Composed and Published by:

Water Supply & Sanitation Programme (WSSP) in Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam http://binhdinhwssp.wordpress.com/ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam

FOREWORD

The Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (WSSP) in Binh Dinh Province aims to improve the quality of life of the population in 6 districts of Binh Dinh Province (Phu Cat, Phu My, Tuy Phuoc, Tay Son, An Nhon and Hoai Nhon) through the provision of efficient facilities for both irrigation and drinking water as well as municipal solid waste management. Awareness-raising is one of the main components of this project. To increase basic knowledge on municipal solid waste management, the project has chosen to develop a first booklet on 'What is Solid Waste?'. This will improve the knowledge and perception of the community about a proper definition of solid waste, different sources of solid waste, different types, the harmful effects and economic benefits. Although certain knowledge and concepts might be unfamiliar to some people, the authors made very short and simple explanations which are accompanied by various pictures to intrigue the readers and to convince people about the importance of a well overthought solid waste management plan. We would like to thank all persons who contributed to the completion of this edition. On this occasion, we would also like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the all people that have been very cooperative during our field work and who are now trying to convince others about an effective solid waste management plan. Thanks!

Already appeared in this serie:

Part I: What is Solid Waste? Part II: What to do with Solid Waste? Part III: How to make money from Solid Waste? For the digital versions: http://binhdinhwssp.wordpress.com/

CONTENT

1. What is solid waste? 2. Sources of solid waste 3. Types of solid waste 4. Harmful effects of solid waste 5. Economic benefits

1. WHAT IS SOLID WASTE?

WHAT IS WASTE? Waste is any material that is not used by a certain individual any more or makes no use to that individual. It is anything that doesn't add value to a product or service in any activity. WHAT IS SOLID WASTE? Solid waste is the waste which stays in solid state discharged from the process of production, business, service, daily activities and others. Examples: newspapers, yard waste, used furniture, plastic, household garbage and anything you can think of that people throw away.

2. SOLID WASTE SOURCES

Solid waste has many different sources. It includes all the waste that people throw away at various places, such as their home, schools, hospitals, the market etc.

Households

Market

School

Agriculture

Health Center

Industry

Technology

Construction

3. TYPES OF SOLID WASTE

In general, solid waste can be divided into three broad categories: biodegradable waste, non-biodegradable waste and recyclables. This segregation is necessary to remember, as separating your waste at the source is one of the most important steps in waste treatment. Studies in the project area have revealed that the composition of the household waste is approximately.

BIODEGRADABLE WASTE Biodegradable waste is typically originated from plant or animal sources, which may be degraded by other living organisms. Biodegradable waste is a major component of municipal solid waste, about 60%.

Examples: food waste, peels, seeds, core of fruits, uneatable vegetables, garden waste,...

RECYCLABLE WASTE

Recyclable waste are materials that can be used for recycling, the process of turning used products into raw materials that can be used to make new products. Recyclable waste occupies between 15% of solid waste, a rather small amount. Examples: glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles or electronics.

Plastic

Paper

Clothes

NON-BIODEGRADABLE WASTE

Non-biodegradable waste is composed of material other than plant or animal matter and are thus not easy to disintegrate. It also excludes any kind of recyclable or reusable waste. This faction is a rather small component of municipal solid waste, as it occupies only 25% of the total amount of municipal solid waste. Examples: soil, sand, dust, porcelain, broken glass, dry wood, broken bricks, light bulb or cigarette butts.

4. HARMFUL EFFECTS OF SOLID WASTE

When not treated properly, solid waste can have far-reaching consequences on the environment and on peoples

health.
ENVIRONMENT If waste isn't treated properly on land, it will contaminate the soil, the

water surface and the underground water, which will lead

to the contamination of crops and water supplies, eventually making its way into the water you may drink. Further, the uncontrolled burning of open dumpsites may cause severe air pollution that will also cause harm or discomfort to all living organisms. PEOPLE'S HEALTH Solid waste can increase the spread of

diseases, usually caused by the breeding of

disease carriers (e.g. flies, mosquitos etc.) at the dumpsites. Examples: respiration, allergy, cardiology, digestion, skin and eyes, but also cancer and mental diseases can be caused by waste.

DIRECT IMPACT OF SOLID WASTE ON HUMANS AND ANIMALS

Atmosphere

SOLID WASTE SOURCES - Daily activities - Production activities (Industrial and agricultural) - Commercial activities - Recycling activities

Water surface

Underground water

Soil environment

Humans and animals

5. ECONOMIC BENEFITS
An important aspect is that solid waste can give economic benefits to you too. This can be done through making profit from your waste or just saving costs by reducing the amount of waste that you have to send to the sanitary landfill. The first step you need to keep in mind is the importance of separation of the waste at source. All the different fractions of solid waste (biodegradable, nonbiodegradable and recyclables) need to be treated in a different manner. EXAMPLES: In the recycling business, money can be made when specific fractions are separated from the rest of the waste. Scavengers are trying to make a living by collecting these recyclables and selling them to middle-men or recycling companies.

Scavenger recycling bottles

Regarding biodegradable waste, there are many ways to save costs or make some profit. Fresh food waste can be re-fed to animals or you can make an informal or formal arrangement with nearby farmers. Composting is also a good solution for biodegradable waste. Compost can then be used to enrich or feed the soil to enhance the growth of plants.

Compost

My Waste, My Responsibility