Solid WasteManagement is a term used to refer to the process of collecting and treating solid waste. It also provides solutions for recycling items that are not garbage or garbage. Garbage or solid waste has been an issue as long as people are living in settlements and residential areas. Waste management is all about how solid waste can be transformed and used as a valuable resource. Solid waste management should embrace every household, including business owners worldwide. Industrialization has also brought many good things and bad things. One of the negative effects of industrialization is the manufacture of solid waste.
According to Britannica, "solid-waste management, which has been abandoned for the collection, treatment, and disposal of solid materials because it has served its purpose or is no longer useful. Improper disposal of municipal solid waste creates a unitary position, And these conditions can lead to outbreaks of environmental pollution and vector-borne disease - ie diseases spread by rodents and insects. "
Various sources of solid waste
Tons of solid waste is disposed of at various landfill sites every day. This waste comes from homes, offices, industries, and other agricultural activities. These landfill sites produce a foul odor if the waste is not stored and treated properly. It can pollute the surrounding air and severely affect the health of humans, wildlife, and our environment. The following are the major sources of solid waste:
Residential
Residences and houses where people live are some of the major sources of solid waste. The waste in these places uses food waste, plastic, paper, glass, leather, cardboard, metal, yard waste, ash, and special waste such as electronics, tires, batteries, old mattresses, and oil. Most homes have garbage cans where they can throw their solid waste inside and the bin is later emptied for treatment by a waste collecting firm or individual.
Industrial
Industries are considered one of the largest contributors to solid waste. These include light and heavy manufacturing industries, construction sites, construction plants, canning plants, power, and chemical plants. These industries produce solid waste in the form of housekeeping waste, food waste, packaging waste, ash, construction and demolition materials, special waste, medical waste as well as other Hazardous Wastes.
Professional
Commercial facilities and buildings are other sources of solid waste today. Commercial buildings and facilities, in this case, refer to hotels, markets, restaurants, warehouses, shops, and office buildings. Some of the solid wastes generated from these locations include plastics, food waste, metals, paper, glass, wood, cardboard materials, special wastes, and other hazardous wastes.
Institutional
Institutional centers such as schools, colleges, prisons, military barracks, and other government centers also produce solid waste. Some common solid wastes derived from these locations include glass, rubber waste, plastics, food waste, wood, paper, metals, cardboard materials, electronics as well as various hazardous wastes.
Construction and demolition area
Construction sites and demolition sites also contribute to the solid waste problem. Construction sites include new construction sites, road repair sites, building repair sites, and demolition sites for buildings and roads. Some of the solid wastes produced at these locations include steel materials, concrete, wood, plastic, rubber, copper wire, dirt, and glass.
Municipal services
Urban centers still contribute greatly to the solid waste crisis in most countries. Some of the solid wastes brought by municipal services include road cleaning, waste of parks and beaches, wastewater treatment plants, wastewater, and waste from recreational areas including sludge.
Treatment Plants and Sites
Heavy and light manufacturing plants also produce solid waste. These include refineries, power plants, processing plants, mineral extraction plants and chemical plants. The wastes produced by these plants include industrial process wastes, unwanted specification products, plastics, metal parts, but only a few.
Agriculture
Crop farms, orchards, dairies, vineyards, and feedlots are also sources of solid waste. The wastes produced by them include agricultural waste, spoiled food, pesticide containers, and other hazardous materials.
Biomedical
It refers to hospitals and Biomedical Equipment and chemical manufacturing firms. In hospitals, various types of solid waste are produced. Some of these solid wastes include syringes, bandages, used gloves, drugs, paper, plastics, food waste, and chemicals. All these require proper disposal otherwise they will cause a huge problem for the environment and people in these facilities.
Solid Waste Management Methods
There are various methods of solid waste management. The following are some recognized methods:
Sanitary landfill
It is the most popular solid waste disposal method used today. The waste is spread in thin layers, compressed and covered with clay or plastic foam. Modern landfills are designed in such a way that the bottom of the landfill is covered with an impermeable liner that is usually made of thick plastic and several layers of sand. This liner protects groundwater from contamination due to leaching or percolation. When the landfill is filled, it is covered with layers of sand, clay, topsoil, and gravel to prevent water leaks.
Incineration
This method involves burning solid waste at high temperatures until the waste is turned into ashes. Encounters are made in such a way that they do not give an excessive amount of heat when solid waste is burnt. This method of solid waste management can be done by individuals, municipalities, and even institutions. The good thing about this method is that it wastes up to 20 or 30% of the original volume.
Recovery and recycling
Recycling or retrieval of resources is the process of taking useful but discarded items for the next use. Traditionally, these items are processed and cleaned before being recycled. The process aims to reduce energy loss, new material consumption, and landfill shortages.
Compost
Due to a lack of sufficient space for landfills, biodegradable yard waste is allowed to decompose into a medium designed for the purpose. Only biodegradable waste materials are used in composting. Good quality environmentally friendly manure is made from compost and can be used for agricultural purposes.
Pyrolysis
It is a method of solid waste management under which solid wastes are chemically decomposed by heat without the presence of oxygen. It usually occurs under pressure and at temperatures up to 430 ° C. Solid wastes are converted into gases, solid residues, and small amounts of liquid.
In short, proper solid waste management is an integral part of environmental protection that needs to be seen by individuals and companies globally. This will keep the Environment Clean and reduce health and disposal problems.
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