Waste Management and Pollution

Biogas is obtained from organic waste. Biogas is a gaseous fuel which is a mixture of different gases that are formed by break down of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste or food waste are used for the production of biogas.

Effective waste management requires the preventive step as the first stage that is to produce less waste by taking into use the most essential things so that waste is not generated in excessive quantity. Next, it involves reusing of waste material by utilizing its productivity if it is not made disposal after a single-use. Further, it involves the recycling of waste, which can be made to use in one form or another and separating it from toxic substances. The last step involves the disposal of waste which is useless and can’t be brought into use.

Putrescible refers to that solid waste that can be decomposed in the environment by the action of the microorganisms or can be consumed by vectors such as birds or mammals which come high in the food chain. It does not harm the environment as it degrades with the course of nature.

Leachate collection systems in landfills use gravity to move liquid toward low points, where it is then collected and removed via pumping systems.

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 also called as offensive waste. It is not harmful and do not result in spread of any infection. Examples include: catheters, colostomy bags etc.
  
• Infectious wastes: This is the waste that contain pathogens which spread diseases from one person to the other. This includes used dressings, swabs and other materials or equipment that have been in contact with infected patients or excreta. It also includes liquid waste such as faeces, urine, blood and other body secretions.
  

Domestic waste is the waste generated by human dwellings. Human excreta which consists of waste generated as by-products of digestion and excretion like faeces and urine is included in this category. It is included under organic waste as it is composed mostly of organic compounds.

Chemical waste materials should be stored  in separate containers for disposal, each labeled with the contents and identifier as waste.

Places all needles/sharps in Sharps disposal containers immediately after they have been used. This will reduce the risk of needle sticks, cuts, and punctures from loose sharps. Sharps disposal containers should be kept out of reach of children and pets.

Clean, unbroken or broken glass waste should be disposed into a cardboard box lined with a black bag and taped. For small quantities of broken glass, put into sharps containers.

Anatomical waste consists of human and animal tissue, organs, and body parts. These wastes are disposed into red containers.

Container lined with black bags is a type of bag, where general waste are put. Such bags are useful to line the insides of waste containers  to prevent the insides of the receptacle from becoming coated in waste material. Most bags these days are made out of plastic, and are typically black in color.

Objects that may be capable of causing punctures or cuts, that may have been exposed to blood or body fluids including scalpels, needles, glass ampoules, test tubes and slides, are considered Biomedical Waste. These objects should be disposed into sharps containers.

Biomedical waste is any kind of waste  containing infectious (or potentially infectious) materials.  Biomedical waste is generated from biological and medical sources and activities, such as the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of diseases.

Much of the general waste at St. Paul's Hospital includes common items found in household garbage describes general waste. General waste also known as residual or mixed waste, is waste that has not been source separated for recycling.

Biohazardous waste specifically refers to biological materials that pose a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily humans, such as cultures, stocks, and human/animal cell lines.