Proper and combined effort of managing waste

One third of the total waste in the world is from the construction and eradication fields. 325 million tons of waste is being repelled by US every year. At the same time the waste produced from the houses and towns in developing countries have decreased according to the report published by the Waste Watch Company that has its headquarters at Britain. The report also points out that 80% of the total waste produced around the world are recyclable. However some proper methods of managing waste have been developed that are capable of removing the entire waste from the surface of the earth. Let’s go through some of them.

Proper waste management methods

The method of carrying out waste disposal is of great importance. In today’s world creation of waste is a common fact. Since they are harmful to the environment, the method by which you dispose them off affects the environment a lot. Proper waste disposal keeps the environment disease free and green. The methods discussed below will help you keep your environment clean.

Recycling waste

It is a well known method of managing waste. It is not only a cheap method but can also be done easily by you. Recycling will save energy, resources and hence reduce pollution. Moreover you can save money by recycling. You can not only reduce the volume of waste materials but can also prevent things like batteries, tires and asphalt from ending up in landfills and incinerator. If you are a responsible citizen you should practice recycling and thereby reduce your waste.

Composting

Composting is free of any hazardous by products and also a natural process. Through this process waste materials are broken down into organic compounds which can be utilized as manure. It can be carried out easily in one’s own backyard. Any kind of waste items like leaves, grass, twigs, vegetables and fruit peels can be used. The whole matter will decompose within a few days. This nutrient rich compost can be used to improve the soil in gardens or vegetable gardens.

Landfills

Large area is required to manage waste through this process. Here the entire area is dug open in which the waste is filled. Then the waste is covered with soil. But it is not safe as highly hazardous gases like methane is given off. If proper safety means are ensured it is a good method of managing waste. For the safety of surrounding areas it is very necessary that landfills are properly lined and the waste do not come in contact with the adjoining areas.

Burning waste materials

The waste materials produced in the house can be burned. It is the best and easiest method if you cannot recycle or if there are no proper places for setting up landfills. It is an ideal waste disposal system in which steam and ash is generated by the controlled burning of waste at high temperatures. The volume of the waste is also reduced in this method. Moreover the process of combustion can be used to produce energy continuously from solid waste. The energy thus produced can be channeled into other useful purposes.
The above mentioned are some of the methods of waste management that you can carry out in the individual level. Moreover they are also safe and inexpensive. New techniques are being developed in which materials as well as energy is recovered from solid waste. These new techniques are aiming at diminishing pollution and also to conserve natural resources. Some of such approaches are intensified combustion, pyrolysis, replacing polystyrene packaging with less bulky wrapping made largely of paper etc. Let’s have a look at a completely new technique in which robots play a vital role in waste management.

Robots coming to remove waste

Robots that are capable to classify waste materials have been developed to find an ultimate solution for the increasing global waste. The wise robot named Senerobotic recycler has been developed by the Finisha technological company, Senrobotics.
These recycler robots classify and remove the wastes harmful to human beings in the construction field. This is possible through the process of ‘sensor fusion’. Three dimensional scanning, measuring and tangible assessment are also possible through sensor fusion.

Though a lot of methods have been mentioned above don’t get confused on which method to be selected. A single approach is not sufficient to address the waste problem. But all the above mentioned techniques play their own separate roles in reducing waste.

The First Joint Scheme To Produce Electricity From Waste In Kerala/ Scheme To Bring Down Solid Waste Accumulation In Kadakkal Market

(In the Kadakkal panchayat of Kollam district)

The first Decentralised Solid Waste Management Scheme of Kerala has been implemented in Kadakkal grama panchayat by setting up a power generation plant from the solid waste of markets and slaughter houses. The Kadakkal grama panchayat office and the other offices are situated in the premises of Kadakkal junction. The waste produced in the market and slaughter house, the blood and waste water from the slaughter house being dumped in the market place, the bad odor produced by it etc are the main problems faced by the people here.

Benefits of the scheme

The joint waste disposal plant that could change the bio waste produced in the market to electricity and biowaste was constructed with the help of bio tech technology and placed at the Kadakkal grama panchayat market of Kollam district. The scheme aims at curbing the menace of solid waste accumulation in the district by canalizing the waste material for power generation.It is the first joint scheme in Kerala to produce electricity from waste. This plant can dispose one ton of waste per day. The electricity produced from this plant is used to light 1200 bulbs in the market, Kadakkal children’s park and the nearby areas. Biotech, which was started in 1994 as a nodal agency under the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy, has implemented 11 such projects.

Functioning of the plant

Kadakkal grama panchayat, which has almost an area and population equal to a municipality, is already facing an acute crisis of solid waste disposal. The plant has been set up in the market in the panchayat. The organic waste of the market is being utilised for generating power through the technology of biogas production. The Kadakkal market biotech has implemented a disposal scheme that could dispose wastes of different types and structures effectively at the same time by incorporating different technologies. This scheme that changes the blood and waste water from the slaughter house into pure water with the help of this plant has also been started. The water, which comes out of the plant after the treatment of waste, will be recycled for the functioning of the plant. A recycling unit has also been set up for this purpose. The purified water is then used to clean the slaughter house and for other purposes of the plant.

An integrated waste disposal plant with the capacity to process all types of solid waste, including plastics as well as the liquid waste from slaughter houses and market, has been designed by Biotech. The plant functioning at Kadakkal market in Kollam district is the first one of this type. A similar power generating plant is functioning at Sreekaryam Market in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Solid Waste Management In Developing Countries

All activities that seek to minimise the health, environmental and aesthetic impacts of solid wastes are included in solid waste management. Generally the term solid waste includes human or animal excreta and such materials. But material which is not in liquid form, and has no value to the person who is responsible for it is actually solid waste. “Garbage”, “trash”, “refuse” and “rubbish are the terms which are the synonyms of solid waste. Solid wastes from houses, streets and public places, shops, offices, and hospitals, which are very often the responsibility of municipal or other governmental authorities is referred to as municipal solid waste. Solid waste from industrial processes cannot be considered "municipal" waste. But they need to be dealt with solid waste stream as they often end up in the municipal solid waste stream.

Waste is created through human activities. The way in which these wastes are handled, stored, collected and disposed of can pose risks to the environment and to public health. Problems and issues of Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) are of immediate importance in urban areas, especially in the rapid urbanizing cities of the developing world. Most governments have acknowledged it. However rapidly the population growth over-whelms, the capacity of most municipal authorities is restructured to provide even the most basic services. Typically much part of the solid waste generated is not collected. Thus the uncollected waste gets mixed with human and animal excreta, which is then dumped indiscriminately in the streets and in drains, so contributing to flooding, breeding of insect and rodent vectors and the spread of diseases. Even the collected waste is often disposed of in uncontrolled dumpsites or burnt, polluting water resources and air.

Though urbanisation in developing countries has contributed to wealth accumulation, it has also been accompanied by an alarming growth in the incidence of poverty. Today many people in cities lives in absolute poverty and some in relative poverty. Life threatening conditions deriving from deficient MSWM is mostly suffered by the urban poor who live in peri-urban areas. Municipal authorities allocate their limited financial resources to the richer areas of higher tax yields where citizens with more political pressure reside. Usually as income of the residents' in-creases, part of the wealth is used to avoid exposure to the environmental problems close to home, but as waste generation also increases with increasing wealth, the problems are simply shifted to some other places. The preparation and management of a high-quality solid waste management system needs contributions from a range of disciplines, and cautious concern of local conditions.

Challenges faced by Solid waste management

There are a number of problems faced by the Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) of developing countries. Some of them are described below.

Service coverage

Generally only a limited part of the urban population is served by the Municipal solid waste collection schemes of cities in the developing world. Waste collection services are not usually available for the low-income population. Inefficient institutional structures, inefficient organizational procedures, or deficient management capacity of the institutions involved can also be the reason that affects the availability or sustainability of a waste collection service.

In many countries there is presently great interest in linking private companies in solid waste management. Sometimes this is driven by the failures of municipal systems to supply adequate services, and sometimes by pressure from national governments and international agencies. Arrangements with private companies have not all been successful, and as a result some opposition to private sector participation is now in evidence. A recurring problem with collection schemes that operate at the community level is that these systems generally collect and transport the waste a relatively short distance up to a transfer point, from where the waste should be collected by another organisation often a municipality. Problems of coordination and payment often result in the waste being left at transfer points for a long time creating a hygienic unsatisfactory situation. Another move towards waste management is to recycle as much of the waste locally so that there is very little need for on going transport of collected waste.

Resource recovery and recycling

Recycling inorganic materials from municipal solid waste is often well developed by the activities of the informal sector. But such activities are rarely accepted, supported, or promoted by the municipal authorities. The cost of the separated material, its purity, its quantity and its location are some factors that the potential for resource recovery. The economic potential for resource recovery is decided by the major factors like costs of storage and transport.

Reuse of organic waste material that contributes to more than 50% of the total waste amount is still quite limited but often has enormous recovery potential. It reduces costs of the disposal services, prolongs the sites life span, and also reduces the environmental impact of disposal sites as the organics are largely to blame for the polluting leachate and methane problems. This is one of the reasons why solid waste managers in many parts of the world are now exploring ways to reduce the flow of biodegradable materials to landfills. For the success of composting activities to manage organic waste is, a clear legislation, policy and municipal strategy.

DisposalMost of the municipal solid waste (MSW) in developing countries is dumped on land in an uncontrolled manner. These dumps make very uneconomical use of the available space, allowing free access to waste pickers, animals and flies and often produce unpleasant and hazardous smoke from slow-burning fires. Financial and institutional restrictions are the main reasons for insufficient disposal of waste particularly where local governments are weak or underfinanced and rapid population growth continues.

Financing of safe disposal of solid waste poses a difficult problem. This is because most people are willing to pay for the removal of the refuse from their immediate environment. But no one is generally concerned with its ultimate disposal. The present disposal situation is expected to deteriorate even more as with rapid urbanization settlements and housing estates now increasingly encircle the existing dumps and the environmental degradation associated with these dumps directly affect the population. Waste disposal sites are therefore also subjected to growing opposition and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find new sites which find public approval and which are located at a reasonable distance from the collection area. Finding landfills at greater distances to the central collection areas implies higher transfer costs as well as additional investments in the infrastructure of roads hence intensifying the financial problems of the responsible authorities. In addition to all this, an increase in service coverage will even aggravate the disposal problem if the amount of waste cannot be reduced by waste recovery.

Other reasons for inadequate disposal are the mostly inappropriate guidelines for finding sites for landfills, design and operation of new landfills. Many of the municipal officials think that uncontrolled waste disposal is the best that is possible. Often the only guidelines for landfills available are those from high-income countries. These are based on technological standards and practices suited to the conditions and regulations of high-income countries and do not take into account for the different technical, economical, social and institutional aspects of developing countries.

There are many factors that influence the Solid Waste Management and vary from place to place. Typically, domestic waste from industrialised countries has a high content of packaging made of paper, plastic, glass and metal, and so the waste has a low density. In many developing countries wastes contain large amounts of inert such as sand, ash, dust and stones and high moisture levels because of the high usage of fresh fruit and vegetables. These factors make the waste very dense.

Public awareness and attitudes to waste can affect the whole solid waste management sys-tem. All steps in solid waste management starting from household waste storage, to waste segregation, recycling, collection frequency, the amount of littering, the willingness to pay for waste management services, the opposition to the siting of waste treatment and disposal facilities, all depend on public awareness and participation. Thus this is also a crucial issue which determines the success or failure of a solid waste management system.

Solid Waste Management In Kanpur/ Kanpur City The Best Example In Waste Management

We Indians have accepted the phenomenon of garbage spilling over from municipal dustbins at street corners and often even strewn around in open public spaces. We have become so used to it, that it seems inevitable. No one is ready to take this as a challenge but instead, hope that some day; someone will find a solution to our problem and rid us of this major health hazard of urban living in India.

But the integrated solid waste management project in Kanpur offers hope. Kanpur which is Located on the western bank of the Ganga, is an important industrial city of Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India. Kanpur which is a thickly populated city is also the home of textiles, leather, fertilisers and arms manufacturing. Each of these manufacturing sections has got the capacity to produce maximum pollution.

Until a few years ago, the condition of the solid waste management in Kanpur was almost the same as most other Indian cities. The responsibility of collecting, transporting and disposing of the solid waste generated in the city was under Kanpur Nagar Nigam (KNN). About 1500 tonnes of waste was generated in the city per day. Most of the collection centres in the city were open dumps. There was an authorised site a few kilometres away from the city were these wastes were to be dumped. It was done at an annual cost of Rs.42 crores. Scientific disposal of the garbage was not even considered. Grants from the state finance commission were looked forward for the collection and transportation activity. Recyclable waste from the waste chain was removed by a community of rag-pickers.

The Municipal Solid Waste Management and Handling, which is actually the responsibility of the states was nudged by the Supreme Court so that the governments acted in this area. The need to improve public service delivery in urban areas in general and solid waste management in particular, and providing funds to support such activities, was launched by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), under the Government of India in 2005. The public-private partnership in transforming the system of solid waste management in the city was thought to be experimented by the KNN and the state government of Uttar Pradesh. They worked together on it seizing the above mentioned opportunity.

In order to process and dispose the waste, KNN gave a BOOT (build, own, operate, transfer) contract to A2Z Infrastructure, a private company in 2008. For the project 46 acres of land was given free on a long lease of 30 years. The plant was set up with a tipping platform, a pre-segregation unit, a composting unit, an RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) unit, a plastic segregating unit, a briquette manufacturing unit, and a secured landfill in place. This plant had the capacity to process 1500 tonnes of solid waste per day. The total project cost was Rs.110 crores. But Rs.56.6 crores was provided by JNNURM and the rest from the private partner. The same company was given the contract to collect and transport waste. Thus the collection and transportation activities were integrated with waste processing and its scientific disposal, with possibilities for revenue generation.

Now door-to-door collection of garbage is being done in bins attached to rickshaws by workers using hand gloves and protective masks. The garbage is then dumped into refuse compactor trucks that may have the capacity to load 40 to 50 bins of waste. Since compression of garbage is done while being transported, more waste can be accommodated in the vehicle. Every incidence of the compactor halt to collect garbage is monitored and recorded because each of these transport vehicles is equipped with GPS. Thus the scope for deception and fuel theft is discouraged.

A monthly user charge has also been set by KNN for houses, industries and urban poor. This is being collected by A2Z on behalf of KNN, and the monthly collection at present is Rs.0.75 crores. There was no charge in the first three months to sensitise people to the benefits of door-to-door collection. This method has given employment opportunities for many people.

The garbage is then taken to a central site where it is sorted, segregated, transformed into a number of products of value. Only less than 2% of waste remains to be deposited in the landfill, after selling off the recyclable materials. Since the waste is reused the landfills which were expected to fill within seven years would take much more time to get filled. About 50 per cent of the waste collected from Kanpur is biodegradable, thus changing Kanpur Waste Management Plant into the largest producer of compost from organic waste. The quality of the compost is also being improved by scientific inputs. Premium quality organic fertiliser is sold through various fertiliser marketing companies and also directly under their own brand "Vasundhara". At present the plant is not able to meet the growing demand for organic fertiliser.

Rs.110 crores was invested by A2Z Infrastructure, in 2010 to set up a waste-to-energy plant. Thus it became the largest integrated project in solid waste management in Asia. Thus the company was able to exploit the synergies between collection, processing and disposal through this power plant. Using the RDF produced in houses, this plant produces 15 MW of electricity. It makes use of the CFBC (Circulating Fluidised Bed Combustion) technology, which is an advanced fuel combustion technology from Germany. A fuel made from garbage at low temperatures named the RDF is burned in these boilers. This is to ensure that the plant does not emit any oxide of nitrogen or sulphur, nor dioxins and furans. The CFBC technology was initially used here in India.

Now it is hard to find any garbage on the streets of Kanpur. The earlier garbage collection centres in Shastri Nagar and near M.G. College, civil lines, have now been converted into parks with the help of the local community. One of the largest open temporary dumpsite has now been converted to a park and also a public space for expression of art.

The Kanpur project has been recognised for its significant achievements. Kanpur has now become one of the best cities for the management of solid waste. The Kanpur Nagar Nigam received the JNNURM award in 2011. Kanpur has set an example on solid waste for all.

Solutions To Plastic Pollution/ Effective Ways To Control Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution statistics have assumed scary proportions if we open our eyes and look around into our surroundings. Plastic is a popular material used in a wide variety of ways. Many of the items we buy or use is either made of plastic or wrapped with it. Plastics are used because they can last longer and are easy and cheap to make. Unfortunately these same useful qualities have made plastic a huge pollution problem. It is discarded easily since it is cheap and its long lasting makes it survive in the environment for long periods.

Plastic pollution is a threat to life that has gained significant media attention in the last couple of decades. Several laws and amendments have been enacted by government in order to curb the pollution caused due to the usage of plastic. This issue has also been raised globally by environmentalists and NGOs all across countries. “Zero waste” is a concept in which production, consumption and recycling of products is carried out, without throwing even a fraction of the plastic garbage into the environment. Many countries are working tirelessly to achieve their goal of zero waste. The only way to overcome the problem of plastic is total recycling of plastic bags or using other alternatives. We must make efforts to finding efficient plastic pollution solutions before we run out of places to dump the plastic wastes.

Ways to stop plastic pollution

The concept of zero waste is likely to fail in its objectives. But we can try our maximum to reach the goal of zero waste. It would be an astounding success even if we are able to eliminate at least 40%-50% of plastic waste. Now let’s have a look at the solutions to plastic pollution.

Everything that goes wrong in the environment is usually blamed on governments. Wait for environment laws rather than waiting for governments to make laws and compel us to conserve our nature. A huge difference can be made if each one of us becomes ready to do our bit for nature. You can become an environmentally aware citizen if you are ready to follow some simple steps.

• Try to buy products with less plastic packaging and carry jute, paper or your own personal bag to the market. Even if you don’t possess any one of the bags mentioned above, carry a plastic bag so that you can avoid carrying an extra plastic bag back home.
• Educate and encourage shoppers to use their own bags or recycled paper bags. Encourage people to use their own bags while going purchasing. Try to spread this extremely beneficial habit.
• Internet is an awesome source through which you can find tips to reduce plastic pollution at home, work and during journeys.
• Try to spend time with communities in endeavours of environmental pollution control. Depending on your qualification and ability, volunteer for NGOs.
• Encourage the reuse of plastic substances. Support recycling schemes and other similar schemes that help the environment.
• Always remember that plastic waste can cause only harm and so practice and promote its proper disposal.
• Never throw plastic waste in the street, out of the car or on the pavement.
• Since the problem of plastic pollution is serious, it requires further urgent study. Reduce the amount of plastic used in wrapping and packing which is usually thrown away immediately.
• The dangers of plastic pollution should be labelled as a warning on plastic wrappings and bags.

Plastic is a useful and popular material which can be produced with relatively little damage to the environment. They are not themselves a problem. The one-off applications of plastic, its excessive use and careless disposal has turned it into a very dangerous material. A solution could be found to this problem only by the combined effort of the government and its citizens

A New Method For Waste Management / Thiruvananthapuram Town Corporation Experimenting A Simple And Cheap Method For Waste Management

Collecting the waste and disposing it in the proper manner has now become a matter of great concern in Kerala. Since the increasing waste problem is a result of the developmental process and growth, there won’t be a different opinion for anyone regarding this. We can approach the waste disposal procedure by taking into consideration the peculiarities of Kerala.

The waste disposal procedure is associated with the increased population, urbanization, climate etc. A new cleanliness policy has to be developed for Kerala by considering all these facts. The native municipal institutions are following some waste management procedures according to their tactics. But there are experiences that prove some defects in these activities. The methods that were followed for waste management, has now come under wide discussions and disputes due to the problems in Vilappilshala, Brahmapuram and Lalur. Usually the medias present this as a problem between villages and towns. This kind of approach worsens the situation and never paves a way to find a solution to this problem. All the sections must come together and find a solution together, rather than creating all such problems.

As a result of the nonfunctioning of the Vilappilshala plant, the Thiruvananthapuram municipality has started searching easy as well as cheap waste disposal methods that could dispose the waste in the place of its origin itself. For this they have decided to widen the use of methods like biogas plants, vermi composts, ring compost etc. In order to widen these methods the native municipal institutions have to follow some rules.

In order to build waste disposal units, the native municipal department has to examine the technical adequacy and confirm whether it is usable. Any of the above mentioned methods can be built only through accredited agencies or service providers. For these convenient rules from government are also required. The difficulties in handling vermin compost and the indifference shown by service providers towards constructing 500 liters and 1000 liters biogas plants that can be used in houses at the rate instructed by the state government has made such methods difficult to be implemented. A quick solution for this problem has now become very important for the town corporation.

The technical committee and the representatives of the people of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation are conducting incessant discussions and meetings to find a solution to the waste disposal problem. It was at this time that a pipe composting method in a house of Chettivilakam ward of Thiruvananthapuram town came into notice. The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation mayor and the technical committee members of the town corporation tried to find out more about this method and came to a conclusion that the method followed by them can be easily followed. The average amount of waste produced by a person in Thiruvananthapuram town per day is 400 grams. Two kilograms of waste is produced in a house of four or five members. Since the pipe composting unit was found to be very effective, simple and cheap the town corporation decided to establish such composting units extensively. The house of Chandrika and Ravindran Nair in Chettivilakam ward is situated in a five cent area. The terrace and area surrounding the house is filled with all types of vegetables and fruits. This house is using the concrete pipe unit for the last three years where the manure essential for all these plants are required from the house hold waste. Pipe composting method is similar to the ring composting method. Chandrika and Ravindran Nair had started using this method coincidently. There was a concrete pipe lying in their courtyard. They selected it to dump the house hold wastes so that there won’t be any flies or bad smell. They continued it daily by covering it with a lid. When the pipe gets filled they covered it again by putting some lime. Since there were only two members it used to take 90 days for the pipe to get filled. Then they used to use another pipe for the purpose and the waste in the first pipe turned into manure. It doesn’t need 90 days for the waste to turn into manure. Only 30-40 days is required for it. While taking the manure out of the pipe, put it in the sunshine for sometime. The town corporation unit has decided to provide EM Solution to those houses where such a unit is used. This solution that has to be sprinkled into the pipe occasionally will make the decomposing process much easier. This task can be done with the help of the Kudambasree agent. When pipe composting will become wide, the houses will start getting manure also. If agriculture is done in the yard of the house, this manure can be used for it. The benefits of this unit are to minimize the flies, bad smell etc and also to produce manure. It is very cheap and simple to handle.

The domestic sector can be considered the main source of the waste in Thiruvananthapuram Town Corporation. The trade centers, hospitals, hotels, markets, building blocks etc are the other sources. 20 tons of waste is produced in the markets of the town daily. The residues of building constructions come to about 13 tons per day. The waste other than bio chemical waste from hospitals is about 10 tons. It is estimated that the waste accumulated is 7.5 tons in ditches, 20 tons in hotels, 25 tons in trading centers, 3 tons in slaughterhouses, 4 tons in schools per day. The domestic waste is about 150 tons. It is expected by the town corporation that about half the solution to this waste disposal problem could be found if such pipe composts are established in all the houses of the town. The steps to construct waste disposal schemes in markets, schools and such public places have already started. It would also be checked whether there are waste disposal plants in hotels, restaurants, flats, institutes etc. The town corporation has also decided to find a new method for plastic disposal.

The more developments paved the way for a dirty Kerala. The Thiruvanathapuram town corporation tried hard and at last found an easy and inexpensive method for handling the house hold wastes. Soon this pipe composting method will be made common and thus a solution would be found for the grave problem of waste.

Health Impacts Of Improper Waste Disposal

Modernisation and progress along with its advantages have contributed a great disadvantage that has become a great threat to the world. I.e. the pollution it is causing to the earth. There has been a rise in the amount of waste being generated daily by each household with the increase in population and rising demand for food and other essentials. This includes both household and biomedical waste. These wastes finally reach the landfills and dumps. But all the waste doesn’t reach the final dumpsites. It is either due to resource crunch or inefficient infrastructure. But each type of waste must be disposed properly because it can cause serious impacts on health and problems to the surrounding environment.

Serious health hazard and the spread of infectious diseases are the results of improper waste management. The unattended waste attracts the disease spreading creatures like flies, mosquitoes, rats etc. The decomposition of wet waste leads to unhygienic conditions and health problems. Plastic waste is also another cause for ill health. So certain preventive measures should be taken to control the generation of excessive solid waste.

High risk wastes

Is this Waste Management in Kerala ?

Although every kind of wastes that are disposed improperly carry the risk of spreading disease, some wastes are found to have a higher risk of spreading disease when compared to the others. Medical waste and bio waste come at the top of the list. Any waste that had been used in a medical procedure comes under this category. These wastes require disposal very similar to hospital medical waste. Some household wastes also offers increased risk of spreading diseases. Deposits of mould that are removed from houses are the main among this type of waste.

Diseases

Certain chemicals like cyanides, mercury etc if released untreated, are highly toxic which may lead to many serious diseases and even death. Studies have proved that the residents exposed to hazardous waste are likely to be detected with excesses of cancer. So understand the connection between health and hazardous waste and take necessary precautions for its proper disposal.

Some hazards associated with waste handling

• Direct contact with waste and infected wounds cause skin and blood infections.
• Exposure to infected dust causes eye and respiratory infections.
• Bites of animals feeding on waste cause different diseases.
• Flies feeding on waste transmit intestinal diseases.
• Exposure to dust and hazardous compounds cause chronic respiratory diseases.

Plastic- the greatest threat to humanity

The unhygienic use and the improper disposal of plastic have affected the human health greatly and it has become a matter of concern. The pigment contained in coloured plastics contain metals like copper, lead, chromium, cobalt, selenium etc which are highly toxic. Coloured plastics have been legally banned in many industrialized countries. This is an example that has to be emulated by each and every country of the world.

Integrating proper disposal methods

There are some locations where high risk waste materials are accumulated daily. Such locations should integrate some disposal methods. There are some items at home that have special disposal instructions. When disposing such products be certain to follow those instructions to ensure that it does not affect the environment around the area or cause health hazards to the people living there. All organic matter at the household-level should be kept aside for composting and can also be used as fertilizer.

Precautions

The general precaution is avoidance. It’s advisable not to handle or touch waste when possible. Certainly use medical grade gloves to prevent exposure if required. Also take care to prevent puncture by sharp items, which are not disposed properly, by using adequate equipments. Only drink treated water and have food prepared in a hygienic place.

Disposing garbage in an improper manner is not just an eyesore, but it poses a serious threat to nature. If you are implementing recycling methods and proper waste management techniques into your lifestyle, you are taking a very good step toward helping the environment.

Efficient Ways To Reduce Waste/ Importance Of Reducing Waste

If we reduce the amount of waste, we are automatically saving our environment from pollution that causes many other related problems to man. Modern landfills are lined so that it doesn’t cause pollution to the groundwater and soil. But these liners don’t have enough lifespan and thereby pollutes the groundwater and soil through leaks from pollutants in garbage. Though landfills are meant to dump waste, the space used for it can be used for other activities like agriculture and housing facilities. In spite of its advantages, landfill creates a lot of air pollution during the transportation of waste from the curb to it.

So it has become very necessary that we reduce the amount of waste we produce unknowingly. We must become aware of how much we discard and become ready to change our consumption habits. So let’s start practicing the three “R”s.

• Reduce
• Reuse
• Recycle

Reduce: - It means that we must consume less. Each and every item we buy or use needs natural resources and energy for its production. While producing them it generates a lot of waste. Its transportation also requires energy. Consuming less doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t buy anything that is very important for you, instead it means you should buy things that are really very essential, long lasting and that have minimal packaging. Among the three “R”s, “Reduce” is the most important one as it is more effective in reducing waste, conserving natural resources and protecting the environment.

Reuse: - If an item is able to be used several times, it is a good way to reduce waste. Such items include food storage containers, cloth napkins, shopping bags, coffee mugs, personal water bottles, cloth diapers, shoes etc. Such items can be repaired, donated or even sold which facilitate reuse. Reusing is better and cheaper than recycling as items don’t need to be reprocessed before being used again.

Recycle: - Recycling is the process of converting materials into valuable resources. Materials like paper, aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles are some among them. Through this we can save our natural resources and reduce the need of landfill units. The method of recycling can be made effectively used if consumers purchase products made of recyclable materials.

Specific ways to practice the three “R”s efficiently

Packing waste free food items: Try to avoid baggies and single serving packaged products like juice boxes and pouches, milk cartons, snack bags, yogurt cups etc. Pack snacks, sandwiches and drinks in reusable containers. Use reusable silverware and cloth napkins. So opt for cooking at home that makes fewer packages and wrappers. It provides you with not only a healthy meal but helps to keep the city clean.

Using compost bins: Construct an outdoor or indoor compost bin to keep leaves, vegetable wastes, coffee grounds, tea bags, eggs shells etc out of the garbage and thereby save landfill space and energy. Composting also provides us with rich fertilizer for the plants.

Reuse whatever possible: The bags you get while purchasing groceries, produce and items at the mall can be used again. Always have food in reusable plates, cups, and utensils. Avoid using one time use beverage bottles and packaged snacks. Instead use reusable drinking bottles and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Recycle wherever possible: Make sure that there is an adjoining recycling receptacle wherever there is a garbage receptacle. Plastic bags should be avoided from the collection process by utilizing bag less receptacles. It should be practiced even in public areas and thus recycling must be made more convenient. Products that have limited recycling possibilities should be avoided. Many of the aluminium and metal items can be further recycled. Even though reusing is preferable to single use products, for things that cannot be reused its better to choose things that can be recycled.

Reduce consumption on the whole: It is a great challenge to most of the people. It doesn’t mean you stop purchasing things. Instead spend money to buy high quality goods and services and avoid using lower quality items. Buy hybrid cars that reduce pollution and also the money that you spend on gas. Buying less stuff is very good for the environment, health and well being of a society.

Purchasing electronic products: Electronic appliances must be used as long as possible. Try to purchase such items from companies that take responsibility to take back your product and recycle it efficiently after its life span. Since the recycling of such items causes pollution, it is better to think twice before buying whether it is necessary or not.

The residents of a city are those who contribute to the waste there. You can definitely contribute to reducing waste in your city if you are ready to apply the above mentioned ways of reducing waste, thereby decreasing the amount of toxicity of waste produced by individuals. Reducing waste is the most important step that conserves resources and decreases the amount of waste that usually ends up in landfills. During the last few years the amount of waste created by each person has doubled. So preventing waste in the first place must be practiced by all which is the most efficient way. So it’s necessary to bring some changes in our daily routines that help in source or waste reduction.