International Waste Management Strategies

Waste managementAll the activities and actions required to

manage waste from its inception to its final disposal.

Introduction Waste quantities are generally growing in all

countries all around the world. Every year billions of tons of waste are

generated. These wastes are result of activities in our

homes, businesses and industries and disposal of all this large amount is an enormous environmental problem with many dimensions.

The treatment and disposal of wastes, which are mainly of organic origin, is one of the most important problem and greatest challenge facing mankind.

Environmental degradation is often caused by mismanagement of wastes.

Aims

Strategies1. Landfilling2. Recycling

3. Aerobic composting 4. Anaerobic digestion

5. Thermal treatment techniques6. Compost reactor

Landfilling Sanitary landfilling is an acceptable and recommended method for

ultimate disposal of MSW. It is a necessary component of MSWMIn Europe quantities of waste increasing in most western Europe

(WE) countries and to a lesser extent in most countries in central and eastern Europe (CEE) and Twelve countries of eastern Europe, Caucasus and central Asia (EECCA).

Landfilling remains the dominant waste disposal method in Europe. There are more than 3.000 million tones of waste generated in Europe every year.

This equals 3,8 tones per capita in western Europe, 4,4 tones per capita in CEE and 6,3 tones per capita in EECCA.

The collection of municipal waste varies considerably among countries, from 685 kg/capita (Iceland) to 105 kg/capita (Uzbekistan)

Recycling of organic waste •If the organic waste is left unattended, it will tend to decompose by natural process giving rise to odors, hosting and feeding a variety of insects and pests, which in turn, form the carriers of disease creating severe health problems. •The segregation, decomposition and stabilization of the organic waste by biological action forms the basis of recycling through different natural cycles.

Aerobic composting The bacterial conversion of the organics

present in MSW in the presence of air under hot and moist conditions is called composting, and the final product obtained after bacterial activity is called compost (humus), which has very high agricultural value.

It is used as fertilizer, and it is nonodorous and free of pathogens.

As a result of the composting process, the waste volume can be reduced to 50–85%.

Anaerobic digestionIf the organic waste is buried in pits under

partially anaerobic conditions, it will be acted upon by anaerobic microorganisms with the release of methane and carbon dioxide; the organic residue left is good manure.

This process is slower than aerobic composting and occurs in fact naturally in landfills.

Thermal treatment techniques The destruction of MSW using heat energy is

called thermal treatment. Although there are many thermal processes

1. Incineration2. Gasification technology

Incineration Incineration is the process of control and

complete combustion, for burning solid wastes. It leads to energy recovery and destruction of toxic wastes, for example, waste from hospitals. The temperature in the incinerators varies between 980 and 2000 C. One of the most attractive features of the incineration process is that it can be used to reduce the original volume of combustible solid waste by 80–90%.

Gasification technologyIncineration of solid waste under oxygen

deficient conditions is called gasification. The objective of gasification has generally

been to produce fuel gas, which would be stored and used when required.

Gasification can also be used for MSW treatment after drying, removing the inerts and shredding for size reduction.

Gasification–combustion seems to be promising as it can reduce pollution and increase heat recovery.

Compost reactor

ELECTRONIC WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA

Electronic wasteA public-private participatory forum of decision making

and problem resolution in waste management must be developed.

The system design needs to be such that there are checks and balances, especially to prevent free riders. The goals of the product designer could include reducing toxicity, reducing energy use, streamlining product weight and materials, identifying opportunities for easier reuse, and more.

The old electronic product should then be sent back to be carefully dismantled for its parts to be either recycled or re-used, either in a separate recycling division at the manufacturing unit or in a common facility.

Electronic waste management

The regulations should prohibit the disposal of e-wastes in municipal landfills and encourage owners and generators of e-wastes to properly recycle the wastes.

Manufactures of products must be made financially, physically and legally responsible for their products.

Policies and better management of restricted substances may be implemented through measures such as

→ • specific product take-back obligations for industry → • financial responsibility for actions and schemes → • greater attention to the role of new product design→ • material and/or substance bans including stringent restrictions on

certain substances → • greater scrutiny of cross-border movements of Electrical and

Electronic Products and e-waste → • Increasing public awareness by labeling products as 'environmental

hazard’.

Biowaste composting in Europe•Wet waste•Mixed Solid Waste •Waste Sludge and Human Fecal Matter•Manures And Animal Wastes

Other strategies

Use recyclable productsThe best option for dealing with wastes is to

reduce the volume. Designers should ensure that the product is

built for re-use, repair and/or upgradeability. Stress should be laid on use of less toxic,

easily recoverable and recyclable materials which can be taken back for refurbishment, remanufacturing and reuse.

Role of governmentIt is high time the manufactures, consumers,

regulators, municipal authorities, state governments, and policy makers take up the matter seriously so that the different critical elements depicted in an integrated manner.

Sustainability of waste management systems has to be ensured by improving the effectiveness of collection and recycling systems

Awareness Programmes The future of waste management depends not

only on the effectiveness of local government, the operator of recycling services, but also on the attitude of citizens, and on the key role of manufactures and bulk consumers to shape and develop community participation.

Lack of civic sense and awareness among city residents will be a major hurdle to keep waste minimum.

Environmental HazardsThe treatment and disposal of wastes, which are

mainly of organic origin, is one of the most important problem and greatest challenge facing mankind.

Environmental degradation is often caused by mismanagement of wastes. Human health relies on environmental health, which can be measured as air, water and food quality.

The landfill method cause secondary environmental problems such as pollution of ground and/or surface water and offensive odours.

Most of the MSW in India is dumped on land in an uncontrolled manner. Such inadequate disposal practices lead to problems that will impair human and animal health and result in economic, environmental and biological losses.

Comparing the biological, chemical and thermal treatment options in the Indian scenario, perhaps the biological processing options get the priority.

Composting and vermicomposting are successful and quite popular now in India instead of incineration. But, it is slow process and requires a large space.

Landfilling should be restricted to non-biodegradable, inert waste and other waste that are not suitable either for recycling or for biological processing

Environmental impacts of the compost processGases released from improperly maintained compost piles

are a negative effect associated with the composting process. When piles are not properly aerated, colonies of anaerobic

bacteria flourish and produce methane gas. The decomposition process also releases carbon dioxide,

volatile organic compounds, bacteria, and fungi. The release of methane and carbon dioxide contributes to the

problem of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Poorly operated composting facilities also cause unpleasant

odors. Other air emissions are generated by the combustion engines

used to power windrow turning machines and grinders.

Leachate production is also common. Leachate from water runoff and condensation at compost

facilities occasionally contains levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and phenols (a byproduct of the decomposition of the lignin in leaves) that may exceed acceptable discharge limits, but pose few problems if absorbed into the ground or passed through a sand filter.

High concentrations of BOD in runoff to surface water is a bigger problem, as this can reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen in lakes and streams that is available for aquatic life.

Sound practice here is to avoid discharge to water and to capture or direct all leachate to absorption in sand or soil.

Environmental effects of compost useThe most significant potential environmental

problem arising from compost use is its potential to convey heavy metals to the soil. This is a serious concern, and sound practice requires controlling impacts through:

analysis of composts;development and enforcement of land

application standards; andresearch and development on pre-processing

and process control mechanisms to limit or reduce contaminants.

WRAPThe Waste Management and Recycling

Association of Pakistan (WRAP) is the National Voice for the solid waste and recycling industry at the Federal, Provincial and local levels, advocating on behalf of members by advancing policies to make Pakistan safer on the Planet of Earth. 

WRAP aims to bring recycling industry of Pakistan a part of Global Economic activity which is generating Billions of Dollars of Economic activity Worldwide.

References http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/

documents/apcity/unpan037140.pdfhttp://www.nswai.com/Waste_Portal2/Researc

h_papers/pdf/rp_may15/Municipal%20solid%20waste%20management%20in%20Indian%20cities%20_%20A%20review.pdf

http://www.ung.si/~mirjana/obvestila_03_04/podiplomci/jereb.pdf

http://www.unep.or.jp/Ietc/ESTdir/Pub/MSW/SP/SP4/SP4_3.asp

Book chapter 5 COMPOSTING

Presented by

Waqar WaheedMobeen YounasM.Furqan