ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACTS

OF SOLID WASTE

MICHAEL T. ANG
SDS 269
INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT
September 7, 2019
INTRODUCTION

• The purpose of this presentation is to elaborate and increase readers

awareness on the potential solid waste (hazardous, non hazardous and
mixed waste) disposal poses to human health and the environment.
• Characteristics of waste and types of solid waste
• Causal of increase in solid waste
• Waste treatment and disposal
• Health and environment impacts of solid wastes based on reports from
studies
• Preventive measures
Learning outcomes

• Increase knowledge in characteristics, treatment and disposal of

solid waste
• Identify points of contact and sources of exposure to solid waste
• Understand the impact of solid waste on health and environment
• Knowledge on preventive measures in reducing volume of wastes
and waste management.
What is solid waste

• Solid waste is defined as any garbage, refuse, sludge from waste

treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control
facility and other materials, including solid, liquid, semisolid,
contained gaseous resulting from industrials, commercials, mining
and agricultural operations from community activities ( Moeller,
2005).
•
Types of waste

• Non Hazardous waste: refuse, garbage, sludge, municipal trash.

• Hazardous waste: solvents acid, heavy metals, pesticides, and
chemical sludges
• Radioactive: high and low-level radioactive waste
• Mixed waste: Radioactive organic liquids, radio active heavy metals.
” ( Moeller, 2005).
Waste treatment and disposal

Waste treatment Waste disposal

• Incineration • Landfills
• Solidification
• Underground injection wells
• Heat treatment
• Chemical treatment
• Waste piles
• land treatment
• In less developed countries
flowing rivers
• Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental Health (3rd ed.). Cambridge, MA:Harvard University
Press
Waste treatments

• Incineration:
• Solidification: solid waste are melted or evaporated to produce a
sand like residue.
• Heat treatment: Heat applied at moderate temperature, is used in
treating volatile solvents.
• Chemical treatment: is the application of chemical treatment in the
treatment of corrosive solid.
 Waste Disposal

• Landfills: waste is placed into or onto the land in disposal facilities.

• Underground injection wells: waste are injected under pressure into a steel
and concrete-encased shafts placed deep in the earth.
• Waste piles: is accumulations of insoluble solid, non flowing hazard waste.
Piles serves as temporary or final disposal.
Waste Disposal

• land treatment: is a process in which solid waste, such as sludge

from wastes is applied onto or incorporated into the soil surface.
• Waste are disposed in flowing rivers in less developed countries.

Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental Health (3rd ed.). Cambridge, MA:Harvard University Press
• Landfill site and Incineration site
 Causal of increase in solid waste
• Population growth
• Increase in industrials manufacturing
• Urbanization
• Modernization
Modernization, technological advancement and increase in global
population created rising in demand for food and other essentials.
This has resulted to rise in the amount of waste being generated
daily by each household. 158 million tons of municipal solid waste
is produced annually in U.S
Factors That Contribute To the Solid Waste Generation
 Solid Waste:
“Heterogenous mass of discarded material”

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

The discipline associated with the control of generation, storage, collection,
transfer and transport, processing and disposal of solid waste in manner that is
accordance with the best principles of public health, economic, engineering,
conservation, aesthetics and environmental consideration.

INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ?

The selection and application of suitable techniques, technologies

and management programs to achieve specific waste management
objective and goals
Classification of Wastes according to their
Properties

Bio-degradable
can be degraded (paper, wood, fruits and others)
Non-biodegradable
cannot be degraded (plastics, bottles, old
machines,cans, styrofoam containers and others)
Classification of wastes according to their
origin and type
• Municipal Solid wastes: Solid wastes that include household garbage, rubbish, construction &
demolition debris, sanitation residues, packaging materials, trade refuges etc. are managed
by any municipality.
• Bio-medical wastes: Solid or liquid wastes including containers, intermediate or end products
generated during diagnosis, treatment & research activities of medical sciences.
• Industrial wastes: Liquid and solid wastes that are generated by manufacturing & processing
units of various industries like chemical, petroleum, coal, metal gas, sanitary & paper etc.
• Agricultural wastes: Wastes generated from farming activities. These substances are mostly
biodegradable.
• Radioactive wastes: Waste containing radioactive materials. Usually these are byproducts of
nuclear processes. Sometimes industries that are not directly involved in nuclear activities,
may also produce some radioactive wastes, e.g. radio-isotopes, chemical sludge etc.
• E-wastes: Electronic wastes generated from any modern establishments. They may be
described as discarded electrical or electronic devices. Some electronic scrap components,
such as CRTs, may contain contaminants such as Pb, Cd, Be or brominated flame retardants.
 SOURCES AND OTHER TYPES OF WASTE
Source Typical Waste Generators Types of solid wastes

 Food wastes
1:Residential Single and multifamily dwellings  Paper
 Cardboard
 Plastics
 Textiles
 Leather
 Yard wastes
 Wood
 Glass
 Metals
 Ashes
 Special wastes
(e.g bulky items, consumer electronics,
white goods, batteries, oil, tires), and
household hazardous wastes.)
  Housekeeping wastes
2: Industrial Light and heavy manufacturing,  Packaging
fabrication, construction sites, power  Food wastes
and chemical plants.  Construction and demolition
materials
 Hazardous wastes
 Ashes
 Special wastes.

 Paper
3:Commercial Stores, hotels, restaurants, markets,  cardboard
office buildings, etc.  plastics
 wood
 food wastes
 glass
 metals
 special wastes
 hazardous wastes

4: Institutional Schools, hospitals, prisons, government Same as commercial.

centers.
Made by Sahrish (BS Hons in Environmental Science) International Islamic University, Islamabad

5:Construction and demolition
6:Municipal services
7:Process (manufacturing etc.)
8:Agriculture
 Wood
New construction sites, road repair,
 steel
renovation sites, demolition of buildings
 concrete
 dirt etc.
 Street sweepings
Street cleaning, landscaping, parks,
 landscape and tree trimmings
beaches, other recreational areas, water
 General wastes from parks
and wastewater treatment plants.
 Beaches
 Recreational areas; sludge.
 Industrial process wastes
Heavy and light manufacturing,
 Scrap materials
refineries, chemical plants, power plants,
 Off-specification products.
mineral extraction and processing.
 Spoiled food wastes
Crops, orchards, vineyards, dairies,  Agricultural wastes
feedlots, farms.  Hazardous wastes (e.g., pesticides).
Groups at risks due to solid waste

The groups at risk from the unscientific waste disposal include:

• Populations in areas where there is no proper waste treatment
method.
• children
• Waste workers
• Populations living close to waste dump
• Animals
SOURCES OF HUMAN EXPOSURES

Exposures occurs through

• Ingestion of contaminated water or food
• Contact with disease vectors
• Inhalation
• Dermal
 Points of contact

• Soil adsorption, storage and biodegrading

• Plant uptake
• Ventilation
• Runoff
• Leaching
• Insects, birds, rats, flies and animals
• Direct dumping of untreated waste in seas, rivers and lakes results in the
plants and animals that feed on it
Impacts of solid waste on health

Chemical poisoning through chemical inhalation

Uncollected waste can obstruct the storm water runoff resulting in
flood
Low birth weight
Cancer
Congenital malformations
Neurological disease
Impacts of solid waste on health

• Nausea and vomiting

• Increase in hospitalization of diabetic residents living near hazard
waste sites.
• Mercury toxicity from eating fish with high levels of mercury.
Goorah, S., Esmyot, M., Boojhawon, R. (2009). The Health Impact of Nonhazardous Solid Waste Disposal in a
Community: The case of the Mare Chicose Landfill in Mauritius. Journal of Environment Health, 72(1) 48-54
Kouznetsova, M., Hauang, X., Ma, J., Lessner, L. & Carpenter, D. (2007). Increased Rate of Hospitalization for
Diabetes and Residential Proximity of Hazardous waste Sites. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(1)75-75
Barlaz, M., Kaplan, P., Ranjithan, S. & Rynk, R. (2003) Evaluating Environmental Impacts of solid Waste Management
Alternatives. BioCycle, 52-56.
Effects of Solid Waste on Animals and
Aquatics life

• Increase in mercury level in fish due to disposal of mercury in the

rivers.
• Plastic found in oceans ingested by birds
• Resulted in high algal population in rivers and sea.
• Degrades water and soil quality
Impacts of solid waste on Environment.

• Waste breaks down in landfills to form methane, a potent

greenhouse gas
• Change in climate and destruction of ozone layer due to waste
biodegradable
• Littering, due to waste pollutions, illegal dumping, Leaching: is a
process by which solid waste enter soil and ground water and
contaminating them.
• U.S. Environment Protection Agency (2009)
PREVENTIVE MEASURES

• Proper management of solid waste

• Involving public in plans for waste treatment and disposal
• Provide the public accurate, useful information about the whole
projects, including the risks and maintain formal communication with
public
• Educate people on different ways of handling waste.
 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

The discipline associated with the control of generation, storage, collection,
transfer and transport, processing and disposal of solid waste in manner that is
accordance with the best principles of public health, economic, engineering,
conservation, aesthetics and environmental consideration.

INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ?

The selection and application of suitable techniques, technologies

and management programs to achieve specific waste management
objective and goals
PREVENTIVE MEASURES

Waste Minimization is a process of reducing waste produce by individuals,

communities and companies, which reduces the impact of chemical wastes
on the environment to the greatest extent.
Household level of proper segregation of waste, recycling and reuse.
Process and product substitution e.g. use paper bag instead of plastic bags.
Moeller,2005
 REDUCE
- Reduce office paper waste by implementing
a formal policy to duplex all draft reports and
by making training manuals and personnel
information available electronically.
- Improve product design to use less
materials.
- Redesign packaging to eliminate excess
material while maintaining strength.
- Work with customers to design and
implement a packaging return program.
- Switch to reusable transport containers.
- Purchase products in bulk.
REUSE
- Reuse corrugated moving boxes internally.
- Reuse office furniture and supplies,
such as interoffice envelopes, file folders,
and paper.
- Use durable towels, tablecloths,
napkins, dishes, cups, and glasses.
- Use incoming packaging materials for
outgoing shipments.
- Encourage employees to reuse office
materials rather than purchase new ones.
Solid Waste
Solid Waste Disposal Methods
Disposal Path
•Open dumping
•Waste Collection •Sanitary landfill
•Waste Reception &
•Incineration
Transfer
•Composting
•Waste disposal
•Pyrolysis

•High-temperature

•Size reduction (shredding,

grinding pulverizing)
 GENSAN WASTE MANAGEMENT

Prior to 2016, General Santos City used an open

dumpsite at Barangay Tambler for its solid waste
disposal.
 GENSAN LANDFILL

The sanitary landfill of General Santos

City is considered the biggest in Mindnao
with an area of 63.3 hectares and cost
P219M to built. It was inaugurated on May
2, 2016 and is located at barangay
Sinawal. The landfill is compliant to the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act
of 2000.
MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY
INAUGURATED FEBRUARY 19, 2019
 Waste hierarchy
Waste hierarchy refers to 3 Rs Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
 8R’s CONCEPT OF
WASTE MANAGEMENT
References

• Moeller, D. W. (2005). Environmental Health (3rd ed.). Cambridge,

MA:Harvard University Press.
• Centers for Disease and Control. (2009). Solid Waste. Retrieved
July 16, from http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/NALBOH/NALBOH-4.pdf
References

• Goorah, S., Esmyot, M., Boojhawon, R. (2009). The

Health Impact of Nonhazardous Solid Waste Disposal in a
Community: The case of the Mare Chicose Landfill in
Mauritius. Journal of Environment Health, 72(1) 48-54
References

• Kouznetsova, M., Hauang, X., Ma, J., Lessner, L. &

Carpenter, D. (2007). Increased Rate of Hospitalization for
Diabetes and Residential Proximity of Hazardous waste
Sites. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(1)75-75
• Barlaz, M., Kaplan, P., Ranjithan, S. & Rynk, R. (2003)
Evaluating Environmental Impacts of solid Waste
Management Alternatives. BioCycle, 52-56.
• 
THANK YOU