ENVIRONMENTAL

SCIENCE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
a) Water Pollution: Introduction – Water Quality Standards, Sources of Water Pollution, Classification
of water pollutants, Effects of water pollutants
b) Air Pollution: Composition of air, Structure of atmosphere, Ambient Air Quality Standards,
Classification of air pollutants, Sources of common air pollutants like PM, SO2, NOX, Auto exhaust,
Effects of common air pollutants
c) Noise Pollution: Introduction, Sound and Noise, Noise measurements, Causes and Effects

d) Solid Waste: Generation and management

e) Bio-medical Waste: Generation and management

f) E-waste: Generation and management

Lecture 11 Dr. Hemanta Medhi

Solid Waste
The waste materials which have been rejected for further use and which can neither readily
escape into the atmosphere nor can be transported by water into streams are called solid waste.
All the discarded solid materials from municipal, agricultural and industrial activities are
included in solid wastes.
 Types and sources of generation of Solid Waste
1. Municipal Wastes: These include garbage (i.e. biodegradable food waste), rubbish (i.e.
nonbiodegradable solid waste from homes, offices, schools, military barracks, markets, hotels,
etc.). Construction and Demolition Wastes; Sludges from septic tanks; conduits pipes; ashes;
abandoned vehicles, etc.
2. Special Wastes: These include hazardous wastes like toxic substances (pesticides,heavy metal
sludges); radioactive wastes; biological waste; explosives, inflammable substances, corrosive
materials, etc.
3. Domestic Wastes: These include wastes generated from domestic cooking and serving of food.
Examples: Garbage, waste paper, plastic, cloth etc
4. Agricultural Wastes: These wastes results from farms, feed lots and livestock yards. Example:
Corn residue, baggasse from sugarcane, paddy husk etc.
5. Industrial Wastes: These include the following:
1. Process Wastes: Examples Plastic wastes, rubber wastes, metal scraps, food-processing
wastes
2. Non-process Wastes: Example office and cafeteria wastes, packing wastes etc
6. E-Waste: It is a new form of waste from discarded mobile phones, mobile chargers, remotes, CDs,
headphones, batteries, computers/TVs, monitors, printers, CPUs, LCD/Plasma TVs, etc. It is also
known as electronic waste.
7. Biomedical: This refers to hospitals and biomedical equipment and chemical manufacturing firms.
In hospitals, there are different types of solid wastes produced (syringes, bandages, used gloves,
drugs etc).
 Causes/Factors of generation of Solid Wastes
1. Overpopulation: Solid waste generated per person multiplied by total population results in
increase generation of solid waste every day.
2. Urbanisation: Urbanisation requires various construction activities like construction of
buildings, markets, shopping malls, roads, railways, airports, bridges, dams, water supply and
sewage disposal systems. Each construction activity also generates solid wastes.
3. Affluence: Consumers with high purchasing capacity discard obsolete goods (Standard of
living or life style of the residence of the city/town). This leads to solid waste generation.
4. Advances in Technology: These lead to large-scale production of goods for consumption-
based society preferring disposable items and almost every item packaged. All these results in
generation of huge quantities of solid wastes
5. Geographic location: Developed countries contribute more solid wastes as more industrial
and commercial activities. (Tourist/Picnic places create wastes)
6. Season of the year: Generation of ash is more during winter due to burning of wood
7. Public attitudes : If a person has an attitude to reuse the waste/products multiple times, it
would help in reducing the generation rate of solid waste.
8. Legislation: Stringent regulation for controlling the use and disposal of the products, can help
in controlling the generation rate
Important solid waste management practices are described below:
1. Source Reduction: It involves changing the design manufacture or use of products and
materials to reduce the amounts of solid-waste generation. Reuse can also be done.
Examples Two-sided copying of paper, backyard composting, etc.
2. Recycling: From the wastes; paper/glass/plastic/metal, etc., are sorted, collected, processed
and then manufactured, sold and purchased as new products.
Advantages Energy saving, prevention of emission of many greenhouse gases/
water pollutants, job creation, resource conservation for future and reduced need of new landfills
and incinerators.
3. Treatment: Suitable treatment is given depending on the nature of solid wastes.
4. Disposal: Solid wastes can be disposed in combustion facilities and landfills.
The most preferred method for solid waste management is source reduction (including reuse). It
is followed by recycling and composting. Lastly, disposal of solid waste is done.
Solid waste Disposal

A. Composting
B. Illegal Dumping/open dumping/ fly dumping/ midnight dumping
C. Land Dumping
D. Landfills
E. Sanitary Landfills
F. Combustion
G. Incineration
Solid waste Disposal

A. Composting: Composting is the thermophilic and aerobic decomposition of organic matter

present in solid waste by microorganisms, mainly bacteria and fungi. As a result of this
composting process, the organic matter is transformed into a stable humus like substance,
which is a valuable manure for crops.

Composting techniques based on Oxygen use:

i. Aerobic Composting: Aerobic composting is decomposition of organic matter using
microorganisms that require oxygen. 
ii. Anaerobic Composting: It requires low temperatures. Decomposition of organic matter of
solid waste is slow. It needs minimum attention.
iii. Vermicomposting: It uses a special kind of earthworm and a container of food scraps.
After some time, the food is replaced with worm droppings, a rich brown matter that
serves as excellent natural plant food (manure). Vermicomposting provides excellent
natural plant food. It needs less space than normal composting and thus ideal for
apartments in high density urban areas
Solid waste Disposal

B. Dumping: illegal dumping/open dumping/ fly dumping/ midnight dumping

It is the disposal of solid waste by dumping in open areas, dumped from vehicles along
roadsides, and/or dumped late at night.

(i) Advantages: It is done to avoid either the time and effort required for proper disposal or
to avoid disposal fees.

(ii) Disadvantages
(a) Illegal dumping of nonhazardous wastes often attract more waste, even the hazardous
wastes.
(b) Illegal dump sites divert land from more productive uses.
(c) Property values decrease as a result of illegal dumping.
(d) Public nuisance is created by illegal dump sites
Solid waste Disposal

C. Land Dumping
Solid wastes are dumped in low-lying areas outside the city/town limits. These areas have no
provision of leachate collection and treatment. Moreover, landfill gas is neither collected nor
used.

(i) Advantages
(a) It requires no planning.
(b) It is cheaper.

(ii) Disadvantages
(a) The waste is untreated, uncovered and not segregated. It is the breeding ground for flies,
other insects, rats, etc., that spread diseases.
(b) Rainwater run-off from these dump sites contaminates nearby land and water thereby
spreading diseases
 ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
a) Water Pollution: Introduction – Water Quality Standards, Sources of Water Pollution, Classification
of water pollutants, Effects of water pollutants
b) Air Pollution: Composition of air, Structure of atmosphere, Ambient Air Quality Standards,
Classification of air pollutants, Sources of common air pollutants like PM, SO2, NOX, Auto exhaust,
Effects of common air pollutants
c) Noise Pollution: Introduction, Sound and Noise, Noise measurements, Causes and Effects

d) Solid Waste: Generation and management

e) Bio-medical Waste: Generation and management

f) E-waste: Generation and management

Lecture 12 Dr. Hemanta Medhi

 Solid waste Disposal

D. Landfills
A landfill site is a pit that is dug in the ground. The solid waste is dumped and the pit is covered
with a layer of soil to form a cell. The process is repeated every day so that many cells
completely fill the landfill site. Finally, about 1 m of earth-layer covering is done.

(i) Advantages
(a) Breeding of insects is prevented.
(b) Landfill sites can be developed as parks or parking spaces.

(ii) Disadvantages
All types of wastes are dumped in landfill sites without segregation. When rainwater seeps
through them, it gets contaminated and in turn pollutes the surrounding area and groundwater.
Solid waste Disposal

E. Sanitary Landfills
Sanitary landfill sites have liner systems and other safeguards to prevent groundwater
contamination. These sites are consistent with the economic considerations, hydrogeological
requirements, climatic conditions and topography.

(a) A clay barrier and plastic liner is installed at the base of the ground to prevent water and soil
contamination.
(b) Solid waste is compacted, spread and covered with a layer of soil to form a cell.
Each cell is equipped with a gas vent to collect methane gas formed for further use.
Leachate is the liquid (say rainwater) that seeps through solid waste and has extracts of
dissolved or suspended material from it.
Leachate collection system consists of perforated pipes in a layer of sand. It helps in
collection of leachate.
Many cells are made one above the another in a scientific way.
(c) The top cell is covered with about 1m of earth layer to prevent breeding of pests and disease
vectors
 Sanitary Landfills
(i) Advantages
(a) The site is well above the groundwater table; so underground water pollution is
avoided.
(b) The site is easily accessible; so the process is low in cost.
(c) The site is at least 1.5 km downwind from the commercial and residential
areas; so it is not offensive to the surrounding environment.

(ii) Disadvantages
(a) Leachate from sanitary landfill site can contaminate the groundwater.
(b) The sites cannot be used in future as productive farmland.
(c) In a sanitary landfill, about 60% of methane gas (odourless) is generated.
When its concentration in air reaches about 5%, it is explosive and so very
hazardous.
(d) Aesthetic problems may arise as a result of poorly operated landfill operations.
Solid waste Disposal

F. Combustion
Solid waste is burned at high temperature in combustion facilities.

(i) Advantages
(a) Energy is generated.
(b) Amount of waste is reduced by up to 90% in volume and 75% in weight.

(ii) Disadvantages
(a) Cost increases with rise in the moisture content of solid waste. This is because energy is
required for preheating the solid waste.
(b) Ash formed after combustion has high concentrations of dangerous toxins such as dioxins
and heavy metals. It results in air and water pollution.
Solid waste Disposal

G. Incineration

It is the controlled combustion of organic solid wastes so as to convert them into

incombustible residue and gaseous products. The weight and volume of solid waste is reduced
and often energy is also produced.

(i) Advantages
(a) As the volume of the waste is reduced, in taking the waste to the ultimate disposal site,
less transportation cost is required.
(b) Larger wastes can be accommodated in a given landfill area because incineration reduces
the land requirement to one-third.

(ii) Disadvantages
(a) Not applicable for radioactive wastes
(b) High capital and operational costs
(c) Air pollution chances if incineration is not properly done
(d) Highly trained manpower is needed
Effects of Solid Wastes
The accumulation and improper handling of solid wastes results in various health and
environmental hazards. Some of these effects are described below:
(i) Flies and mosquitoes breed on choked drains and gully pits through solid wastes. These flies
and mosquitoes then contaminate food and water. In turn, diseases like diarrhoea, amoebic
dysentery, bacillary dysentery, malaria, dengue, etc. result.
(ii) Stray animals and scavengers invade the roadside garbage dumps. It results in harming the
aesthetic beauty of the surroundings.
(iii) Bad odours pollute the air as a result of decomposition of organic solid wastes.
(iv) Percolation of decomposed garbage cause pollution of underground water and land. The
crops and water supply get contaminated and result in occurrence of cholera, hepatitis, jaundice,
gastro-intestinal diseases.
(v) Rats living in solid waste dumping sites rapidly multiply in numbers and may cause plague
and other diseases.
(vi) E-waste is either burnt or buried, So it can have harmful effects on the environment. This is
because E-waste contains many hazardous materials like lead, mercury, cadmium, flame
retardants, etc.
Organic waste
Paper waste etc
Glass, plastic waste
 Solid waste collection
Waste collection is the process of collecting and transferring the waste from the point of
use and disposing to the point of treatment or landfill

Classification of collection system:

1. House-to-house: Collection is done from door step from house to house. The user has to
pay a fee
2. Community Bins: Users bring their garbage to the community bins which are placed at
fixed points in the neighborhood. The garbage is then picked by municipality for disposal
3. Curbside Pick-ups: The garbage is kept directly outside the user home by themselves and
the pick-up will come at designated time and collect it. The timing for pick up is set by
the authorities.
4. Self Delivered: In this case the waste generators has to deliver the waste directly to
disposal sites or transfer stations
Based on mode of operation the collection system can be classified as:

1. Hauled Container System:

When a storage container is full with waste, an empty storage container is placed in the
position. Then the full container is hauled to the processing point or disposal site.

2. Stationary Container System:

In this system the containers are stationary i.e. the container remain at the point of
collection. The waste collection vehicle would visit the container site and the
collection staff would transfer the waste from the container to the vehicle and then
transport the waste to the processing or disposal site.
There are certain problems faced in waste collection.

Vehicle failure may cause delay in pickup, sometimes waste may fall of the vehicle
Most of the collection is done by unskilled labours and may get injured while lifting. The
working is poor and labour intensive. Complete mechanical collection of waste is not possible