Answer the Following
1. What is meant by solid waste?
2. What are the sources of Municipal solid waste?
3. Which types of material are present in Industrial waste?
4. Explain the 3 ‘R’s in solid waste management.
5. What are the household methods in solid waste management?
6. Explain the scientific methods in municipal solid waste management.
7. How is biomedical waste managed?
Answer the Following
1. What is meant by solid waste?
2. What are the sources of Municipal solid waste?
3. Which types of material are present in Industrial waste?
4. Explain the 3 ‘R’s in solid waste management.
5. What are the household methods in solid waste management?
6. Explain the scientific methods in municipal solid waste management.
7. How is biomedical waste managed?
1. When the unwanted solid material is discarded in the environment by human beings it is called solid waste.
2. The municipal solid wastes include the waste generated from domestic, industrial and commercial sources. Domestic waste includes kitchen waste, food waste, etc., commercial waste includes containers, plastic bags, etc. and industrial waste includes metal, paper, fibers etc.
3. Industrial waste may contain heavy metals, oil, chemicals, paint residues, oil, ash, etc.
4. 3R strategy is an approach to reduce the amount of solid waste. 3R refers to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. ‘Reduce’ means to avoid the use of those materials which increase the solid waste. ‘Reuse’ means repeated use of item without any side effects, and ‘Recycle’ means use of waste itself as a resource. According to this strategy, one should avoid the use of non- recyclable substances (such as polythene), which are harmful for environment and organisms. Use of materials such as paper should be preferred as they can be reused and recycled. Materials such as glass, some plastics can be recycled on heating and can be easily converted into different products such as toys, containers which can be reused again.
5. Composting is a process whereby organic waste is biodegraded into a nutrient-rich, soil-like mixture. Bacteria and fungi are utilized to quickly and efficiently break down waste materials to produce compounds that are helpful to plants. Wastes materials such as tea leaves, vegetable peels, and grass clippings can be buried in a pit and allowed to decompose over a period. After some time, these wastes are converted into compost by the bacteria and fungi present in soil.
Vermicomposting, on the other hand, is the breakdown of organic material (food waste, animal waste) by the joint action of microorganisms and red worms to convert it into useful soil conditioner. It is a very easy method for fast decomposition. The soil conditioner produced is of very good quality and can be used for agricultural purposes and garden plants.
6. Scientific methods of solid waste management are as follows:
Secured landfill - It is the most suitable scientific method of solid waste management as it is meant for safe disposal of the solid waste, so that it cannot contaminate the environment. In this method, the waste material is buried in the soil at a particular site which is around 2-3 km away from the water bodies. Before dumping waste in the landfill, clay and plastic liners are placed in it to prevent the leaching of the waste. This is the most traditional, old and common method of solid waste disposal. These sites are also known as tip, dump or rubbish dump.
Pyrolysis - It is the chemical decomposition of the semi-combustible waste by heat in the absence of air. This process is beneficial for the production of electricity and gas. Pyrolysis is mainly used for the municipal solid waste management.
7. Biomedical waste includes solid waste material such as syringes, needles, hand gloves, masks, bandages etc. generated from hospitals, dispensaries and clinics. This waste needs to be managed and disposed off with proper care and attention. The entire biomedical waste collected should be properly segregated and placed separately in different bins having different colours like green-coloured bin for recyclable waste and red-coloured for non-recyclable waste. These bins should be transferred to recycling waste treatment plants and other dumping sites for further treatment.
1. When the unwanted solid material is discarded in the environment by human beings it is called solid waste.
2. The municipal solid wastes include the waste generated from domestic, industrial and commercial sources. Domestic waste includes kitchen waste, food waste, etc., commercial waste includes containers, plastic bags, etc. and industrial waste includes metal, paper, fibers etc.
3. Industrial waste may contain heavy metals, oil, chemicals, paint residues, oil, ash, etc.
4. 3R strategy is an approach to reduce the amount of solid waste. 3R refers to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. ‘Reduce’ means to avoid the use of those materials which increase the solid waste. ‘Reuse’ means repeated use of item without any side effects, and ‘Recycle’ means use of waste itself as a resource. According to this strategy, one should avoid the use of non- recyclable substances (such as polythene), which are harmful for environment and organisms. Use of materials such as paper should be preferred as they can be reused and recycled. Materials such as glass, some plastics can be recycled on heating and can be easily converted into different products such as toys, containers which can be reused again.
5. Composting is a process whereby organic waste is biodegraded into a nutrient-rich, soil-like mixture. Bacteria and fungi are utilized to quickly and efficiently break down waste materials to produce compounds that are helpful to plants. Wastes materials such as tea leaves, vegetable peels, and grass clippings can be buried in a pit and allowed to decompose over a period. After some time, these wastes are converted into compost by the bacteria and fungi present in soil.
Vermicomposting, on the other hand, is the breakdown of organic material (food waste, animal waste) by the joint action of microorganisms and red worms to convert it into useful soil conditioner. It is a very easy method for fast decomposition. The soil conditioner produced is of very good quality and can be used for agricultural purposes and garden plants.
6. Scientific methods of solid waste management are as follows:
Secured landfill - It is the most suitable scientific method of solid waste management as it is meant for safe disposal of the solid waste, so that it cannot contaminate the environment. In this method, the waste material is buried in the soil at a particular site which is around 2-3 km away from the water bodies. Before dumping waste in the landfill, clay and plastic liners are placed in it to prevent the leaching of the waste. This is the most traditional, old and common method of solid waste disposal. These sites are also known as tip, dump or rubbish dump.
Pyrolysis - It is the chemical decomposition of the semi-combustible waste by heat in the absence of air. This process is beneficial for the production of electricity and gas. Pyrolysis is mainly used for the municipal solid waste management.
7. Biomedical waste includes solid waste material such as syringes, needles, hand gloves, masks, bandages etc. generated from hospitals, dispensaries and clinics. This waste needs to be managed and disposed off with proper care and attention. The entire biomedical waste collected should be properly segregated and placed separately in different bins having different colours like green-coloured bin for recyclable waste and red-coloured for non-recyclable waste. These bins should be transferred to recycling waste treatment plants and other dumping sites for further treatment.
