How to be more sustainable - reduce waste

• Posted by Sylvan Zhang March 23, 2022 Filed in Society #Waste management  69 views
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  Waste management (or waste disposal) encompasses the processes and actions required to manage waste from inception to final disposal. This includes the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste, as well as the monitoring and regulation of waste management processes and waste-related legal, technical and economic mechanisms.

   

  Wastes can be solid, liquid, or gaseous, and each type has different disposal and management methods. Waste management deals with all types of waste, including industrial, biological, household, municipal, organic, biomedical, and radioactive waste. In some cases, waste can pose a threat to human health. Health problems are associated with the entire process of waste management. Health problems may also arise indirectly or directly. Directly through the disposal of solid waste and indirectly through the consumption of water, soil and food. Waste is generated by human activities, such as the extraction and processing of raw materials. Waste management aims to reduce the adverse effects of waste on human health, the environment, the earth's resources and aesthetics.

   

  Waste management practices are not uniform across countries (developed and developing); different approaches are possible in regions (urban and rural areas) as well as in the residential and industrial sectors.

   

  Proper waste management is important for building sustainable and livable cities but remains a challenge for many developing countries and cities. One report found that effective waste management is relatively expensive, typically accounting for 20-50% of municipal budgets. Operating this important municipal service requires integrated systems that are efficient, sustainable, and socially supportive. Most waste management practices involve municipal solid waste (MSW), which is the bulk of the waste generated by domestic, industrial, and commercial activities. Waste management measures include integrated techno-economic mechanism measures for the circular economy, efficient disposal facilities, import and export controls, and optimal sustainable design of the products produced.

   

  Want to learn about the different methods of waste disposal?

   

  Types of waste management

  Recycling

  Incineration

  Landfill

  Biological reprocessing

  Animal feed

   

  A. Recycling

  

  Recycling has a huge impact on protecting the environment. Among the various types of waste management, recycling means not disposing of waste into landfills or water sources by creating a usable waste component. Many entities/communities have made it easier to recycle commodities by introducing labels to show if materials are recyclable or not.

   

  The great thing about this waste management system is that it has economic and environmental advantages. It saves government resources needed for waste programs, provides thousands of jobs, and will earn significant money. Only recyclable waste is brought to the nearest recycling center to generate revenue from recycling.

   

  B. Incineration

  

  This type of waste management involves the disposal of waste through combustion. Thermal treatment is another name for this disposal method. You can incinerate and dispose of all kinds of waste on a commercial or human scale. Most countries with limited land will consider the incineration process. You can use the electricity generated by burning the waste to produce heat, energy or steam. One of the disadvantages of this disposal process is that it can be a source of air pollution.

   

  C. Landfills

  

  It is one of the most popular waste management systems in the world. It involves the collection, transportation, disposal and burial of waste on designated properties. Many towns are planning barren and barren areas to cope with the waste.

   

  Authorities are committed to ensuring that the construction of each landfill is successful in terms of sanitation and economic land use. However, landfills are a major cause of health and environmental problems that are of concern to many communities. For example, the gases from these landfills are often very dangerous.

   

  D. Biological reprocessing

  

  Chemical wastes, such as kitchen waste and paper products, can be reused after a process known as bioprocessing, another popular system in various types of waste management. A variety of physiological systems, including recycling and biomass gasification, are used for bioprocessing. The combination is a normal biological mechanism that takes place under controlled conditions. At one end of the inventory is natural gas, which is used to generate heat and electricity. Bioprocessing is commonly used to treat industrial waste.

   

  E. Animal feed

  

  Food waste is a serious problem that requires serious consideration. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 30 to 40 percent of all food produced in the United States is used by retailers and consumers to buy food. This is a major problem, as the value of food is estimated at $161 billion. This country leads the world in food waste, and the reasons why are self-explanatory. Food can be preserved through manure and livestock feed, which is an ecological type of waste management method.

   

  In China, with the onset of industrialization and the continued growth of population centers, the accumulation of urban waste has led to a rapid deterioration in sanitation levels and the overall quality of urban life. The generation of municipal solid waste shows spatial and temporal variations. In terms of spatial distribution, the point sources vary widely along the eastern coast. Guangdong, Shanghai and Tianjin generated 30.35, 7.85 and 2.95 Mt MSW, respectively. In terms of temporal distribution, from 2009 to 2018, MSW generation in Fujian Province increased by 123%, Liaoning Province increased by only 7%, while Shanghai SAR decreased by -11% after 2013, with complex characteristics of MSW composition. The fluctuations of the main components of kitchen waste, paper and rubber and plastic in different cities on the eastern coast were 52.8-65.3%, 3.5-11.9% and 9.9-19.1%, respectively. 52% landfill, 45% incineration, 3% composting technology and 99% domestic waste treatment rate.