What is meant by Solid Waste Management?

1. Solid waste is defined as discarded solid produced from domestic,

commercial, trade, industrial, agricultural, institutional, mining activities
and public services

2. It creates public health problems like outbreak of epidemic diseases

3. To handle the problem of solid waste in an efficient manner is known as

the solid waste management

4. The management strategy includes the following steps.

a. Material flow in a society

b. Reduction in raw material usage
c. Reduction in solid waste quantity
d. Reuse of materials
e. Energy recovery
f. Day to day solid waste management.
Describe solid waste management and its sources

Sources:

1.Urban waste – medical waste from hospitals;

municipal solid waste from homes,offices,markets,horticulture waste
from parks,gardens,orchards,etc.,

2. Waste from homes(domestic waste): polythene bags,empty metal

and aluminium cans,scrap metals,glass bottles,waste
papers,dipers,clothes,food waste,etc.,

3. Industrial waste: factory rubbish, packing materials, organic wastes,

acids, alkalis and metals – toxic and hazardous materials.

4.Chemical industries, metal and mineral processing, nuclear power

plants, thermal power plants.
Rubber,plastic,paper,glass,wood,oils,paints,asphalt,tars,dyes,ceramics
,abrasvies,heavy metals, asbestos
Discuss the essential steps for a systematic solid waste
management plan

The management of solid waste should include the following

general steps:
1. Waste generation
2. Onsite handling, storage and processing
3. Collection, transport, sorting and recycling
4. Treatment and reuse
5. Disposal options.
Waste Generation:
1. Wastes are generated at the start of the process of raw materials
2. The composition of the wastes has to be understood.
3. The process of wastes generated at each step of the manurfacturing a
material has to be understood and reduced.
Onsite handing, Storage and Processing:
1. The waste composition has to be understood and the source reduction at
the processing should be made.
2. The wastes can be handled at the processing stage by segregation and
disposal at the on-site
Collection, transport, sorting and recycling

1. Storage of wastes could be made in containers. Containers should also be

durable, easy to handle, economical as well as resistant to corrosion,
weather conditions, and metals, glass tips etc.
2. It is necessary to provide facilities at the point of generation of waste for
storage of wastes until they are collected.
3. The design of an efficient collection system needs careful selection of type
and size and location for containers.
4. Small containers are used for single-family households while large
containers are required for residential, industrial and institutional units.
5. Smaller containers are usually handled manually whereas larger and
heavier containers require mechanized handling.
6. The containers may be stationary or hauled to the disposal stations for
emptying before returned to the storage site.

Collection Vehicle
The collection vehicles may be small and simple or large, complex and energy intensive.

The most commonly used vehicle is the dump truck fitted with a hydraulic lifting mechanism.

The collection vehicle selected must be suitable to the terrain type and density of waste
generation
 Resource Reduction

1. Reducing the waste before it is generated is a logical way to save cost as well as
natural resources.

2. It reduces the municipal and commercial costs involved in waste collection and
disposal and helps in protecting the local environment.

3. The source reduction should be a part of community waste management plan.

4. Source reduction will promote the product reuse, and its lifetime and also reduce
the probable toxicity of the material to the environment. For example Plastics
and paper recycling.
Treatment, Disposal and Reuse Options

Sanitary landfill: garbage spread over in thin layers, compacted and covered with clay or
plastic foam.

In modern, the landfills the bottom is covered with an imperamble liner, usually several
layers of clay, thick plastic and sand.

The liner protects the ground water from being contaminated due to percolation of leachate.
Leachate is pumped from the bottom and send for the treatment.
Methane produced by anaerobic decomposition is collected and burnt to produce electricity or
heat.
land filling :
1. Trench method: This method involves excavation of trench into
which waste is deposited and covered with a layer of soil

2. Area method: In this method waste may be deposited in layers and

so form terraces over the available area. In this type of operation excessive
leachate generation may occur and is difficult to control.

3. Cell method: This method involves the deposition of waste within pre
constructed bonded area. It is the preferred method in industries, since it
encourages the concept of progressive filling and restoration.

Composting
Due to shortage of space for landfill in bigger cities, the biodegradable
yard waste is allowed to degrade or decompose in an oxygen rich
medium .
A good quality nutrient rich and environmental friendly manure is
formed which improves the soil conditions and fertility.
Incineration

1. Burning plants capable of burning large amount of materials at high

temperature.
2. The initial cost is very high.
3. During incineration high levels of dioxins, furans ,lead and cadmium
may be emitted with the fly ash of incinerator.

Pyrolysis is a form of treatment that chemically decomposes organic materials by

heat in the absence of oxygen.
Pyrolysis transforms hazardous organic materials into gaseous components, small
quantities of liquid, and a solid residue (coke) containing fixed carbon and ash.

Pyrolysis of organic materials produces combustible gases, including carbon

monoxide, hydrogen and methane, and other hydrocarbons.

Pyrolysis typically occurs under pressure and at operating temperatures above 430
°C (800 °F).
Recycling of Hazardous Waste

Recycling of non-ferrous metallic wastes such as zinc dross, brass dross, used lead acid
batteries, copper oxide mill scale and used lubricating oil offer attractive options for
resource recovery in an environmentally sound manner.
Explain the control measures adapted for solid waste management in
urban areas

1. We have to Carry our own cloth or jute bag when shopping

2. ˆ Say no to all plastic bags as far as possible
3. ˆ Reduce the use of paper bags also.
4. ˆ Reuse the soft drinks poly bottles for storing water.
5. ˆ Segregate biodegradable and the non biodegradable are put into separate bins
and disposed off separately.
6. ˆ Dig a compost pit in our garden and put all the biodegradable materials into it.
7. ˆ See to it that all garbage is thrown into the municipal bin as the collection is
generally done from there.
8. ˆ When we go out do not throw paper and other wrappings or even leftover food
here and there, make sure that it is put in the correct place, which is into a dustbin.
What is vermi composting?

1. Vermi-composting involves the stabilization of organic solid waste through

earthworm consumption which converts the material into worm castings.
2. Vermi-composting is the result of combined activity of micro-organisms and
earthworms.
3. The vermi-compost (manure) is relatively more stabilized and harmonizes
with soil system without any ill effects.
4. Kitchen waste can be handled by vermicomposting and the manure
obtained can be used for improving the growth of kitchen garden plants.
Explain the control measures of industrial wastes

A. Source Reduction
B. Collection, seggregation and
transportation of wastes
C. Treatment
D. Disposal
E. Reuse
Comment on Industrial wastes

Sources
Effects
Control measures
What are sources of Municipal Solid Wastes? What is its
general composition?

Composition
This includes dust, leaf litter, building debris, and treatment plant
sediments.

Sources:
These arise from various activities like demolition, construction, street
cleaning, land scraping etc.

Municipal solid waste heap up on the roads due to improper disposal.

Biodegradable waste under goes decomposition under uncontrolled and unhygienic

conditions.

Produces foul smell and breeds various types of insects and infections organisms
What are the characteristics of hazardous wastes

Ignitability
Ignitable wastes are capable of causing or intensifying a fire during routine handling e.g.
Acetone
Corrosivity
Corrosive wastes include highly acidic or highly alkaline chemicals and those that are
capable of corroding metal. A waste has the characteristic of corrosivity if it has one of
the following properties:an aqueous waste with pH 2 or less, or greater than 12
Reactivity
A waste has the characteristic of reactivity if it:
is normally unstable and readily undergoes violent change without detonating
reacts violently with water
Toxicity
Toxicity is determined by the “Toxicity Characteristic Leachate Procedure” (TCLP), a
laboratory test that measures the concentration of the toxic material that could leach into
ground water and creates impact to the users.