Causes of Waste Management

Introduction

Almost every activity produces some kind of waste. Every year the amount of waste produced by the community is greater than the amount of waste managed by the community and this is a very alarming situation for the environment. About 277 million tons of waste is produced by America only. There are many kinds of waste such as radiological, chemical, and biological waste which cannot be managed by the community itself nor even the facilities provided by the waste management.

What is Waste Management?

• Waste is any undesirable substance produced which is of no use. Waste management involves all the processes from the collection of garbage and other forms of waste to their disposal.

• In this process, all forms of garbage are treated, and also undergoes various recycling processes. If all the garbage produced is recycled as some valuable resource, it will prove very beneficial to households and various businesses.

• As the resources are getting depleted at a very faster rate and various environmental problems are increasing day by day, it has become very important for us to use resources in a judicious way and recycle the waste produced.

• Waste management can be very beneficial in various ways:

  • Waste management can help us to build a better and healthy environment.

  • Waste management will also prevent various kinds of diseases.

  • Waste management prevents the harmful effects of greenhouse gases.

  • Recycling also comes under waste management. Recycling helps in the conservation of energy and also promotes sustainable development.

  • Recycling paper prevents deforestation.

  • The waste management industry provides various job avenues. There are various organizations that sell recycled products thus creating jobs and also keeping the environment safe and healthy.

• Garbage cannot be eliminated from the environment completely but we can build a better environment by managing garbage and other forms of waste effectively.

Causes of Waste Management

There are various causes for waste management as listed below:

• The first and foremost cause of waste management is the human beings themselves. We produce more waste than we can manage. So if there is no waste management, it will start affecting our health and the environment.

• The other cause of waste management is the way we collect our waste. We mix all forms of waste together which then becomes difficult to deal with.

• Urbanization is also a cause for waste management. Day by day people are moving from rural areas to urban cities for various reasons. This is increasing the burden on the urban cities which increases the need for waste management in these densely populated cities.

• People are not aware of waste management. They don't have any knowledge of how waste can have a detrimental effect on our environment and how garbage or any other waste can be recycled into a valuable resource. So more and more people should be made aware of waste management.

• The need for waste management is to gain the knowledge to differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. This will make recycling easier.

• The companies are producing low-quality goods and non-recyclables which ultimately turn into waste. So companies must focus on this and change their goods to a reusable form which will lessen the burden on the environment.

• One of the leading causes is the developing technology and increasing population.

Waste Management Techniques

There are various techniques for waste management which are discussed below:

Landfills

• This method is used in developing countries.

• It involves placing the garbage in landfills, i.e., waste is buried deep inside the soil. Various parameters have to be taken care of during this process such as lining the landfill with the protective layer and choosing the area for construction of the landfill which has a low groundwater level.

• This process requires a skilled person.

• Now, this technique is becoming less common due to the unavailability of space and is also responsible for water, air, and soil pollution.

Incineration or Combustion

• In this method, the waste produced is exposed to a very high temperature which converts it into gas, steam, ashes, etc.

• This method decreases the area occupied by the waste.

• Proper filters are used to prevent air pollution caused due to burning of waste material.

Recovery and Recycling

• Recovery involves the process of converting waste into a usable form or converting them into any usable form of energy.

• Recycling involves the conversion of waste material into usable form without the use of new material, thus preventing energy consumption. Recycling prevents air pollution, decreases the emission of greenhouse gases, and decreases energy consumption.

Plasma Gasification

• Plasma is a gas that is highly charged or in a highly ionized state.

• In this method, the waste is placed in a vessel that has a plasma torch and a gasification zone is produced which results in the production of syngas from this solid or liquid form of waste.

• In this method, the intensity of heat breaks down the chemical bonds in the waste.

Composting

• It is a very common and safest method in which the organic waste is separated and microbes act on it and cause its decomposition which is used as manure for plants.

• It helps in increasing the fertility of the soil.

• This method is used in organic farming.

Waste to Energy

• In this method, waste is converted into the form of energy (heat or electrical energy).

• In this method of waste management, waste that cannot be recycled is converted into heat, fuel, and electrical energy.

Waste Minimization

• The most convenient way for waste management is to control and reduce the production of waste.

• This can be done by using those products which are recyclable, one should avoid using disposable products such as plastic bags.

Conclusion

Waste is any undesirable substance produced and there are various types of waste depending on their physical nature, and their ability to degrade. There are various sources of waste such as domestic, hospital, industrial waste, etc. As we humans produce waste more than we can manage, there is an immediate need for proper waste management. If waste is not managed properly, it will lead to various kinds of deadly diseases and affect the environment badly. There are various ways to manage waste.

FAQs

Q1. Mention the harmful effects of plastic.

Ans: Plastic is a non-biodegradable waste. If it is consumed by animals, they cannot digest it. It poses a great threat to the ecosystem.

Q2. What are the different types of waste?

Ans: Waste can be solid, liquid, or gas. Waste can also be classified as biodegradable and non-biodegradable.

Q3. What is the difference between aerobic composting and anaerobic composting?

Ans: In aerobic composting, the microbes used for the decomposition of waste are aerobic whereas in anaerobic composting anaerobic microbes are used for decomposition.

Q4. What is remote sensing and GIS?

Ans: When information is obtained about an object and area at a certain distance with the help of an aircraft or satellite. This art is called remote sensing.