urban waste and its disposal Flashcards
types of waste and their issues
domestic- unmoving
municipal waste-
commercial waste- unmoving
animal and vegetable waste- strong smells and attracts vermin, requires immediate attention in storage, handling and disposal
institutional waste- e.g hospital waste requires specialist disposal including incineration
ashes
bulky waste- requires special collection
street sweeping waste- needs separating
dead animals- threat to public health as they attract flies and vermin
construction and demolition waste-makes up significant proportion of landfill if not recycled
industrial waste
municipal solid waste (MSW)
(refuse/rubbish, everyday items discarded by the public) biodegradable waste recyclable materials inert waste electrical and electronic waste composite wastes hazardous waste toxic wastes biomedical waste
what is a waste stream?
the complete flow of waste from its domestic, commercial or industrial source through to recovery, recycling or final disposal
environmental issues of dumping MSW without treatment
loss of recyclable resources eg metals, plastic and glass
loss of potential resources such as compost from organic waste and energy from controlled incineration
contamination of land and water bodies (from leaches)
air pollution due to emissions from burning and the release of methane from decomposition
multiple risks to human health (respiratory problems, skin diseases)
what is global waste trade?
the international trade of waste between countries for its disposal, recycling or further treatment, mainly from HIC’s to LIC’s
drawbacks of global waste trade
LIC’s become toxic dumps for hazardous waste
do not always have safe recycling processes
workers process waste with bare hands leading to illness and death
not always disposed of properly so poison surrounding environment and ecosystems
(50 million tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment are produced each year)
legislations on waste disposal
EU and UK government legislation
e.g in the UK, submarine dumping of sewage sludge has been prohibited since 1998, radioactive waste 1999
alternative approaches to waste disposal
landfill, incineration, recycling
