Solid Waste Management

Solid Waste Management

Solid wastes mainly include municipal wastes, hospital wastes, industrial wastes and e-wastes etc. The solid wastes are dumped in the soil which results in landscape pollution.

Solid- waste management involves the collection, treatment and proper disposing of solid material that is discarded from the household and industrial activities.

Methods of solid wastes disposal

(i) Segregation: It is the separation of different type of waste materials like biodegradable and non biodegradable wastes.

(ii) Sanitary landfill: Solid wastes are dumped into low lying areas. The layers are compacted by trucks to allow settlement. The waste materials get stabilised in about 2-12 months. The organic matter undergoes decomposition.

(iii) Incineration: It is the burning of non­ biodegradable solid wastes (medical wastes) in properly constructed furnace at high temperature.

(iv) Composting: Biodegradable matter of solid wastes is digested by microbial action or earthworms and converted into humus.

Recycling of wastes

Papers from old books, magazines and newspapers are recycled to produce papers in papermills.

Agricultural wastes like coconut shells, jute cotton stalk, bagasse of sugarcane can be used to make paper and hard board. Paddy husk can be used as livestock fodder.

Cowdung and other organic wastes can be used in gobar gas plant to provide biogas and manure for fields.

3R Approach

The 3R approach such as Reduce, Reuse and Recycle may be followed for effective waste management.