Strategies for pollution control

Question 1

Waste

Answer 1

Any substance which constitutes a scrap material or an effluent or other unwanted surplus substance arising from the application of any process.

Question 2

UNEP waste

Answer 2

Waste is conventionally defined as unwanted material at the point of generation which does not have immediate use. Problems due to waste exist where there is a human inhabitants.

Question 3

Zero waste

Answer 3

Zero Waste is a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused.

Question 4

Waste management

Answer 4

Waste management or Waste disposal is all the activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal.

Question 5

Pyrolysis

Answer 5

Pyrolysis is the heating of an organic material, such as biomass, in the absence of oxygen.

Question 6

Xenobiotic compounds

Answer 6

Xenobiotic compounds are those that are ‘alien’ to the living environment they were introduced into and there are very few natural pathways for breaking down some of these recalcitrant compounds.

Question 7

Ignitability

Answer 7

If the waste material is likely to catch fire in the process of transport, storage, treatment or disposal, then it can be identified as hazardous waste. Examples include oils, solvents, flammable gases like methane; flammable compressed gas, and strong oxidizing agents.

Question 8

Reactivity

Answer 8

Chemically unstable waste materials are defined as reactive and therefore, hazardous. This includes materials that have extremely fast reaction rates which can result in explosive conditions at any stage in the management cycle.

Question 9

Corrosivity

Answer 9

Waste materials with very low pH (<2) or very high pH (>12.5) are considered corrosive and therefore, hazardous.

Question 10

Toxicity

Answer 10

Any material that is poisonous at some concentration is defined as toxic. For hazardous wastes, many toxic substances may be present in a mixture.

Question 11

Biodegradation

Answer 11

Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are decomposed by micro-organisms (mainly aerobic bacteria) into simpler substances such as carbon dioxide, water and ammonia.

Question 12

Solid waste

Answer 12

Non-liquid, non soluble material ranging from municipal garbage to industrial waste that contain complex or hazardous substances.

Question 13

Biomedical waste

Answer 13

BW is any waste which is generated during diagnosis, treatment & immunization, of humans, animals, or research activities. It includes: sharps needles, pathological waste, pharmaceutical waste, genotoxic waste, chemical agents, radioactive waste, etc.

Question 14

3R principle

Answer 14

It is the order of priority of actions to be taken to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to improve overall waste management processes and programs.

Question 15

The cardal to grave concept

Answer 15

This is used on the environmental impact created by the industrial products or activities from the beginning of its life cycle, through its production until the end or disposal.
Design - raw materials - transport - manufacture - use - dismantling - reuse - predisposal treatment - final disposal.

Question 16

Landfill

Answer 16

It is a specific site or land for the disposal of waste material by burial. It is the oldest and least effective method.

Question 17

Incineration

Answer 17

It is also known as Thermal treatment. It is a disposal method in which solid organic wastes are subjected to combustion to convert into ash residue and gaseous products.

Question 18

Compost

Answer 18

Compost is an organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment.

Question 19

Polluters Pays Principle

Answer 19

PPP is a practice where those produce pollution should bear the cost of managing it to prevent damage to human health or the environment.

Question 20

Segregation

Answer 20

Segregation of such wastes means separating them according to the kind for the purpose of handling, processing and disposal in a proper way.