Waste Disposal Methods: Waste disposal means removing, scrapping, recycling, or eliminating unwanted materials is called waste disposal. In our daily lives, we observe many piles of garbage which are sometimes left open to the environment and the elements. Open dumping is the most common method of waste disposal in India which releases toxic fumes and smoke that are harmful to the environment and cause a lot of problems in the long term.
Let’s understand the Waste Disposal, methods, projects, Services, and many more in detail.
What is Waste Disposal?
Waste Disposal refers to the Removing, discarding, recycling or destroying unwanted materials . Waste management is associated with waste disposal, it is useful for maintaining a clean environment. The 7 R’s linked with waste management are Refuse, Repurpose, Reduce, Reuse, Rot, Recycle & Rethink.
Wastes are of different types & much of the waste generated today is non-biodegradable waste. This is due to globalization & industrialization. The dumps have harmful substances in the waste which releases toxic fumes & smoke. Therefore, disposal of different types of waste should be done in the right manner. For instance burning all kinds of wastes may lead to release of toxic fumes & harm bodies. Dumping waste into rivers & filling land depressions without proper administration should not be done. Wastes including plastics, batteries, sanitary & oil products should be properly disposed of.
While collecting or disposing offs waste, many workers are involved who may be exposed to harmful substances or burning activities. This releases toxic substances like metals which are hazardous for health. If wastes are not handled properly, it can cause respiratory problems, skin irritations, blood infections, & other harmful diseases. Segregation of waste should be done in homes as well as commercially. Segregating biodegradable waste, non-biodegradable & toxic products should be followed.
Methods of Waste Disposal
Types or methods of waste disposal
In the past, people never paid much attention to waste disposal but now with globalisation & industrialization, it has become the need of the hour. Waste Disposal Methods includes the following:
- Landfill
- Incineration
- Biogas Generation
- Composting
- Waste compaction
- Vermicomposting,
1. Primary method of waste Disposal – Landfill
In the landfill process, the waste type are of non-reusable & non-recyclable substances which are spread in a thin layer in specific low-lying lands or areas. Then these areas are dug deep & here, waste is disposed inside after a which a layer of soil is used to cover it back. Such an area is not suitable for activities like construction of buildings. Instead, they can be used for building parks or playgrounds. Landfill is one of the most adopted waste disposal method.
2. Incineration as waste Disposal method
The controlled combustion of garbage is known as incineration & then it is reduced to incombustible matter such as ash & waste gas. The exhaust gases produced from this are toxic. That is why they are treated before being released into the environment. This process reduces the waste volume by 90 per cent & is one of the most hygienic methods of waste disposal. In certain cases, electricity is produced by generation of heat. However, since greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide & carbon monoxide are produced at times, this process, is not seen as environmental friendly.
3. Biogas Generation – methods of Waste D
In bio-degradation plants, biodegradable waste like food items, animal waste or organic industrial waste from the food packaging industries are sent. Then they are converted to biogas by degradation with the help of bacteria, fungi, or other microbes. This way, the organic matter serves as food for the micro-organisms. Aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen) the degradation can take place. Because of this biogas is produced, which is used as fuel & its residue is used as manure.
4. Methods of Waste Disposal – Composting
Right from our kitchens, composting starts. It is about collecting organic materials like food scraps, garden waste, fruits & vegetable peels. These substances are then buried & after they are left under the soil for a few days, they decay due to bacteria, fungi & other microorganisms. This leads to decomposition & compost, a humus-like substance is formed. As this is nutrient-rich, it can be used as manure or fertilizer to replenish the soil to grow crops or plants. It enhances the water retention capacity of the soil as well. Instead of using harmful chemical fertilizers, compost can be used.
5. Methods of Waste Disposal – Waste compaction
Waste compaction means shredding the waste into smaller pieces, pushing it to mix properly & then placing it in such a way to fill voids. This leads to reduced amount & waste size which leads to less pollution in the environment. Waste materials like cans & plastic bottles are compacted into blocks & then sent for recycling. This prevents the oxidation of metals & reduces airspace need, making it easier for transportation & positioning.
6. Methods of Waste Disposal – Vermicomposting
Using worms for the degradation of organic matter into nutrient-rich manure is called vermicomposting. Worms consume & digest the organic matter. The by-products of digestion which are excreted out by the worms make the soil nutrient-rich, thus bacteria & fungi’s growth is enhanced. It is considered to be far more effective than traditional composting.
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Benefits of Waste Management
Collection, transportation & disposal of garbage, sewage & other waste products is called Waste Management. This involves treating solid & liquid waste. The following are the benefits of Waste Management:
- Better Environment- Waste disposal units lead to the well-being of people by helping them become disease-free. This happens when waste is duly disposed of in a proper sanitary manner. Multiple waste disposal units should be placed.
- Reduces Pollution- When waste is managed properly & in the right manner, it not only eliminates the subsequent waste but also reduces the impact & the intensity of harmful greenhouse gases like carbon-dioxide, carbon monoxide & methane that are often come out of accumulated wastes in landfills.
- Conserves Energy- Recycling being one of the biggest aspects of waste management, helps to conserve energy. For instance, to make paper many trees are cut. When new paper is made by recycling used paper, the need of cutting trees is significantly minimized. This helps us to conserve energy & reduce our carbon footprint.
- Creates Employment-The recycling industry also generates jobs.
Thus we see that by managing waste, we are making a difference to the society & to our world. Even though we can not, completely get rid of garbage, we can however adopt eco-friendly practices of reducing & reusing waste. This way, we serve as an example for the people around us, who in turn are now motivated to embrace a sustainable approach.
Colour Code for Waste Disposal
Waste Disposal Colour Code: Colour coding at the source itself helps in separating the waste for waste disposal. It helps in decreasing the hazards & handling & disposal costs. As waste harms the health & well-being of the environment, appropriate waste management is essential for maintaining hygiene, aesthetics, cleanliness & pollution control.
The colour codes for waste disposal varies from country to country. It may also be different for plastics, recyclables, metals, glassware, radioactive items, etc. They need to be separated as per the recycling needs.
Colour Code for Waste Disposal
1. Yellow is considered to be clinically highly infectious which is meant for pathogens. Incineration is the waste disposal method for this. Bodily fluids or medicinal fluids which infect PPE kits & garments are under this category.
2. Orange is used for hazardous & non-hazardous waste which comes out of patients having infectious diseases. Medical waste & anatomical waste should not be mixed with this waste.
3. Black and Yellow waste can neither be recycled, incinerated or deep landfilled. Any waste is not in contact with bodily fluids can be disposed of in this bag or container.
4. Purple waste stream is meant for hazardous waste that has been polluted by chemotherapy-related pharmaceuticals & certain medicines having cytotoxic or cytostatic properties.
5. Red represents the anatomical waste stream, which includes all body parts that must be disposed of & is most usually associated with surgical treatments. This has both hazardous & non-hazardous waste. This needs to be incinerated.
6. White is meant for containers that are used for sharps & puncture-proof bags.
7. Blue is used for non-hazardous solid waste that includes regular pills, medication & pharmaceuticals.
The colour code for biomedical waste disposal & waste disposal are not the same.
Waste Disposal Services by Company
Waste Disposal Services: Waste management is one of the biggest problems India faces. A lot of waste is generated everyday & it is not effectively managed mostly. This impacts the environment & human health. There are many waste management companies that can handle all our waste disposal needs. Some of the waste management companies in India which provide e-waste, paper waste & solid waste management services are:
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E-waste management
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Noida, Uttar Pradesh
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Biomedical waste management
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New Delhi
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All waste management
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Noida, Uttar Pradesh
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End-to-end waste management
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Bangalore, Karnataka
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Dry waste management
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Ahmedabad, Gujarat
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Paper waste management
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Gurgaon, Haryana
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Solid waste management
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Mumbai, Maharashtra
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E-waste management
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Faridabad, Haryana
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Solid waste management
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Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh
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Solid waste management
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Mumbai, Maharashtra
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E-waste recycling, solid waste management & wastewater treatment
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Pune, Maharashtra
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Complete waste management
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Mumbai, Maharashtra
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Waste Disposal Projects
India generates more waste than the amount of waste that is being recycled. This is a grave matter of concern as it threats our environment & sustainability. There are certain projects that deal with the waste disposal. These are:
1. Rejuvenation of Lake
The Hebbal Lake in Mysuru, spread over an area of 40 acres in the Hebbal Industrial Area is an important source of potable water. But the lake has lost its charm due to massive urbanization around it. Untreated sewage started flowing into the lake & its surroundings from residential & industrial establishments. Infosys & the Mysore administration – KIADB & MUDA rejuvenated the Hebbal Lake & brought its past glory. The project was about desilting, beautification, creating a walking path & tree plantation.
2. Solid waste management & Construction of Sewage Treatment Plant
REC Limited along with Tata Memorial Center, Skill Council for Green Jobs (SCGJ), New Delhi, Advanced Center for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC) in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra & Haryana has set up mechanized sweeping, collection & transportation of Municipal Solid Waste in 14 wards of Varanasi.
3. Waste Management Program
Power Grid Corporation of India Limited in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab & Jharkhand has contributed to the Corporate Social Responsibility by desilting ponds at Village Riwara, Maihar dist. Satna & contributed towards supply, installation & commissing of twin-bin dustbins with double swing stand at many railway stations of Indian Railways.
4. Clean My Village, Clean My Transport Nagar
Apollo Tyres Limited along with Apollo Tyres Foundation & the Harsiddhi Corporation Pvt. Ltd. has started Clean My Village (CMV) to improve waste management & cleanliness of identified transshipment hubs & villages in India. This project focuses on communities around their manufacturing locations.
5. Zero Waste Initiative
Cummins India Limited along with Local Municipal Corporation & Cummins India Foundation in Maharashtra, plans for environment sustainability by implementing large-scale environment projects. To deal with the issue of Solid Waste Management, the Company along with the local municipal corporation, replicated a successful model of Zero Waste ward at different wards.
6. Waste Management Program
Godrej Consumers Products Limited along with Maa Kamakhya Disposable Works in Assam has started several community waste management projects in India.
7. Sustainable Development
Housing and Urban Development Corporation in Rajasthan along with Nagar Nigam Udaipur & Nagar Nigam Bundi has significantly contributed towards waste management. They have undertaken door to door garbage collection & transportation at Udaipur along with supply & installation of underground precast Recycled Bin for municipal solid waste at Bundi.
8. Recycle & Reuse program
InterGlobe Aviation Limited in Bihar & Delhi, along with Nidan, Chintan Environmental Research & Action Group is hygienically recycling all old employee’s uniform, shoes, bags, aircraft carpets & seat covers. These are being made into bags, pouches, folders or items which are being sold in the local market.
9. Bio-Degradable Films Development Program
Uflex Limited in Gujarat plans to introduce a Biodegradable & Recyclable packaging solution that will convert uncollected plastic waste/laminate waste into biomass, upon degradation. For packaging, renewable & bio-based materials in various applications is likely to be seen in flexible packaging. Cost-effectiveness & increased shelf life of the products is generating demand for flexible plastic packaging.
10. Waste Management Programmes
Godrej Properties Limited along with Feedback Foundation Charitable is planning the Neighbourhood Waste Management Programme, has started an integrated decentralised solid waste management project in Konark, Odisha. This project follows a ‘No Open Waste’ or NOW approach & is likely to divert approximately 95% of the collected waste from landfill or dumping sites through segregation at source & a well-established value-chain consisting of collection staff, waste aggregators & recyclers.
Waste Disposal in Hospitals
Hospital waste, is also called medical waste or clinical waste. Clinical waste is waste that poses a risk of contamination or infection. Apart from hospitals, dental surgeries, doctors’ surgeries, research laboratories, funeral parlours, veterinary clinics, blood banks & nursing homes also produce waste. Hospital waste, categorised in two different ways: hazardous or non-hazardous. These are:
- Infectious waste that has been contaminated with bodily fluids such as blood, infectious cultures from laboratories & waste from patients who have infections.
- Anatomical waste also called pathological waste is any waste that contains body tissues.
- Offensive/hygiene waste is likely to cause an ‘offence’ to the senses & is unpleasant because of smell. It includes things like sanitary protection, nappies & incontinence pads.
- Sharps is anything sharp like needles, syringes, scalpels & blades. Sharps waste is also separated into subcategories depending on the risk it poses.
- Chemical waste can be both hazardous & non-hazardous depending on its properties. Most chemical waste in hospitals is hazardous. Example: Reagents & solvents used in laboratory work, X-ray fixers & developers. It also includes cleaning, sterilising agents & batteries.
- Pharmaceutical waste is related to medication & drug waste which is largely considered non-hazardous except cytotoxic & cytostatic medications. Hospitals dispose medicines that have expired or been unused into open containers or packaging. Prescribed medications, unused or medication that belonged to someone who has died or who no longer uses it is also pharmaceutical waste.
- Cytotoxic & cytostatic waste is always considered hazardous regardless of whether it has come into contact with a person. This is hazardous because of its ‘genotoxic properties’, waste which may be mutagenic (capable of causing a genetic mutation), carcinogenic (cancer-causing), teratogenic (causing damage to an embryo or foetus) or hazardous for reproduction.
Hazards associated with Hospital Waste
Hospital waste has microorganisms, potentially harmful which can infect healthcare workers, patients & the general public. Drug-resistant microorganisms can spread from a hospital to other places, this makes them hard to treat. Some of the hazards associated with hospital waste include:
- Sharps causes injuries
- Exposure to toxic products like cytotoxic substances & drugs, directly or through environment during handling or disposing of such waste.
- Disinfection protocols & waste treatment cause burns.
- Incineration & the particulate matter released in emissions causes air pollution.
- Radiation burns from radioactive substances.
- Injuries due to waste disposal, includes burns when operating incinerators.
Managing Hospital Waste
To improve hospital waste management, organisations should promote practices that reduces the amount of waste that is generated & ensures waste is segregated properly. Some of the ways through which hospital waste can be managed are:
- Alternatives to incineration– These methods include microwaving, autoclaving, chemical treatments & steaming treatments.
- Hospitals need to create a system so that waste can be disposed correctly. A hierarchy needs to be made for those responsible at each step in the process of clinical waste disposal.
- Training- The ones handling healthcare waste must also be aware of the hazards & risks that come with their job. This training also applies to volunteers, hospital café workers & cleaners, consultants & managers.
- Environmentally friendly practices– Hospital waste is largely non-recyclable. However, even recyclable waste is often thrown away with municipal waste.. Hospital leaders should look into potential waste management options that are more sustainable & reduce environmental hazards.
Waste Disposal Unit
A garbage disposal unit is also referred to as a waste disposal unit, food waste disposer, in-sink macerator, garbage disposer, or garburator is a device, usually electrically powered, is installed under a kitchen sink between the sink’s drain & the trap. The device shreds food waste into small pieces small so that it can easily pass through plumbing. It was first invented in 1927 by John W. Hammes, an architect working in Racine, Wisconsin.
Waste Disposal and Recycling
Waste Disposal and Recycling: Solid waste can also be treated by reclaiming the raw materials within the waste stream & then reusing them to make new products. Recycling reduces the amount of waste that must be burnt or buried. It also takes some pressure off of the environment by reducing the need for new resources, such as paper and metals.
Most recycled products are within 4 groups: metal, plastic, paper & glass.
- Metal is in most aluminium & steel cans. It is 100 percent recyclable, it can be completely reused over & over again to make new cans.
- Plastic made from the solid materials, or resins, left over after oil (a fossil fuel) has been refined to make gasoline.
- Paper: Most paper products can only be recycled a few times as recycled paper is not as strong or sturdy as virgin materials. By doing this, cutting of trees is prevented.
- Glass is one of the easiest materials that can be recycled & reused as it can be melted down over & over again.
Slogans for Waste Disposal
In order to create awareness about waste disposal methods, from time to time various slogans are used to increase the awareness of public about waste management. The following are the Slogans for the waste disposal:
- “Save things or waste, it’s your choice.”
- “Increase greenery by recycling waste”
- “Recycle your trash or trash your Earth.”
- “Think before your trash”
- “Waste isn’t waste until we waste.”
- “Be a recycler, be a saver.”
- “Reduce wasting natural resources.”
Conclusion
Waste Disposal means removing, discarding, recycling or destroying unwanted materials called waste that is produced from agriculture, domestic usage or industrial products. Waste management is associated with waste disposal, it is useful for maintaining a clean environment. It is an important procedure that needs to be carried out by both an individual as well the community. Health professionals need to have knowledge & proper training of the waste that they generate.
Recycle as many products you can so that there is less burden on the planet to generate more new resources, this also uses less energy & by doing so, we are also saving up for the future generation.
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FAQs on Waste Disposal
1. What is Waste Disposal?
Waste disposal refers to the process of removing, scrapping, recycling, or eliminating unwanted materials.
2. What are the different types of waste disposal methods?
Common methods include landfilling, incineration, recycling, composting, and bioremediation.
3. How does recycling contribute to waste management?
Recycling helps in converting waste materials into new products, reducing the consumption of fresh raw materials, and minimizing energy usage, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
4. What is the significance of composting in waste disposal?
Composting is an eco-friendly method that turns organic waste into nutrient-rich compost, which can be used to improve soil health.
5. Can you explain bioremediation as a waste disposal method?
Bioremediation uses living organisms, like microbes and plants, to degrade or remove contaminants from soil and water, making it an effective and natural waste treatment process.
6. What are the environmental impacts of improper waste disposal?
Improper waste disposal can lead to pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and harm to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
7. How can individuals contribute to effective waste disposal?
Individuals can contribute by practicing the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, and by properly segregating waste at home.
8. What role does government play in waste disposal management?
Governments enforce regulations, provide waste collection and management services, and promote public awareness campaigns on waste reduction and recycling.
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