Question

What are the different types of solid waste and how are they identified? What are the different approaches to solid waste management?

Answer 1

There are different ways in which solid waste can be classified. A solid waste is generally discarded material. A material to be discarded, there are broadly 4 different options:

1. Abandoned
2. Recycled
3. Military munitions
4. Inherently waste-like

Materials may become abandoned by being disposed of, burned or incinerated, or accumulated, stored, or treated (but not recycled) before or instead of being disposed of, burned, or incinerated.

On the other hand, based on the source, solid waste can be classified into 3 types. They are:

1. Household waste is generally classified as municipal waste,
2. Industrial waste as hazardous waste, and
3. Biomedical waste or hospital waste as infectious waste.

The dangerous waste identification process is the initial phase in the perilous waste administration process. Effectively deciding if a waste meets the RCRA meaning of dangerous waste is fundamental to deciding how the waste must be overseen. The waste generator has duty regarding deciding whether a waste is a RCRA risky waste. (See: 40 CFR 262.11)

The HWID process consists of four questions:

1. Is the material a solid waste? (See: 40 CFR Part 261.2)
2. Is the waste specifically excluded from RCRA? (See: 40 CFR Part 261.4)
3. Is the waste a listed hazardous waste? (See: 40 CFR Part 261.30)
4. Does the waste exhibit a characteristic of hazardous waste? (See: 40 CFR Part 261.20)

Different Approaches of Solid Waste Management:

There are basically 2 approaches with which solid waste can be managed.

1. Stop the generation of the solid waste or at least reduce the waste generation
2. Manage the generated waste so the harm can be minimized

There are different ways of managing the generated solid waste. Some of them are:

1. Sanitary Landfill:

This is the most mainstream strong waste disposal technique utilized today. Waste is essentially spread out in thin layers, compacted and secured with soil or plastic froth. Present day landfills are composed such that the base of the landfill is secured with an impenetrable liner which is normally made of a few layers of thick plastic and sand. This liner shields the ground water from being sullied in light of filtering or permeation. At the point when the landfill is full, it is secured with layers of sand, mud, top soil and rock to forestall drainage of water.

2. Incineration:

This technique includes consuming of strong squanders at high temperatures until the point when the squanders are transformed into cinders. Incinerators are made so as to not emit extraordinary measures of warmth when consuming strong squanders. This technique for strong waste administration should be possible by people, regions and even establishments. The fortunate thing about this technique is the way that it decreases the volume of waste up to 20 or 30% of the first volume.

3. Recovery & Recycling:

Recovery or recycling of assets is the way toward taking valuable however disposed of things for next utilize. Customarily, these things are prepared and cleaned before they are reused. The procedure goes for diminishing vitality misfortune, utilization of new material and lessening of landfills.

4. Composting:

Because of absence of satisfactory space for landfills, biodegradable yard squander is permitted to disintegrate in a medium intended for the reason. Just biodegradable waste materials are utilized as a part of treating the soil. Great quality naturally benevolent fertilizer is framed from the manure and can be utilized for rural purposes.

5. Pyrolysis:

This is technique for strong waste administration whereby strong squanders are synthetically deteriorated by warm without nearness of oxygen. This as a rule happens under strain and at temperatures of up to 430 degrees Celsius. The strong squanders are changed into gasses, strong build-up and little amounts of fluid.