providing garbage cans. However, the citizens are not so cooperative; some end up stealing these cans (Planet, 2014).
Challenges faced by Developing Countries in Waste Management
Most underdeveloped and developing countries face challenges in managing their waste. These challenges need concerted efforts from both the developed and developing countries because of the global effects of waste accumulation. Runaway population growth that is synonymous with developing countries contributes to the challenges of waste management in two major ways. Firstly, the more the people the more the waste they produce. Secondly, all land space is occupied by human settlement making it impossible to set aside land for the creation of transport stations and landfills (Khatib, 2009). This lack of space causes the people to discard waste in open grounds exposing themselves to potential health problems. The planet is also exposed to wide scale pollution that might end up affecting the global climate. The accumulation of solid waste in developing countries also impact negatively on the economic developments of these countries (Johannessen & Boyer, 1999).
In conclusion, waste reduction is the surest way of waste management. The waste that remains can then be recycled or reused. Burying waste in landfills is not enough. Companies offering waste management solutions can borrow the example of Waste Management Inc and utilize the waste they collect as sources of alternative energy. This will contribute to the creation of a zero waste world. Additionally, it is advisable that all people and societies engage themselves in active waste management because one man’s neglect might affect the entire society.
References
Daniels, S. (1985). Waste Management. American Association for the Advancement of Science, 229(4711), 330.
Hoornweg, D., (1999).What a Waste: Solid Waste Management in Asia. [Attached pdf]
Johannessen M., L., & Boyer, G., (1999).Observations of Solid Waste Landfills in Developing Countries: Africa, Asia, and Latin America. [Attached pdf].
Khatib, I. (2009). Municipal Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries: Future Challenges and Possible Opportunities . Integrated Waste Management, II, 35-50.
Planet, O. (2014, February 26). Waste Management Volunteer Programs Around the World. The Huffington Post. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/off-track-planet/waste-management-voluntee_b_4849429.html
About Us.. (n.d.). About Waste Management, Practices, Ethics, Leadership and History. Retrieved March 8, 2014, from https://www.wm.com/about/index.jsp
Solid Waste Management (n.d), Solid Waste Management [Attached pdf]
Sorg, T. (1972). Industrial Solid Waste Management. Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation), 44(6), 1107-1108.
Syed, S. (2006). Solid and Liquid Waste Management. Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, 11(2), 19-36.
European Union, (2010). Being wise with waste: the EU’s approach to waste management. [Attached pdf]
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