Waste Management Methods and Regulations

 Micro-chemistry, substitution with a non-hazardous substance and using chemical exchange program can be used to reduce the amount of hazardous waste except mixing hazardous with non-hazardous waste to dilute the mixture.

Waste is segregated into dry, wet and hazardous categories by using different dust bins for different wastes.

Dry waste includes wood and related products, metals and glass etc.

Wet waste typically refers to the wastes that contain moisture or wetness. These are heavy in weight due to dampness.

Hazardous waste include biomedical wastes like pathogen infected needles, radio-active chemicals and explosive wastes.

Containers should be labeled as soon as the first drop of waste is added to the container.

E-Waste describes discarded electronic devices. Used electronics which are meant to be recycled are also included in this category. Used computers, office electronic equipment, entertainment device electronics, mobile phones, television sets, and refrigerators are the examples of e-waste

E-waste contain lead, cadmium, beryllium etc. which are potentially harmful. Recycling and disposing of e-waste poses a high risk to the workers. 

Biomedical waste includes used menstrual cloth, sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, bandages and any material that is contaminated with blood or other body fluids.

Medical wastes are classified as infectious wastes and non-infectious waste. Most of the biomedical waste is toxic in nature.

Non-infectious waste: It is not harmful and do not result in spread of any infection. Examples include: catheters, colostomy bags etc.

Infectious waste: Needles with pathogens, blood containing swabs etc. are the source of infections.

The maximum amount of hazardous waste that can be held in a satellite accumulation site (excluding acutely hazardous waste) would be 55 gallons.

Hazardous wastes are wastes with properties that make them dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Hazardous wastes  can be liquids, solids, contained gases, or sludges.

When labeling a vessel that contains hazardous waste one must list all hazardous components and their concentrations.

Open dumping means dumping of waste in an open site or low lands or barren stretch of lands. It is harmful to the environment and is prone to burning, pronr to being carried away by air and eaten by stray animals. It is an illegal method of dumping waste which can be seen in many places in developing countries like India.

The landfill is an area of land used to dump the solid waste. It has its advantage as the dumping of waste material prevents the burning of it which is the major cause of air pollution. Rats, pests and other animals cannot breed in it due to the absence of air and decomposing of waste by microorganisms which reduce health problems and it is safe from hazards caused due to fires.

Composting is the process of biodegrading the organic matter into simpler substances aerobically (in the presence of oxygen) or anaerobically (in the absence of oxygen) by the action of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi which results into formation of compost or humus that is a dead and decayed matter which is further used as manure and fertilizers.

Following method is considered an unacceptable (illegal) means of disposing of hazardous waste:-

• Pouring down the sink
• Placing in the regular trash
• Pouring down the storm sewer

Municipal waste consists of everyday items we use and then throw
away, such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing,
bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint, and batteries. These wastes  comes  from our homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses.

 Any type of containers, including food containers, cannot be used to contain any hazardous wastes.

The moisture content of the waste is considered as a single critical parameter for evaluating the efficiency of the bio-drying process. The moisture content influences microbial activity and biodegradation of the organic component during the bio-drying process. Despite the fact this technology is considered as a zero leachate approach, it is likely that a limited amount of free water may seep through the waste matrix and collected at the bottom of the bioreactor as leachate. Bio-drying has mostly been studied for MSW (municipal solid waste pulp and paper and, garbage residues and sewage sludge with 50–70% as the optimal initial moisture content range for the bio-drying process.

Sanitary landfill is a process of isolating the waste from the environment. The solid waste is buried in the land with proper regard that it does not dissipate in the groundwater for which synthetic sheet is used below. Then it is systematically dumped and covered by earth to prevent its effects on topsoil.

Composting is the natural way of recycling which involves bio-degradation of organic waste and turning it into organic fertilizer. In this process, various microorganisms including bacteria and fungi break down the organic matter into simpler substances. It enhances the soil nutrients and water retention capacity of soil by moderating soil temperature and maintains the pH of the soil. It suppresses plant disease by providing them adequate nutrients to absorb and make the soil fertile.

Treatment of industrial effluents can be done in three phases.

• (a) Primary treatment by mechanical means. This involves screening, grinding, flocculation, and sedimentation. 
  
• (b) Secondary treatment by biological process. 
  
• (c) Tertiary treatment by biological, chemical and physical processes. This involves recycling of wastewater.