SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT
Why is solid waste disposal a
major problem for towns and
cities?
 It is an expensive undertaking, the
second largest expenditure after
education
 It takes up valuable and expensive
land close to towns and cities
 It devalues nearby land properties
 Pollutes groundwater, air and
produces pungent odor
 The garbage disposal process
represent a waste of natural
resources.
Open waste dumps

Abandoned piles of household garbage, bags of

yard waste, appliances, old barrels, used tires,
and debris such as lumber, shingles, pipes and
asbestos can threaten the health of humans,
wildlife, and the environment.
1. Open waste dumps –
demerits
 Open dumps create a
public nuisance,
divert land from
more productive
uses, and depress
the value of
surrounding land.
 Open dumps have
become the feeding
grounds for children
from poor homes
A growing concern for
Urban Dwellers: Plastic
bags?
Plastic Bags
A major source
of municipal
solid waste
Open dumps pose the following
health, safety, and
environmental
 Fire and explosion threats:
 Inhalation of toxic gases in nearby homes
 Injury to children playing on or around the
dump site
 Disease carried by mosquitoes, flies, and
rodents
 Contamination of streams, rivers and lakes
 Contamination of soil and groundwater
 Contamination of drinking water
 Damage to plant and wildlife habitats
 Decrease in the quality of life to nearby
residents and the local community
2.
Landfills Machines compact
the clay to meet
required density and
depth

Looking right to left

we find the bottom
clay liner, the top
double synthetic
liner, and then gravel
being applied by
bulldozers.
Preventing groundwater
pollution in a landfill
An adequate lining
Line system is a necessary
r component for any landfill.
The liner is designed as a
barrier to intercept
leachate and direct it to a
collection system to
prevent contamination of
local groundwater.
Methane emissions from
Landfills
3. The Incineration
process
Concerns over
Incineration Does the
Fume Contain
Dioxins?
 Incineration recovers
energy that would
otherwise be lost
 Requires less land
 Reduces odor but…
 Emits dangerous
cancer causing
compounds called
dioxins
Modern Waste
Management Systems

1. RE USE

2. REDUCE

3. RECYCLE
Recycling
Recycling is a form of
Reuse .

However, Recycling
involves some
transformation of the
original material into
new forms.
REDUCE: Suggestions for
reducing waste at source
 Purchase more durable and less of
disposable items
 Buy more efficient products – cars,
appliances and houses
 Reduce consumption of luxury items
 Purchase items that can be reused over
and over
 Manufacturers must reduce packaging
and design small-sized products.
Waste management systems
and their impacts on the
environment
Maximum impact on the
environment Open
dump
Landf
ill
Incineration without energy
recovery
Incineration with energy
recovery
Recycl
e
Reus
e
Reduce waste
Minimum impact on
environment
Managing hazardous waste
materials
Reduction
 Modify or redesign manufacturing processes

Reuse & recycling

 Substitute safe materials for harmful ones

Discard approach
 Detoxification – physical and biological

conversion of harmful substances into

harmless material
 Secured toxic waste landfills

 Use of deep injection wells

Designing a secured landfill
for disposing of hazardous
waste materials