Waste Management

Solid waste refers to the range of garbage materials arising from animal and human activities that are
discarded as unwanted and useless.
Solid waste is generated from industrial, residential, and commercial activities in a given area.
It consist of both inorganic and organic form of waste.
Biodegradable waste: Kitchen waste, garden waste, paper garbage, dead body etc.
Non-biodegradable waste: Plastics, metal, glass etc.

Sources of solid waste

1. Residential or domestic sources
2. Commercial
3. Industrial
4. Agricultural
5. Institutional
6. Natural waste

Solid Waste Management

It is the process of collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste in a systematic, economic and
hygienic manner.
Improper disposal of municipal solid waste can create unsanitary conditions, and these conditions in
turn can lead to pollution of the environment and to outbreaks of many vector-borne disease
Different methods:
1. Hog feeding
2. Open dumping
3. Sanitary landfill
4. Pulverization
5. Incineration
6. Composting
1. Hog feeding:
 Garbage and other biodegradable waste is fed to hog.
 This method was extensively used for garbage disposal.
 This had led to high incidence of trichuriasis in human via hogs.
 Raw garbage were often exposed to steam for preventing this.

2. Open dumping:
 Open dumps refer to uncovered areas that are used to dump solid waste of all kinds.
 The waste is untreated, and not segregated.
 It is the breeding ground for files, rats, and other insects that spread disease.
 The rainwater run-off from these dumps contaminates nearby land and water, thereby spreading
disease.
 In some countries, open dumps are being phased out.

3. Sanitary landfill:
 A landfill site is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of
waste treatment.
 Waste is directly dumped into mining voids or borrow pits.
 Disposed waste is compacted and covered with soil.
 Gases generated by the decomposing waste materials are often burnt to generate power.
 Landfilling can be done by three methods:
1. Trench method
2. Area method
3. Ramp method
Trench method:
 Trench method is also known as Below Ground Landfill.
 The trench method consists of an excavated trench into which the solid wastes are spread,
compacted and covered.
 The trench method is best suited for nearly level land where the water table is not near the
surface.
 Usually the soil excavated from the trench is used for cover material.
 The slope or ramp is sometimes used in combination with the other two methods.
 The wastes are spread on an existing slope, compacted and covered. This variation may be
suitable for most areas.
 The cover materials usually come from just ahead of the working face.
 Trench of 10-15 feet deep and up to 20 feet wide is dug and refuse is pushed into it, compacted
by a bulldozer, and covered with dirt.
 Each day 20 cm of soil layer is used to cover the waste. And final layer should be 1 m.
 The trench method of landfilling will consist of any one of the following three methods:
1. Progressive Excavation
2. Cut and Cover
3. Imported Cover

Area method:
 Area landfilling method is also known as Above Ground Landfill.
 The area method is best suited for flat or gently sloping areas where some land depressions
may exist.
 The wastes are spread, compacted and then covered.
 This method is useful when it is not possible to create a landfill below ground.
 Area landfilling is mostly used to dispose urban waste.
 Area landfilling method involves depositing waste in layers and forming terraces over an
identified landfilling area.
 Area landfilling method generates excessive leachate, which is not only difficult to control but
will also pollute ground water table.
Ramp method:
 In some operations, a slope or ramp is used in combination with the area or trench methods.
 In the ramp or slope method (a variation of the area and trench landfills) the solid wastes are
dumped on the side of an existing slope. After spreading the material in thin layers on the slope,
the bulldozing equipment compacts it.
 The cover material, usually obtained just ahead of the working face, is spread on the ramp and
compacted.

Advantages of Sanitary landfill:

1. Landfill site is a cheap waste disposal option.
2. The gases given off by the landfill site could be collected and used for generating power.
3. Lots of different types of waste can be disposed of by landfill in comparison to other waste
disposal method.
4. Public health problem are minimized because flies, rat and other pest are unable to breed in the
covered waste.
5. Landfills are an Excellent Energy Source
6. Keep Cities, Towns, and Districts Clean
7. Keeps Hazardous Waste Segregated

Disadvantages of Sanitary landfill:

1. Landfills can pollute air, water and also the soil, if properly not managed.
2. Wind can scatter litter and dust particle during the day before each day’s load of trash is
covered.
3. Danger of explosion due to methane gas and H2S gas.
4. Leaching of toxic materials into underground aquifers.
5. Land may be unavailable.
4. Pulverization:
 It is the process of making small pieces of solid waste by pressing or cutting.
 This pulverized solid waste is further disposed-off by land filling.
 This will reduce the overall volume of waste by 40%.
 It will increase surface area availability for bacterial activity (decomposition).
 Facilitates easy handling of moisture content and aeration.
 This is done by using:
1. Rotating drum machine: Water is added to the crude refuse and the mix is then passed
into the revolving drums.
2. Hammer mills: Water is added to produce denser product which is more suitable for
tipping.

5. Incineration:
 Incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances
contained in waste materials.
 Incineration of waste materials converts the waste into ash, flue gas and heat.
 It reduces the original volume of combustible solid waste by 80–90%.
 Commonly used for municipal and hospital waste.
 After the incineration process the left out product can be used as aggregate for low grade
concrete.

Types of Incinerator
1. Moving grate incinerator:
Enables the movement of waste through the combustion chamber to be optimised to allow
a more efficient and complete combustion.
2. Rotary Kiln incinerator:
It consists of two chamber.
A primary chamber, where the waste is heated and volatilized.
A secondary chamber, where combustion of the volatile fraction is completed.
3. Fluidized-bed incinerator:
Wastes are quickly and uniformly incinerated with utilizing thermal capacity of hot
fluidizing sand.
6. Composting:
 Composting is a biochemical process in which aerobic and anaerobic microorganism
decomposes organic matter into valuable manure called as compost.
 Compost improves the quality of soil, and for this reason it is considered as a soil conditioner.
 Compost improves the structure and texture of the soil enable them to retain nutrients, moisture,
and air for the betterment of growth of plants.
 It contains a variety of the basic nutrients required for healthy growth of plants.