Waste Management Flashcards
Classification of waste
Biodegradable waste can be degraded through microbial activity, like food residue and human excretion, etc.
Non biodegradable waste are petroleum, plastic, glasses etc
Biomedical like needle, syringe, body parts etc.
E-waste like computer parts, batteries, CFL bulbs etc
Sources of waste
Domestic waste like polythene, bottles, food, cotton etc
Industrial waste like food processing (organic waste and pathogens), paper (chlorine, Sulphur dioxide, methyl mercaptan etc)
Textile (from boiling and processing of fibre)
Petroleum (inorganic sulphur, hydrocarbons, organic acids etc)
Chemical (phosphorus, fluorine, silica etc)
Metal (copper, lead, chromium and cadmium)
Cement (particulate matter, dust)
Nuclear reactor (radioactive waste)
Agricultural waste (fertilizer, crop residue, pesticide, fumigants)
Radioactive waste (x-ray machines, nuclear plants, laboratories, etc)
Municipal waste (waste produced by public officers, parks, shops, etc).
Waste generation in india
Present in India about 960 million tonnes of solid waste is being generated annually as by products during industrial mining, municipal, agricultural and other processes
Only 68% of garbage generated in country is collected, of which 28% is treated by municipal authorities
Total waste generation is projected to the 165 million tonnes by 2031 and 436 million tonnes by 2050
Plastics, paper and glass constitute 17% of recyclible waste and this is important because plastic waste, composed of high calorific value material, is a crucial fuel for solid waste to energy plants
Waste reduction
Recognise the waste for whole system
Identify the stages at which waste is caused and generated
Visualise the whole waste into fraction caused at various stages as identified in the previous stage
Apply the system attic wave reduction procedure at each stage separately (recognising the waste, identifying the cause, plan corrective action, eliminate the cause)
Find the correlation of various stages to assess the effect on waste generation at one stage due to waste reduction at other stage (if there is no such correlation then establish controls separately at each stage to prevent reoccurrence at the cause of waste generation)
Try to obtain a break even of waste at related stages to minimise the total aggregate waste at all the stages
Waste collection system
Design of economic basis to facilitate separation at source
To provide every organisation with a set of 4 standard bins to separately collect the metallic, plastic paper and other miscellaneous waste.
The ben should be designed after careful investigation of the types and quantum of waste generated
Design of appropriate collection system governed by public or private agencies to regularly collect the segregated waste at timed intervals depending upon the generation rate
Incentive to encourage segregation of waste at source
Timely collection of scrapped organisation appliances along with segregated waste
Impact of waste accumulation
Surface water contamination including changes in the chemical composition of water
Soil contamination including harm to vegetation
Pollution
Leachate
Impact on health, flora and fauna
Different methods of waste reduction
Involves:
Segregation, Collection, Transportation, Recycling and reprocessing and Disposal of various types of wastes
Landfill: this method involves burying of waste in bacon locations around cities
If designed carefully they can survey economic and quite sanitize method for waste dumping
It is mostly unplanned dumping that occurs in suburbs and slums which causes serious environmental and health hazards
For example release of poisonous gases, secretion of toxic liquid and destruction of vegetation
Incineration: it is controlled high pressure oxidation by burning or thermal treatment of primary organic compounds that produce thermal energy, CO2 and water
It is useful to deal with large quantities of organic hazardous waste and produces electricity
Installation is expensive and generates ash and toxic gases
Pyrolysis: solid is converted to liquid state and liquid is converted to gas
These products of treatment can be used for production of energy
Gasification: material to be treated is directly converted to synthetic gas which has hydrogen and carbon dioxide as its components
Bio remediation is the use of living organisms like microorganisms to the great environmental contaminants into less toxic forms
Pseudonymous bacterium can decompose synthetic pesticide
These techniques are more economic than pollutants that can be treated on site, thus, reducing exposure risk for personnel
Electronic waste or e-waste
It refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without intent of reuse
Globally 44.7 million metric tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2016 and only 20% was recycled
China is the top contributor of e-waste in the world
Issue of imports of electronic waste to India from developed countries
Problems:
Lack of formal infrastructure according to ASSOCHAM study (only 5% of e-waste is formally recycled)
India is a destination of hazardous and industrial waste like mercury, electronic and plastic based from the US, asbestos from Canada and defective steel and tin plates from EU etc
Issues with informal sector
Gaps in legislation
Lack of incentives (GST imposed huge 12% tax of electronic recyclers)
Poor awareness and sensitization
Environmental concerns
Solid waste management is a major problem for many urban local bodies in India
Urbanization, industrialisation and economic growth have resulted in increased municipal waste generation
Effective solid waste management is a major challenge in cities with high population density
Sources of pollutants:
Arsenic: semiconductors, diodes, microwave, LEDs, solar cells
Barium: electron tubes, filler for plastic and rubber, lubricant additives
Cadmium: batteries, pigments, solder, alloys circuit batteries
Cobalt: insulators
Lead: lead rechargeable batteries, solar transistors, lithium batteries, PVC
Mercury: components in copper machines and stem irons, batteries in clocks and pocket calculators, switches, LCDs
PCB is or polychlorinated biphenyls: Transformers, capacitors, softening agents for paint, glue, plastic
Silver: capacitors, switches, batteries and resistors
Zinc: Steel, brass, alloys, disposable and rechargeable batteries, luminous substances
Impact of e-waste
On Human health:
Arsenic causes black foot disease
Barium causes neuro degenerative diseases and lung diseases
Cadmium contains carcinogens, causing itai ital disease which affects kidneys and softens bones
Lead causes chronic kidney diseases and neurological problems
Mercury affects the central nervous system, kidneys and immune system and causes the minamata disease
Polychlorinated biphenyls cardiovascular diseases & neuro behaviour and immunological changes in children
Silver causes respiratory problems upon inhalation
Zinc causes metal fumes fever and respiratory diseases
On Environment:
E-waste when dismantled and shredded releases dust or large particulates into immediate environment and affects respiratory health of workers
Unregulated burning of e-waste releases toxins
Heavy metals from e-waste cause toxification of surface water
E-waste, through direct contact with contaminants from e-waste or the by products of e-waste recycling and disposal or indirectly through irrigation through contaminated water.
International conventions on e-waste management
Basel convention on the control of Trans boundary movement of hazardous waste 1992 (entered into force)
Rotterdam convention of 2004
Hazardous and other waste
management and trans boundary movement amendment rules of 2019:
Salient features:
Solid plastic waste has been prohibited from import into country including special economic zones and buy export Oriental units
Exporters of silk waste have now been given exemption from requiring permission from, MoEF&CC
Electrical and electronic assembly and components manufactured in and exported from India
