🧍3.2.3.6 - Urban Waste and its Disposal

Question 1

What is municipal waste?

Answer 1

Comes from municipal services and activities such as street cleaning

Question 2

What is municipal solid waste?

Answer 2

Includes solid domestic waste and commercial waste

Question 3

What are the impacts of increasing waste?

Answer 3

Multiple risks to human health, respiratory and skin problems
Air pollution due to emissions and release of methane
Contamination of water sources
Loss of recyclable resources, metals, plastics and glass

Question 4

What is a waste stream?

Answer 4

A flow of waste, from where it is created to where it ends up, in landfill, recycled etc

Question 5

What are the social issues with waste in Mumbai?

Answer 5

No method of safe disposal for E-waste, can lead to serious health issues
Large network of scrap traders who sift through rubbish and sell it
People who work breaking down PCs and monitors exposed to harmful toxic chemicals

Question 6

What is the concentration of particulate matter in the air in Mumbai?

Answer 6

2000 micrograms/m3 compared to the safe level of 150

Question 7

Which gases are in high concentration in Mumbai?

Answer 7

Carbon Monoxide

Question 8

Why is rubbish often dumped in the street in Mumbai?

Answer 8

There is no formal system for rubbish collection

Question 9

What is residential waste?

Answer 9

From single and multifamily dwellings: food waste, paper, cardboard, textiles etc

Question 10

What is industrial waste?

Answer 10

Light and heavy manufacturing: housekeeping wastes, packaging, construction and demolition materials, hazardous wastes, ash etc

Question 11

What is commercial waste?

Answer 11

Sores, hotels, restaurants: paper, cardboard, plastic, food waste, glass, metals etc

Question 12

What is institutional waste?

Answer 12

School, hospitals, prisons: paper, cardboard, plastic, food waste, glass, metal etc

Question 13

What is construction/demolition waste?

Answer 13

New construction sites, road repair, demolition, renovation: wood, steel, concrete, dirt etc

Question 14

What is municipal service waste?

Answer 14

Street cleaning, landscaping, parks, beaches, recreation: street sweepings, tree trimmings, general waste, sludge etc

Question 15

What is process waste?

Answer 15

Heavy and light manufacturing, refineries, chemical plants, power stations: Industrial process waste, scrap materials, chemical waste

Question 16

What is agricultural waste?

Answer 16

Crops, orchards, farms: food waste, agricultural waste, hazardous wastes eg pesticides

Question 17

How much electronic waste is produced in Mumbai annually?

Answer 17

19,000 tonnes

Question 18

How much rubbish does Mumbai’s population create per day?

Answer 18

8500 tonnes

Question 19

Why is waste collection difficult for low income countries?

Answer 19

It can be the single largest budgetary item, so often can’t be afforded

Question 20

What percentage of waste in lower income countries did the World Bank estimate was uncollected?

Answer 20

30-60%

Question 21

Why was Beirut in political crisis in 2015?

Answer 21

The overflowing landfill was closed and rubbish was left to pile up in the streets and rivers, leading to protests

Question 22

What are the main problems with landfills?

Answer 22

The can release leachates into the soils and give off toxic and polluting gases

Question 23

What were the government’s targets for recycling?

Answer 23

To recycle 40% of household waste by 2012