All about Waste Management
To start off, What is waste management anyway?
Waste management or waste disposal overall means all the activities and actions required to manage trash from its inception to the final disposal. This includes other things collection, recycling, transport, treatment and disposal of waste together with monitoring and regulation. We are talking about all kinds of wastes. From municipal waste to agricultural to hazardous residues and special wastes like mud or sludge and healthcare wastes.
There are several types of Waste Management. These are as follows:
1. Landfills
A landfill, also known as garbage or rubbish dump or dumping ground, is a place to bury the disposal of waste materials. It is said to be the oldest form of this process.
Pros:
a. Trash is not piling up around us
b. It won't be able to cause us worse health problems as it rots.
c. We can be safe from pests that carry disease.
Cons:
a. The rotting food waste produces methane and carbon dioxide that oozes from the ground and up into the air.
b. Methane and Carbon Dioxide are great factors of global warming.
c. Chemicals may strain out of confinement into streams and underground water.
2. Combustion or Incineration
From the word incineration which means the destruction of something by burning. It is described as "thermal treatment". Using this type of process converts rubbish materials to ash, flue gas and heat. Sweden is a well-known country for burning waste to produce energy.
Pros:
a. It helps to decrease the quantity of trash by 90%
b. It is less to likely pollute the environment than landfills do.
c. Production of Heat and power which helps a lot of countries saved from increasing energy costs.
d. It only operates within the required pollution limits recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency.
e.It significantly reduces the cost of transporting rubbish for long distances dumping.
f. Provides better control over noise and bad odor.
g.Due to high temperature, it eliminates harmful germs and chemicals.
Cons:
a. It is expensive, from construction to regular maintenance.
b.Produces smoke during the burning process which is poisonous to the environment.
c. Burning most of the waste without recycling some may cause further damage to the environment.
d.Ash waste can harm people and surroundings.
3. Recovery and Recycling
Recovery means collecting of used trash like paper, plastics and so on. While Recycling is reprocessing the recovered rubbish to be converted into a new useful material. Recycling is specifically included in the idea of this practice. Recycling products would only require a small amount of energy. Thus, the product we get from recycling can be a renewable source of energy and it is also Eco- friendly
4.Plasma Gasification
With this process, Synthesis gas or syngas is produced by organic matter converted through an extreme thermal process using plasma
Pros:
a. It does not generate methane( a potent greenhouse gas).
b.This process unlocks a huge amount of energy from junk.
c.Clean ruins of hazardous waste which prevents it from reaching landfills.
Cons:
a. Large initial investment costs
5.Composting
This is a natural process of recycling organic materials like leaves, fruits and vegetable scraps into rich soil.
Pros:
a. Enriches soil
b. Helps produce beneficial bacteria.
c. reduces methane emissions from landfills.
Cons:
a.It is laborious , depending on the amount required
. b. Lost nutrients
c. Too much effort needed and involved.
6. Waste to energy (WTE)
This is a term that is used by technologies that convert non-recyclable waste to usable energy like heat, fuel, and electricity.
Pros:
a. Cheaper fuel can be obtained
b. Reliable source won't be an issue, as people will always have waste.
c. Most wastes on landfill sites can be re-used.
Cons:
a. Facilities are expensive to construct
b. Many are not convinced that Waste To Energy plants are free from harmful chemicals.
7. Waste minimization
There are people nowadays practicing or has set of processes to lessen the amount of trash they produce.
Pros:
a. Protect the natural environment.
b. Save money, if done efficiently.
Knowing the types of waste management won't help that much in reducing rubbish, isn't it? That's what I thought so. It is definitely crucial to know the benefits of Waste Management and I hope that people all over the globe would help reduce waste and practice proper garbage disposal.
Moving on, right below you will know the main reasons why Waste Management is important.
1. It protects the environment.
The greatest benefit of waste management is perhaps keeping the environment clean. Proper manner is the key to eliminate waste in the surroundings. By cutting down all harmful factors that affect the environment, fossil fuels can reduce and it will lead us to a cleaner and greener environment.
2. Recycling helps you to earn money. (Yes, absolutely)
. Waste Management earns you a few every month. From old and used bottles to newspapers to tin cans, all of these waste are collected and paid for. Yes paid for! There are actually a lot of companies interested to pay you for your waste. truly this is a win-win concept, which I hope more people would consider doing.
3. This implementation is Highly Profitable
While some people earn from simply by recycling rubbish, others would actually consider waste management as a long-term investment. Large companies nowadays are looking forward to affiliate with this industry. According to Journal Of Waste Management, revenues generated would reach $60 million in 2018.
4. Reduces all types of waste.
Perishable or not, a trash is still a trash. It could make a mess in your home or office. Removal is required for at least once a week for perishables such as food, as it may cause bad odor and may attract pests. We don't want that to happen of course! However, if you don’t have time to clean up your mess at home, Professional cleaning services are just around waiting for you to schedule an appointment.
5. Most importantly, it Saves Earth and conserves energy.
Who would not want to save the place where we all live in? There are numerous types of waste management, and all of them has advantages and disadvantages, but all falls under one goal, and that is to save Earth and its inhabitants. With this process we also help improve air and water quality, if done within the required pollution limits. There goes a saying goes "too much of something is bad enough"
Nothing is perfect in this world we live in. This process may have good effects and benefits, but on the other hand, it may also have limits and disadvantages (which I hope can be worked on in the near future). Read on, and who knows you might have the idea and solution to all out waste issues.
1. Each practice is not executed evenly.
Sadly, but that's happening in reality. Waste Management isn't even done globally as we can still witness ocean disposals and oil spills.
2. Plants and Sites are usually unsafe
Sites under this industry are highly at risk of bacterial and fungal growth that may lead to diseases. It may also cause pollution and hazardous chemicals
3. Executing this method may not always be practical.
Waste management may require a lot of time, money and a land to set up the plant and sites. Thus, the management will only appreciate their earnings in the long run. Accurately recycling would cost $150 per ton, but dumping wastes in landfills only cost $50, thus many companies would rather choose the landfill method.
The government of each country and the entire world should support practices like waste management, and hopefully, we would come up with better ideas soon for the next generation to witness the beauty of Earth.