SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste- Definition & Classification

Any material which is not needed by the owner, producer or processor. Classification Domestic waste Factory waste Waste from oil factory E-waste Construction waste Agricultural waste Food processing waste Bio-medical waste Nuclear waste

Terms
i) Solid (non hazardous) Waste: any garbage, refuse, sludge from a waste treatment plant, e.g., domestic trash, metal scrap, empty containers, boiler slag & fly-ash. (ii) Waste (or Refuse/rubbish/trash/garbage/junk): substances or objects which are disposed of or are intended to be disposed of or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of the law . It can be decomposing and non-decomposing, combustible & non-combustible solid wastes. (iii) Municipal Solid waste (MSW): trash/garbage consists of everyday items like product packaging, grass cropping, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint and batteries. (iv) Hazardous Waste: Waste that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. (V) Plastic waste- plastic bags, bottles, buckets etc. (VI) Metal waste- unused metal sheet, metal scraps etc. (VII) Nuclear waste- unused materials from nuclear power plants

Solid Waste in India

7.2 million tonnes of hazardous waste One Sq km of additional landfill area every-year Rs 1600 crore for treatment & disposal of these wastes In addition to this industries discharge about 150 million tonnes of high volume low hazard waste every year, which is mostly dumped on open low lying land areas.
Source: Estimate of Ministry of Environment & Forest

Illegal dumping
(v) Illegal dumping: disposal of solid and hazardous waste in a nonpermitted area : Construction & demolition waste, abandoned auto parts & scrap tyres, appliances, furniture parts, yard waste, household trash, medical waste, waste from market places and hotels. Problems: Illegal dump sites create a public nuisance and divert land from more productive uses. Can attract additional dumping and other criminal activities. Property values decrease & community becomes unattractive to commercial and residential developers.

AIM OF WASTE MANAGEMENT

@ To extract maximum practical benefits. @ To generate minimum amount of waste. @ Reduce negative impacts on environment & society.

Waste Management

HIERARCHY OF INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Segregation at source MSW waste minimization

Waste collection from source to segregation centers

Waste segregation into degradable to non- degradable

Non degradable wastes Recycling plant

organic waste size reduction aerobic composting Agricultural land, gardens etc

MSW Management Practices

Avoid, Minimize, Recycle, Treat & Dispose. Control measures:
1 Source reduction: alter design, manufacture, or use of products and materials to reduce the amount of waste thrown away. Waste receiving area- shredder- air classifier- cyclone separator/magnetic separator- ferrous metals Environmental benefits: prevents emission of green house gases, reduces pollutants, need for new landfills & incinerators, saves energy, & conserves resources. 2. Recycling: Processing of a waste item into usable forms. Prevents emission of greenhouse gases & water pollutants, saves energy, supplies valuable raw materials.

3. Composting: Biological decomposition of organic constituents of MSW like leaves, grass, & food scraps, by microorganisms under controlled conditions. Carbon and nitrogen: Recommended for MSW are 25:1 to 40:1 by weight. Increasing surface area of wood and other organic particles through size reduction can increase carbon availability and accelerate decomposition if adequate nitrogen is available. Moisture: management needs balance between microbial activity and oxygen supply. Slow rate is 40-45% moisture, recommended is 50-55% for high rate of MSW composting. Process starts at ~ 52% moisture & dry to ~ 37% moisture prior to final screening & marketing O2 and temperature: linked by microbial activity and aeration. Aeration + cooling (16-17% oxygen), Temp 45-59 deg best)

Composting based on Oxygen Aerobic Anaerobic

Features : High Temperature Absence of odours Rapid decomposition Features : Low Temperature Odours present Slow decomposition, Minimum attention required.

Composting techniques:

(i) Windrows: 2-6 months for decomposition, triangular piles, 7 high & 14-16 wide, aeration, specific turning equipment. (ii) Aerated static Pile: 6-12 weeks for decomposition, mechanically aerated, 10-12 high. (iii) In-vessel: <1 week composting time, plug flow, MSW in chamber or vessel, mixing mechanism, aeration, sequenced reactions, controlled moisture, proprietary processes.

Windrow composting

Aerated static pile

In-vessel systems

Pre- and Post processing: Pre-processing: size reduction, screening, magnetic separation. Post-processing: screening for degradation, curing. Materials to include: Fruit & vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds with filters, tea bags, fireplace ash, leaves, grass, yard clippings, vacuum cleaner lint, wool and cotton rags, non-recyclable paper, sawdust. Materials to exclude: meats, dairy foods, fats, oils, grease, pet excrement, fish scraps, diseased plants, bones.

Vermi-composting: using earthworms and microorganisms to convert organic waste into black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus.

4. Landfills
Landfill is the site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment.

Considerations for a land fill

Hazardous waste landfills must have double composite liners and a leachate collection system above & between the liners.

Landfills must also control run-on and run-off. Run-on must be diverted to prevent erosion to landfill, run-off of precipitation must be collected & managed to reduce the potential for off-site migration and to determine if it is hazardous waste.
All hazardous wastes shipped to landfills must be manifested so that regulators can trace the waste from landfill

Treatment technologies practiced prior to disposal in landfills must include stabilization and neutralization of hazardous and nonhazardous sludges, soils, slurries, liquids, powders & dusts.

5. Combustion/Incineration
Reduction of weight (~ 75%) and volume (~90%) of solid waste. Generation of revenues can partially offset the cost of incineration Breaks down some hazardous, non-metallic organic wastes & destroys bacteria & viruses. Incineration can be done at generation site Air discharges can be controlled In developed and developing countries

Drawbacks of management practices

Landfill scarcity: geographical constraints like high urbanization, environmental conditions like high water table, jurisdictional & political boundaries constraining the size and number of sites available for landfilling & increasing the attractiveness of incineration. Difficulties in Incineration: High capital and operating costs involved, High moisture and low energy content, Technical infrastructure required for maintaining incineration facilities, Requirement of highly trained personnel.

Disposal and recycle options

Prohibited wastes
Hazardous waste, Radioactive waste, Industrial process waste, Infectious (biomedical) waste, Asbestos or sludge, Pesticides or herbicides, Automotive batteries, PCBs or bulk liquids, Motor oil.

Quantity of MSW in Indian cities: increased per capita from 375 g/day to 490 g/day during 1971-1997.
Waste Composition: plastics have had a quantum jump from 0.69% to 3.9%, > 5 fold increase within last 20 years. Of the consumption figure of 1.9 million tones, 15% plastics are used by packaging sector. Waste disposal methods in India:

Effects associated with disposal of MSW

Health impacts : Of 95 workers at dumpsites in Bombay, 80% had eye problems, 73% had respiratory ailments & 51% had gastrointestinal ailments, 27 % had skin lesions , where 30% was from occupation. Of 180 ragpickers (1995 at open dumps in Kolkata), the impact was diarrhoea: 85%, fever : 72%, cough & cold : 63%.

Problems associated with disposal of MSW in India:

Contaminated leachate & surface run-off from land disposal facilities affecting down gradient ground and surface water quality. Volatile organic compounds & dioxins in air-emissions increasing cancer. Psychological stress for those living near incinerators or land disposal facilities.

Hazardous wastes management

Any waste or combination of wastes that poses a substantial danger, now or in future to living beings and which therefore cannot be handled or disposed of without special precaution Classification of Hazardous wastes Specific type of wastes from nonspecific sources Specific type of wastes from specific sources, Specific substances identified as acute hazardous waste, Specific substances identified as hazardous wastes, Characteristic wastes which exhibit: ignitability, corrosivity (pH <2, or >12.5), reactivity, toxicity.

General hazardous waste management strategies

Minimize, stimulate waste exchange, recycle, detoxify, reduce the volume, incinerate, stabilize/solidify, disposal in special landfills Treatment technologies for hazardous wastes: Biological treatment, chemical treatment, neutralization, oxidation, precipitation, reduction, carbon adsorption, distillation, ion exchange, electrodialysis, reverse osmosis, solvent extraction, incineration

Land disposal methods for hazardous wastes: Deep well injection land treatment Secure landfill.

Management of radioactive waste

High level radioactive waste management: Store indefinitely, Reprocess, Dispose of by burial or Isolation. Low-level radioactive waste management: waste minimization, volume reduction by compression, volume reduction by incineration, containment.

NIMBY principle: Not in my backyard

The term is used to describe opposition by residents to a proposal for a new development close to them. Household hazardous wastes: paints, insecticides, automotive products, solvents, and some cleaners. Guidelines for household hazardous chemicals: Inventory all products in your home Read product labels, Buy only what is needed, Keep out of reach of children, Dont store chemicals with food, Dont store flammable liquids or gases in home, Recycle, Use non-hazardous alternative products, Dispose off properly, Keep hazardous products in original containers, Never put hazardous wastes in household garbage, Never reuse pesticide containers

Disposal methods for household hazardous wastes:

1. Automotive products: Waste oil/gasoline: o Drain used oil to a plastic leak-proof container with a tight-fitting lid o Take to a Service station or oil change business, o Discard empty oil bottles in trash with lid on, o Do not dump used oil on ground, into streets drains or down the sink. o Car batteries: exchange.

2. Paints & related products: Paint and paint removers: Check into non-toxic alternatives for some of these products. Take to the household hazardous waste facility for collection. Use adequate ventilation & exercise caution with these products. Never put paint brushes in mouth. Paint: Paint out small amounts on newspaper to empty cans. Recycle empty and dry paint cans with scrap metal. Alternative use latex and water based paints which do not require hazardous cleanup materials, or buy non-toxic paints when available. Paint solvents and thinner: Avoid using oil-based paints and other products that require solvents or thinner for cleanup. In a closed jar, allow sludge to settle to bottom, pour off and reuse the clear liquid on top. Unused portion to household hazardous waste treatment facility.

3. Chemical waste: acids, alkali, solvents, chemicals, poisons & cytotoxics.

Chemical incompatibilities: should not mix: acids and alkali, bleaches, oxidizing agents, reducing agents, solvents & flammables in waste containers: chemical reactions Ammonia with hypochlorite bleach, nitric acid with acetic acid/sulphuric acid, 1-butanol with strong mineral acids, n-butylamine with copper and copper alloys, n-n-dimethyl formamide with halogenated HC, ethyl acetate with strong alkali, ethylene dichloride with strong oxidizing materials, ethylene glycol with sulphuric acid, MEK peroxide with flammable, 1,1,1 trichloroethane with caustic soda and caustic potash.

4. Biomedical waste Surgical dressings, cultures, biological tissues, needles and other sharps. 5. Infectious waste: Biohazardous waste, biologicl, medical, hospital, microbial, pathological etc Human blood & blood products, cultures and stocks of infectious agents, Pathological wastes, Contaminated sharps, Contaminated laboratory wastes, Contaminated waste from patient care, Discarded biologicals, Contaminated animal carcasses, Body parts, and bedding, Contaminated equipment & miscellaneous infectious wastes.

CPCB Standards
Hospital wastes: Standards for incinerators: A)Operating standards: Combustion efficiency shall be at least 99.00%. B) Combustion efficiency (CE) = % CO2/ [ % CO2 + CO] * 100. C) Secondary chamber gas residence time shall be at least one second at 1050 50 degrees C with minimum 3% Oxygen in stack gas.

Emission standards: Parameters concentration mg/m3 Particulate matter 150 Nitrogen oxide 450 HCL 50 Min stack height shall be 30 m above ground Volatile organic compounds in ash shall not be more than 0.01%

Note: Suitably designed pollution control devices should be installed filled with incinerator to achieve the above emission limits, if necessary.
Wastes to be incinerated shall not be chemically treated with any chlorinated disinfection.

Chlorinated plastics shall not be incinerated.

Toxic metals in incineration ash shall be limited within regulatory quantities as defined under the hazardous waste management and handling rules, 1989. Only low sulfur fuel like diesel shall be used as fuel incinerator.

Standards for waste autoclave

Gravity flow autoclave Vacuum autoclave Proper time and temperature with pressure Recording of operational parameters Validation test: spore testing- biological indicator-Bacillus stearothermophilus- vial or spore strips Routine test: chemical indicator for temp at different locations

Standards for liquid waste:

Effluent generated from hospital

Standards for deep burial

Dug a pit or trench about 3 meters deep. Half filled with waste, covered with lime within 50 cm of surface before filling rest with soil. Ensure that animals do not have any access to burial sites. A layer of 10 cm. of soil shall be added to cover wastes. Burial under close and dedicated supervision. Deep burial site should be relatively impermeable and no shallow well should be close to the site. Pits should be distant from habitation, and sited so as to ensure that no contamination occurs of any surface water/ground water. Location must be authorized by competent authority. Institution shall maintain a record of all pits for deep burial.

Computer and electronic scrap recycling

Average life span of computer system is 35 years Dioxin, CFC and halogens Beryllium, Mercury, Cadmium and brominated flame retardants: not easy to remove Mobiles, stereos & microwaves The manufacturer: (Extended producer responsibility)

Solution for e-waste

Add tax or surcharge onto purchase The fund can be utilized: but customer remains unaware Recycling programs by the makers: take back
Product end of life management Eco design Life cycle thinking Extended producer responsibility

WEEE- European union of electrical and electronic equipment Manufacturers and those who sell their own brand Resells under his own brands Importers and exporters