Waste management is a growing concern across the world and more so in India where the

sheer volume of garbage is increasing day by day as consumption and disposable incomes
shoot up. Apart from government initiatives, We THAPAR ENGINEERING WORKS
(DUROMECH) are working on dealing with the challenges with innovative solutions.

The Importance of Integrated Sustainable Waste Management

To manage waste in an effective way appears to be one of the greatest challenges facing humanity and
the planet. The ongoing trend of industrialization and economic growth have resulted in increased
municipal solid waste especially in cities with high population. With recent estimates putting the global
waste production from cities alone at 1.5 billion tons, and projecting an increase to 2.3 billion tons by
2025, it’s a problem that’s only going to get worse.

The concern is serious, as increasing quantity of waste negatively impacts every aspect of society. Failing
to address the problem strategically and on sustainable way leads to the creation of long term
environmental and public health disasters influencing national economies on entirely destructive way.
Identifying the needs

If not addressed effectively, waste generated has a negative impact on all countries regarless of
their socio-economic development. However, developing countries with less developed infrastructure
have further to go in order to tackle the problem. As urbanization continues to take place, the
management of solid waste is becoming a major public health and environmental concern in urban
areas of many developing countries.

Developing countries often display an array of problems regarding their typical waste management
system, including low collection coverage and irregular collection services, unpolished open
dumping and burning without air and water pollution control, and the handling and control of informal
waste picking or scavenging activities. Development of effective solid waste management systems in
developing countries has been even more demanding due to absence of technical, financial,
institutional, economic, and social factors.

In other words, developing countries frequently suffer from the lack of human resources with
technical expertise necessary for solid waste management planning and operation. This is often
combined with insufficient and/or poorly managed funds allocated to resolving waste problems, as
well as with weak legislation and coordination among main institutions in charge of waste issues. All
these influence on low public awareness and education on waste and its devastating impact.

Where to start then and how to change existing practice? There are several crucial factors involved
in identifying the needs of local communities. The adequate assessment of the composition and
volume of waste can be a deciding factor in choosing an efficient way to manage its disposal. Other
important measures include examining the options for introducing the most effective legislation and
regulations, ensuring accessibility of waste for collection, and the existing level of public awareness.

In each country, region and community we must identify opportunities to minimize waste output. This
is being addressed in many countries by building a system.
Why it’s so important

When efficient waste management isn’t present the impact on the community can be devastating.
The waste poses a threat to the environment. Polluted water flowing from dumps and disposal sites
can cause serious pollution of the surface water, which can also impact marine life, and ultimately
leads to a decline in health of the local population.

A build-up of solid waste can also lead to soil contamination, especially during the rainy season,
which spreads the secreted toxins at a quicker rate. Relocating waste management to areas
sufficiently removed from public spaces to allow for incineration or disposal in a safe manner helps
to decrease the risk of exposure to biohazards and reduces pest infestation.

Uncontrolled waste management can lead to medical and healthcare waste being mixed with
household waste. This increases the risk of poisoning or injury to children and adults who are
working sorting waste.

Indiscriminate burning of waste can cause major air pollution and increases greenhouse emissions.
As well as the immediate affects on the local air quality, often accompanied by an increase in
respiratory diseases, it also contributes to global warming.

A build-up of solid waste promotes the breeding of rats, flies and mosquitos, all of which will cause
the spread of disease.
How waste management can help a community

When waste management is handled properly it has several benefits for the local community. As
well as avoiding the negative impact of the above problems, it can also be a vehicle for change.
Through job creation and an improvement in health whole communities can be given a new lease of
life.

Recycling can also be used to reduce future waste by ensuring a portion of solid waste is reused.
Whether it’s on a small local scale, or a larger industrial scale, many useful things can be generated
from proper waste disposal. Everything from electricity generated through incineration and
composting, to furniture being built from recycled plastics, are projects being refined all over the
world.

Recycling also helps to conserve local resources by reducing the need to manufacture using new
raw materials.
Leading the charge in an ever-changing world

With political instability, social unrest and poverty gripping some nations, the ability to educate and
implement efficient waste management can be a challenge. There are several NGOs working all
over the world to identify and train key individuals, work with whole communities, and implement
sustainable change within municipalities and governments.

Committed specialists with decades of experience are taking it on their own shoulders to help
underdeveloped communities to take control of their own waste management, and improve their
overall health and local environment in the process. They are being proactive in educating
communities, arranging waste collection, and ensuring the infrastructure is in place to maximize the
disposal.

Through qualified training, experts and professionals working with NGOs, communities,
governments and others in waste related sector can obtain the necessary technical skills as well as
training skills and how to train others in the topics.

Max-impact and qualified technical training expert in waste management has designed a training
with the following objectives:

 To demonstrate understanding of the wide range of environmental, health and social issues
related to waste disposal and management
 To understand what skills are required to prevent pollution and to transform waste back into
wealth and place that wealth at the service of the community
 To identify practical, integrated and sustainable solutions for waste management
 To enhance practical skills of NGOs in delivering waste management projects
 To obtain training of trainers skill sets in order for participants to carry out trainings to their
communities
 To understand how to transfer knowledge to others