Question

How can we manage our waste properly? Discuss different methods of waste disposal.

Answer 1

Waste disposal:

• This is a method of discarding or disposing of waste.
• Waste is any material that is no longer useful.
• There are different sources of waste, based on which the waste can be industrial, household, agricultural, or hospital waste.
• The waste is also classified into biodegradable and non-biodegradable.
• The biodegradable waste is broken down by the microorganisms into harmless simple components. This waste includes waste materials like vegetables, fruit peels, cotton, jute, wool, leather, wood, paper, or agricultural products.
• The non-biodegradable waste is not decomposed by the microorganism and persists in the environment for a very long time. Hence, they can accumulate in the environment more easily.
• The disposal methods can differ according to the waste as well.
• These methods are described below:

(i)Landfills:

• This is one of the oldest methods of waste disposal.
• This is usually used for solid waste only.
• The waste is taken to a remote place or a place not close to a residential area and is disposed of in the low-lying area.
• After this, the waste is just covered with the soil or the earth and left.

(ii) Sewage treatment:

• Sewage is the wastewater that is generated from bathing, cleaning, or human wastes.
• This wastewater contains wastes like soaps, detergents and can contaminate the water bodies into which this is released.
• Sewage treatment cleans this wastewater before releasing it into the natural water body like rivers, lakes.
• The water is treated to remove the pollutants present in it.

(iii) Incineration:

• This is a method that includes the burning of the organic waste/matter at a very high temperature (1000℃).
• This method reduces the waste volume to a large extent since the ash left after the burning is very little.
• This method is preferred by the countries that do not have a lot of land for waste disposal.

(iv) Composting:

• This can be used at the house as well.
• This can be used for managing or reducing household waste like fruit peels, vegetables, plant leaves.
• The waste is used to make compost or manure or nutrient-rich soil by burying the waste in a pit inside the ground.
• The waste is then degraded or broken down by microorganisms.

(v) Recycling:

• This method involves the reuse of a waste product by converting it into a new form or new usable structure.
• The waste is collected and processed or remolded to form new products.
• For example, old newspapers can be processed to make new papers.
• Similarly, plastic waste can be melted to form new products.